Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-06
NAVIGABLE WATERS THEN
Initial Survey Began From Stone OF
Bladensburg Road.
HALF WAY TO GEORGETOWN
Fish Were Plentiful and Barges
Lightered Breadstuffs From Mills
on Small Waterway.

the middle of the road from George
town to Bladensburs. The creek south
ward formed the natural boundary
West of 22d street and north Of M
street there were hills and dales, skirt
ing Slash run, which emptied into the
creek short distance south of the
present P Street bridge. These were
well wooded and there was, near the
mouth of the run, considerable rock,
once worked as a quarry.
There was also much clay. which was
made into brick after the ground was
denuded of wood. In the beginning of
the last century William O'Neale, d
famous innkeeper. father of Peggy
ONeale, who was the cause of the rup-
ture in Gen. Jackson's cabinet had a
large force of wood choppers engaged
in cutting this wood.
Up to the thirties. when the Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal constructed a dam
at Its mouth, Rock creek was naviga BILE
Tor schoonerS as high as P street. From
the mills above breadstuffs were
brought in lighters.
Shad, herring and other fish abounded
to such an extent that in the twenties
there was a fishing landing on the city
side, the seine being handled by cap
stan. SO plentiful were fish that a
section of Georgetown opposite became
known as Herring Hill. and there are
some few living who remember how the
dip net would secure the fish for
breakfast ere the kitchen fire became
hot.
On the city side of the creek. how
ever. settlement was slow. For half
a century there were scarcely a dozen
people on the ten squares in this sec
ton; and, indeed, though such men as
nent in developing city property were
interested. much of the ground for
twenty years bore a taxable value of but
fourth of cent per foot.
There were, however. some few sales
of the pick of the lots.
The triangular piece of ground on the
creek. NJ and 26th streets, known as
square west of square Is, was. in 1897,
left in the name of Mr.. Peter. but In
1915 John Glasco was on the corner, and
in 1918 c. c. Jones owned in the square.
Descendants of the first named were here
to the middle of the century. From a
cent per foot In 1902 six cents was
reached in 1880.
Land Partly in Water.
To the west square Is, between NJ N,
18th and 2Sth streets. was partly on the
creek. In the division the United States
took seven lots and Robert Peter and
William Bailey the remaining seven. In
SSS2: in 1917 John Lipscomb and B. T.
Mackall owned in lot 3.
In 1890 j. COlclaZer had a lease in lot
!, and three years after J. Eschbach, G.
c. Grammer and r. Burgess had a lot each,
Benjamin S. Bohrer two lots and George
town College six lots. In 1884 Nicholas
Travers owned one: the year after w. G.
Ridgeley one. and two years after A. r.
Smyster owned on NJ street. The ground
value was but three and four cents.
North of the above. N and 25th streets,
with Rock creek defined square west Of
y had three lots. Two of these in 1886,
were assigned to Peter and Bailey, the
United States taking the other. In 1893
the Columbian College had one. In three
years John P. Pepper had another and
James Dunlop owned the one at n and
18th streets in 1880.
Square %, east of the preceding on oath
18th and streets. with Rock creek
| north, made of twelve lots, was appor-
toned in 1896, six going to the United
States, the others to Peter, Holmead and
Butter. In 1900 P. Nicklin bought these
lots of the United States, and in 1902 Will
liam Glover the others. In 1914 A. Hol-
mead had five of the other lots; In 1918
Joseph Nourse had two lots, as had
to James McClery. and Ann Blanchard
bought two lots, to which Jane Glover
succeeded in 1927.
In 1880 J. B. Holmead had four lots;
l"O yedI Idlci W. MSS CT Two, inc 1OllON-
ing year Columbian College one: in 1896
c. J. NJ Eaton three, and in 1916 Thomas
Corcoran had three and w. w. Corcoran
one.
South of Rock creek. in the lines of
23d oath and N streets, square 30 was
plated for eight lots. In 1907 John Hol-
mead had the title The apportionment
was not made till 1912. when there was
equal division. Peter and Holmead hav-
ing title to half the lots.
RnfuS Elliot in 1910 oUpod lot q ~
the northeast corner of the square, and
worked the quarry which faced the creek
for some years. In 1918 John Mountz of
Georgetown owned the lots, including the
paying $3.50 therefor, less than 5 cents per
foot.
This property was improved by him
with buildings listed at 81 400 and Sc OOO
In 1927 Gen. Van Ness had the north
east corner, on which $500 was assessed
for improvement. In 1928 lots and 6,
on the creek, were owned by John Hol-
mead, and in 1896 c. J. NJ. Eaton owned lot
Z. on ed street. In the thirties one cent
per foot was assessed on the ground and
d $1.4OO improvement charged to J. IIol-
brook.
Ho1mead Property Here.
The square east Of the above. between
ood. 23d. N and Q streets. the northwest
corner of which is in the creek, was plat
tea IOf llllTleeu IOtS III lISO IL was ap-
portioned, three lots to Morris and Mich
Olson, three to Anthony Ho1mead and the
others to the United States They were
included in the Greenleaf operations, and
in 1901 some were in the names of Tenn
pleman and Stoddart, but no improve
ments mentioned till $780, when a
500 assessment is charged to j. M. Ran
daliS heirs.
In the meantime, in 1917. r. Morris has
lease in lot 9, on o street. and c. Faber
owns three lots on N street. In 1898 T.
Lloyd is on lot 8, as Is John Foy, in 1870.
Between O. p and 22d streets, east of
the creek square IS was laid out for six
lots, which in 1896 were apportoned three
to the United States. one to Anthony
Holmead and two to Morris and Nichol-
son. They were, as those in the square
above noted. in Greenleaf's contract and
tached. In 1905 Lewis Pairo owned lot
- corner of O street and the creek: in
1S2S c. and NJ. Hines bought for $2GO.5O
lot 3, corner of p street and the creek.
and John &. Rives owned lot g. on I'D
street, in 1881.
None of the ground was assessed to
more than I cent per foot value, and no
improvements had been listed.
Square "A. with thirty-four lots. on NJ.
n, oath and 25th streets, gave promise at
an early day of speedy development, II
one can Judge by those interested in
them: but nevertheless it was of slow
growth
In 1891 equally divided were the lots.
Mr.. Feter and ]. D. Stone the other In
1900 Thomas Johnson bought a lot on
street which was conveyed to F. d.
BLACK afterWard to F. Deleus and about