Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07
GROUNDS OF CAPITOL
The Southeastern Portion Was
Known as Square 688.
WAS OCCUPIED UNTIL 1872
Names of Some of the Early Residents
Who Acquired Lots.
NATURE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS
Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress Guests Of Householders-
Valuation Of the Ground.
NATURE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS

designated square No. 688, within the lines
Of A, and LIST streets and New Jersey
avenue southeast. During that period, until
1872, the square became we'll filled with
houses of brick and frame, private resi-
dences taverns, stores shops, etc. In lS'Z
the extension of the Capitol grounds oblit-
Grated No. 68S as a city square and In
place Of brick, mortar and frame appeared
grass plot, trees and plants. To the east
is the Congressional Library, and to the
south the new office building of the House
Of Representatives. Some idea of the physi-
cal features of the old square may be had
from tradition and record. In 1st street
was a gully. Water from spring east
of the Capitol and the drainage flowed
in a ravine across the square, and b
streets. The Capitol square was not leveled
and inclosed until 1915. when a picket renee
marked the lines. One of the first acts OF
the corporation was the placing of small
bridge over the gully in A street. after
grading that street, between New Jersey
avenue and 1st street, for which $1.00O
was appropriated. About the center OF the
square there long existed pond OF water
which was once used in the case of fire.
Within the area of the Capitol grounds TWO
or more of the officers of the Senate and
House had been granted PERMISSION 10
build homes, and the residences or Messrs.
Thomas Claxton, Thomas Dunn and James
grounds were inclosed.
Like the square now included in the
grounds at the northeast corner, No. 6os
was laid out for twenty-four lots, ten each
on A and streets, and, though they were
allotted in October, 1892, there were no
transfers until 1901. Then Banjamin Stod-
dert and others acquired ground including
the northeast corner Of LIST and streets.
and afterward two lots south, to which
8. Blodgett succeeded. William Duane
bought lot 10, corner Of New jersey avenue
and A street. In 1901 Adam Lindsay mad
q lot at and LIST streets, and there was
erected the first house on the square, Mr..
Lindsay's homo for several years. 1t was
valued at 5000 and the ground at five cents
a foot.
In the Year 1904.
w. E. Keef in 1904 bought in lots 16 and
II on A street, and three years later R. 8.
Buckley had several lots, some OF which
the same year went to other parties Chas.
H. Warden bought lot IS on street, SELL
ing the east half to James Matthews. Capt.
Peter Lenox bought lot on street, and
erected fine two-story brick house, which
he leased to Bailey Washington, and Daniel
c. Brent acquired lots IL, IL and IA, the
northwest corner Of the square. AT that
period the property of Mr. Lindsay was
unchanged in valuation, and the house on
lot Z, in the name Of Mr.. Washington, was
valued at $1,000.
The lease on lot in 1908 was assigned to
Henry Schroeder, who transferred 1t In 1910
to Capt. John Coyle. James Hickey, in 1910,
was on lot II, corner of New Jersey ave-
nue. and street, and Benjamin Burns,
tailor on the lot adjoining on the north
The next year w. H. P. Tuckfeld was on
lot 16, on A street, and afterward John
Peltz and James Scanlon. The northwest
corner Of the square in 1917 was owned by
Thomas L. Thurston and Dr. Frederick
May. and in 1920 James Rowland and Will
liam Preston had leases on A street.
In the twenties the corporation valued
n fnnf o,,1
the improvements were the Coyle house on
lot 7, erected by Capt. Lenox in 1907 and
enlarged by Coyle. valued at $500, facing
on street, lot 10, the Hickey property,
1910, s., 800, and lot II, w. Clark, $50, on
New Jersey avenue; lot 13, John Peck bill
lard saloon, corner New Jersey avenue and
A street $780, lot 16. James Scanlon, $500,
three buildings; lot II, VIM: Costin, brick
house, $500; lot 1S, James Matthews, 1877,
brick houses, ZOO and $1,000, and q to
%, frames Adam Lindsay, 1901, $3.50 and
5000, on street.
Located on A Street.
On A street were located Mountjoy Bailey,
sergeant arms, and H. Tins, doorkeeper
of the Senate. John MacCarthy, grocer;
VIM. Preston and VIM. Ettridge, stone
cutters; John Carlin and A. Cosgrove. car
penters; a man named Waters, John Flem-
ing and P. Heffren. laborers; James Fowler,
tavern; John Peck, saloon, and w. Costin,
colored On B street was Capt Coyle and
on New Jersey avenue were Mrs. Hickey
and VIM. Hickey.
Mr. Lindsay, who Is said to have been the
first resident of the square, was Scot.
He erected a frame building on Knoll and
lived there a few years. In his day he
was a leading citizen, q member of the city
councils and was prominent in the Ana
costa Bridge Company and other public
utility enterprises. Most of his time he
resided in a cottage about 18th and G
streets southeast, and though only one Child
survived him several of hIs grandchildren
reside In the same neighborhood. Mr..
Lindsay was prominent when the morus
multicaulis of silk worm was prevalent
here in the thirtes. In addition to eX-
tensve gardening he raised many mulberry
trees and succeeded in getting enough SILK
to make him suit of clothes.
Mr. Lindsay in 1901 erected at the north
east corner of 1st and A streets a neat
frame dwelling, which he occupied sew
eral years prior to locating southeast Of
Lincoln square, where, as stated, he en-
gagged extensively in gardening.
Residence Of Capt. Coyle.
Capt Coyle, who took the house on
street built by Capt. Lenox in 1870 greatly
improv ed it, and resided there long enough
for the structure to become well known as
1.-The Coyle house" Some of the Oldest resi-
dents remember him as the popular Capt.
Coyle a genial, public-spirited citizen, who
long filled a clerkship in the first auditors
office So convenient to the Capitol was he
that he often had senators and representa-
tiyes under his roof, the early senators
from Mississippi, T. H. Williams and David
Holmes, with Representatives Charles Ran
kin of Massachusetts, and Joseph Hemphill
of Pennsylvania, being his guests in the
twenties. Later the house was the resi-
dence of Count Portales of Switzerland,
then of the coast survey. The count being
a big, handsome man, and the countess
lady Of beauty and charming manners, at
tracted attention everywhere. 1t was said
the count, having married a domestic on
his fathers estate was, therefore, ostra-
cised by many of his family and country
men, so he departed He exiled himself
for number of years, but later. coming
into some of the ancestral property, he,
with his wife and daughter. returned home.
The daughter was a beautiful girl, known
as such far and wide, and the early pho
tographers priced her pictures highly.
One of the best known families in the
square was that of the Hickeys, whose
house fronted New Jersey avenue. 1t was
q fine three-story building, north of B
street, where resided the widow and son
Of the settler of 1910. The latter was In
his day well known in military circles in
the departments and at the Capitol. 1t is
related that the father, James Hickey, was
the one who shot at Gen. Ross when the
British troops invaded this city.