Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-04
EARLY !. DAY VALUES
Washington Squares at Nomi-
nal Figures in 1896.
NEAR JUDICIARY SQUARE
Part of Section Known as English
a@- Hill.
INCLUDED IN BEN oDEN TRACT
Assessments for Taxation Made at
Half a Cent Per Foot and
Upward.

North of Judiciary Square and 6 street
between New Jersey avenue and 9Th street
and south of l street-known as parts OF
the English Hill section-lke that portion
Of the same section heretofore described
| was of slow growth. This was true fol
many years after the lots were on the
market. When, however. about the yea,
1880. the purchasers appeared lots went
rapidly and new homes were opened
nearly every week. For. the most part
the residents were ,workingmen.
The squares carved out of the territory
were known as S. sic, SIT, 51s; imme
diately north Of judiciary Square 52S, sd
562.' s.. 562, 565, 584 and $50 They were
In the BenfzOden tract, and in 1876 were
apportioned between him and the United
States. Some were plated into num-
Der Of building lots and a few were left
undivided. apparently speedy use for
building purposes not being anticipated
There was some little early settlement on
the ground.
North Of the pension office, square 51S,
now having over a hundred habtations,
passing east and west through the center,
was in 1796 only six lots, but they were OF
generous size. The natural grade from
the middle Of the square to 4th street was
rising. and from ten to twenty feet above
the present grade. On a knoll here,
about 1885, the gallows was erected for
the hanging of a mulatto for an assault
on white woman. A large crowd had
assembled and patiently awaited the ar
rival Of the condemned man, but the
people, were disappointed. AS the negro
was being led from the old Jail in the
center, Of judiciary Square messenger
from President Jackson appeared with a
respite. and that was the last of the
case!
To say that the crowd was chagrined
isA putting It mild. and as they moved off
threats OF violent character were made.
Us : Some Early Residents.
"Inp1so2 Benjamin stoddert had lots on
G and H streets. and the next year DR..
VIM. Thornton owned lot 4, corner of 9th
and streets. which he later transferred
to Mrs. Ann Brcadean. Col. John Tay-
lor owned it in 1911. At this time the
ground was but half cent per foot in
value.
In 1916 James Mccormick owned lot 1.
corner of 4th and G streets. and in 1915
James Moore was assessed for part of :,
and Catharine Haynes part of f. In 1924
ezekiel MCDANIEL owned in lot and .
= r. Bills was on part of lot 4. In 1920
J. 3. Ingle, B. Oden and James Moore
were interested in lot Z; James Cope in 9.
and and Tucker and Thompson in the
same lots James Newall in 1880 was on
part 4; in 1884 John T. Clements had a
lease on parts on 9Th street, where he had
q carpenter shop. and two years after
street, where for years the soap and can
Ole manufacture was carried on.
In the twenties the ground was assessed
at two cents per foot. with $500 to E.
McDaniel on improvements in lot 3 and
$500 to p. hayes in lot T. Ten years later
three cents per foot was charged upon the
ground and the Improvements Jumped at
81. 400 and charged to Mcdaniel.
The square. north, Of thirty-six original
lots was vested In the United States in
1196. In 1890 over half the lots pas ID to
8. Citing, and two years after W. Stew
art owned ten lots. Thomas Brashear in
1Sll was assessed upon several lots there
as was Thomas Williams. on 9Th street
which he later improved by the erection
of row of tenements known for years
by his name. In 1919 Thomas Burch
owned lots Ii and II on H street. and
Owen .McGlen lots 10 and r. Notwith-
standing that. in 1920 the ground was as
sessed at but half a cent per foot In
that decade there were number of trans
fers. In 1927. John Eyre owned lots .. 3
and q to %. H. X. Randall 81 and SO.
Col. Bomford 1. 23 26 and 81, S. II. Smith
l. w. Jewell q and 81. Semmes G. Pick
rill 5, to g. J. Seaver &c. and ]. H. Smith
4: In 1923 S. w. Handy had lot 4. and
the next year c. Smith had 20 and 80.
In 1880 there were number of trans
fers of single lots. John Major. Wash
Robey. Thomas Burch. Mary A. Mason.
George McClelland, John Withers and NJ
Tarleton were the purchasers. and James
Williams had four lots on 9Th street and
Mr. Burch two lots on the same street.
In 1888 Mrs Ann McGonigle. Sarah
Tower. P Bulger, o. B. B. and VIM
Burch were purchasers. as was Mrs. Mary
Mullican on 81, corner 9Th and / streets.
two years later, where for years she kept
little store.
on the ground and the improvements were
listed: Thomas Burch, SLIGO, lot IL; $500,
lot 20, grocery. 9Th and H streets: J.
Eyre. $3.50. lot 81: seven pieces of $500
each listed Handy. Eyre, Bomford, Jewell
and c. Smith on lots q. ETC., and two of
800 each to Bonn ford Lot