Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07

brisadier general, holding such commits
sion to his death. AS such he received or
ders from Mr.. Lincoln to take the field In
1851; but when the extraordinary session
Of the Senate was called. he, being the ex-
ecutive clerk, was recalled. He was one
OF the half dozen clerks In the pension Of
nee In the twenties. AS guests of Mrs.
Hickey were Representatives woodcock
Of New York, NJ L. Hill of Maine. Josiah
Butler of New Hampshire and w. g. Black
lege of North Carolina.
The Cossins. on street prior to 1870.
was one of the earliest colored families on
the hill" From, the father. William Co.'S
tin, down they were very light in color
and regarded as of the IF. F. VS. Of
their race, enjoying the respect OF the
community at large, and the descendants
living are proud OF the name left them. The
father was long an employee in the Capitol.
Mr. Warden who ACQUIRED property on A
the firm Of Matlock & Warden on New Jer-
sey avenue. Mr.. Burns, on New Jersey
avenue in 1910. was for a few years a tailor
there. Adjoining the northwest corner on
the twenties under lease to Mr.. Lynch and
later to M. Callan, and in the thirties to
James Barron.
Valuation of Ground.
In 1880 the valuation Of ground was from
= to % cents and there had been but little
change in the assessment for improve
ments. Peck's saloon, at B street and New
Jersey avenue, increased to $500, the Pres
ton house was reduced from 81 600 to $780,
Scanlon's property from $500 to $500 Co.'S
TINS reduced from $500 to $500, H. Tins
500. and r. Brown, 5000 on the Matthew
LOT; Coyles house from s. 800 to s. 800.
In that decade. the thirties, j. s. Club
bought lot 8, on B street east of the Hickey
property, and erected a dwelling, residing
there a few years. He was in early life
connected with the Marine Corps as ffe
major in charge Of the Marine Band, and
In the th1rties was a messenger Of the Sem
ate. He Is pleasantly remembered as an
old-ume choir leader, whose greatest de-
Hight was In conducting singing schools and
shoirs
In the forties there were w. J. wheatley.
one of the Oldest residents and a boot and
seph Lardella, druggists: the taverns Of
Mrs Mary Sweeney and James Johnson
with James Casparis' refectory; the grocery
stores Of Hitz & Bro. and Casparis. and
Messrs. D. vass and Thomas P. Trott Of
the Post Office Department on street. j.
D. Waller Of the Capitol police and Mrs
Tayloes boarding house on New Jersey
avenue.
The site of Peck's saloon, at the corner of
New Jersey avenue and A street, was long
the property Of Frances Hanna, who in the
thirties improved 1t by frame house Peck
him were NJ King. Casparis, Joseph Ham
lin and Mrs Whitney Later 1t was San
derson's Hotel The house on the east
was the Fowler tavern of the twentfes
afterward Lynch's White House, a then
or1ck structure, later occupied by Sweeny
Tom Stone and others
Settled on the Hill.
James Casparis, long the host of the pub
lie house bearing his name, settled on the
hill with other Swiss countrymen In the
early forties. First he was at the corner
Of A street and New Jersey avenue in
neat frame building on the site Of Peck's
place of the twenties, and by use of paint
the house to all appearances was ever a
new one. 1t soon became a most popular
cal patronage, and in little while larger
quarters were demanded for the business
In 1915 Mr.. Casparis bought lot Is, east of
the site, and later, in 1852 erected three
war times, when the building was converted
to hospital uses, and many Of the surviving
veterans Of the war feel grateful at the
mere mention of the name. When Lincoln
Of recreation for him and his friends, espe-
ctally those who enjoyed billiards In fact.
SO popular was the place that when Con-
gress was not In session the tables were al
that the sergeants-at-arms of the two
houses often, under a call Of the house,
summoned absentees from bowling alley,
billiard table and bar
1t Is related that in the ffties a messen-
ger of the Senate sent for a senator
who was booked for a speech on an impor-
tant subject and found him at CasparIs'
bar. Touching him on the arm, he said:
Senator. your friends are waiting for YOU.
and want you in the Senate" Have a
drink, he responded, and both smiled the
senator taking a big drink. When he en-
tered the Senate he was reeling and the
messenger received reprimand for not
having taken him home. The senator,
however, by the support of his desk made
the speech Of his life. and his friends were
elated at his success, though his enemies
said it was whisky talking.
Acquired a Reputation.
About the same time the well-known
Hitz family appeared on the Hill. and the
grocery store Of F4orian & James Hitz, a
few doors east of the hotel, soon had more
than a mere neighborhood reputation. In
1915 Jacob B. Gardener established him
self as an apothecary on the south side
of street, buying lot 10 and afterwaEd the
adjoining lot John c. Fitzpatrick clerk in
the office of the secretary of the Senate
came here in 1913, buying and settling on
lot 4, on B street.
In 1850 Casparis was on the Peck corner,
and the old White House was run by Echa-
fer. veteran of the Mexican war. Schulze
a timer, was located in one of the two
story bricks, and Angler, Swiss confec-
toner, who in 1854 returned to his old
home, was in the other. On the adjoining
lot east Casparls erected his hotel. Next in