Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14
WHEN CITY WAS YOUNG
Early L Landowners in Neighbor-
hood of Capitol.
MEMORIES OF THE LONG AGO
"reminiscences Suggested by Reading
Old Records.
ORIGINAL WASHINGTON HOMES
House in Which Prominent Persons
Often Were Guests-Soms
Of the Values.
MEMORIES OF THE LONG AGO
ORIGINAL WASHINGTON HOMES

That section Of the city bordering the
southeastern portion of the Capitol grounds,
between B. c, South Capitol and LIST streets,
known as squares $50 and $50 in the early
days, was interesting and important
locality. On the square east OF New Jersey
avenue once almost entirely occupied for
residential purposes, is being erected the
office building of the House OF Representa-
tives, and on the square east the coast
survey has long been located in govern
ment property The old buildings, some
antedating 1900, were replete with the as
sociations of the most prominent people
of the day, including Washington and Jet-
ferson and other characters whose names
are prominent in history. Thomas Law Is
credited with taking the initiative In the
matter of development, and, with the ex-
pectation that New Jersey avenue would
become an artery of trade leading to the
Eastern branch wharves, he built on botn
sides of New Jersey avenue.
In view of the belief that the locality was
to become center of business, market
was located on New Jersey avenue prior
TO 1902 before the municipal government
went into operation. and from that year
till removed to East Capitol street in 1917
it was the mart for fresh meats ana
perishable food. For many years the Co.
lumbia Fire Company was located on the
angle formed north of street.
Division of Land.
In the square west of New Jersey ave-
nue. and south of B street. the title to
which was in Daniel Carroll, the lots were
divided between him and the United States
in October. 1892. The names of Law,
Robert Morris and Greenleaf were asso
ciated with the title four years later. the
first only for any great length of time.
Mr. Law improved lot l, at the corner OF
New Jersey avenue and c street, by the
erection of a block of three three-story
dwelling houses. some of the walls OF
which are part of the Hotel Varnum. Mr..
Law occupied one of them as his residence
from 1896 to 1919. and among his guests
ton, and in 1897 he entertained Louis
Philippe and his brothers, and later other
noted people. One OF the houses was the
cradle of the National Intelligencer, whose
first issue was October 81, 1900. Messrs.
Conrad and MacAIunn about this time
opened hotel in other of the houses.
The hotel was continued for only a year
SO, for in 1904 Samuel Harrison Smith,
editor and publisher of the Intelligencer,
and a Mrs. Coyle and Mrs. Williams oc-
cupied the row. 1t was from Conrad &
MacMunn's that Mr.. Jefferson, in 1901, pro-
ceeded to the Capitol to be inaugurated
Matthew Brown in 1899 leased from Mr..
Law part of lot Is, fronting twenty three
buildings. on which was a three-story
brick residence. w. F. Beall, about 1900
was on lot IT, north of Browns property,
on which was a smaller house. The ground
on New Jersey avenue in 1895 was valued
al 10 cents per foot, and four years later
at half that figure, while on South Capitol
street the depreciation was from to u a
cent. The improvements were assessed as
follows: Lot l. $4,000; lot 1s. NJ Brown.
5000; lot 10. w. f. Beal, $1,000. That
evidently does not include all of the i'm
provements, for in early writings 1t is
mentioned that Daniel Rapine. later mayor
of Washington. had his printing office and
book store at the southwest corner OF New
Jersey avenue and B street, where the
assessors afterward valued improvements
of Mr.. Carroll at 5000.
Original Hotel Man.
VIM. Brent in 1902 acquired two of the
Law buildings. and the deed speaks of the
corner house In the occupancy of Pontius
D. STEELE" The latter was one OF the orig
inal hotel men of Washington. About that
time conveyances were made affecting Mr..
Laws holdings, recorded to secure Mrs.
Law formerly Miss =. p. Gusts. They In
Guided a marriage settlement Of March 49,
1896, in which James Barry is the trustee;
a deed in trust to Thomas Peter of five
lots, and the conveyance of parts of lots
1 and . to C. Calvert and Mr. Peters.
Nothing doing" was true regards
operations in real estate in the section in
question I'LL I'LL, Wnen deed to Beall'S
heirs conveyed part of lot II. Rev. Andrew
Hunter. chaplain, L. S. A, bought in lots
Is and 3 in 1918, and later acquired lot 49,
In the next decade, the twenties the ground
valuation was to 10 cents per foot. The
Law buildings on lot l were assessed at
$4,000; brick house of Mr.. Carrolls. on
the corner of b street and New Jersey ave-
nue.. lot y, $1,000; Bealfs heirs, lot II,
s., 300, and Hunters heirs, lot 10. $500.
j. G.. Whitwell in 1927 bought the south
half Of lot II, and James Adams had part of
lot IL and part of lot Is conveyed TO j. Coyle
jr In the thirties, John MacCormick was
on the north front of lots IL and L. on b
street. +. w. Brodhead, second controller
of the treasury. bought the Hunter prop
erty, lot IS. In 1872
On New Jersey Avenue.
In the twenties there resided on New
Jersey avenue Daniel Rapine, Miss Heyer
and John Macleod. clerk in the Post Office
Department, in the Law buildings; Rev.