Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
CITY LAND FOR SONG
Property, Now Valuable, Sold
for | Cent a Foot.
NEAR PRINTING BUREAU
Was Called mo Mans Land" in
Ancient Days.
ONCE USED FOR CATTLE PEN
President John Quincy Adams Sold
Three Lots to George John .
son in 1882

That part of Washington north of D
street south and west of 10Th street Vest,
the subject of a former article, is not
devoid of history. for though slowly
settled not a few of the residents were
noted in the old days, and in the property
were some well known people interested
as investors. Between B and D streets.
18th street and the river. was a part
OF the farm of Motley Young. one of the
proprietors of the land taken for the
Capital city. and in this space were plat
ted eight squares for building purposes.
and a point formed by the lines of 18th
street and the river was included in the
public reservation known as the Mall.
The land northward and eastward from
the river and d street was originally
of gentle ascent, slightly rolling and for
a long time 1t retained rural character
lst1cs so few were the settlers and the
necessity for public improvement was so
long IN coming. 1t is true that before the
war OF 1912 there was erected on 14th
street fine building. but 1t was for a
long time more a comfortable country
seat In appearance than a city home, sur
rounded as 1t was with quarters. stabling.
lawn and garden. Access to the central
portion Of the city was by Maryland ave-
nue. and 18th street. For very many years
the latter was carried over the Tiber by
bridge But in the thirties. when the
walls of the canal were continued west of
that point and a bridge was built at 14th
street that neighborhood began to grow.
Regarded as "No Mans Land"
The ground west of the bureau of en-
craving and printing, included in the Mall
bounded by the river shore, B and 18th
streets. was down to the time of the civil
war regarded as mo mans land" It
then became a part of the great cattle
pen maintained by the government. Since
then good use has been made of 1t, for
here are the propagating gardens and the
storehouses under Col. Bromwell. in
charge of public buildings and grounds.
1t would appear that the site of the
bureau of engraving and printing. square
231. was looked on as an attractive one by
the pioneers, for James Greenleaf, w. M.
Duncanson and James Ray each owned
1t between 1895 and 1900 There were
eighteen lots facing B. c. 14th and 18th
streets in the division; three on the north
east corner of the square were in the
name Of Samuel Ellery in 1900 and four
on 10Th street belonging to Daniel Car
roll. Two cents a foot was the first val
uation of all the eight squares. but it
fell to 1 cent in 1907 ]. P. Crawford
owned three fourths of the square in
1904 and four years after John Moyland
owned two lots on 14th street. John
Quincy Adams owned three lots on B
street in 1918 and in 1892 sold them to
George Johnson. In 1888 Walter Clarke
owned 18th street property which he
afterward sold to William Morrow. There
are no records of improvements up to
that time, but the ground had appreciated
to 3 cents.
Home Of Mr.. Young's Descendants.
The square south between C, D, 14th
and 18th streets, No 232. was plated for
twenty-five lots in 1897. being vested in
the original proprietor. Mr.. Young and
for years it was owned by his descendants.
Mrs. Ann Cazanave was the owner and
occupant Of the house, which was built
about 1872, and as already said was an
attractive place. From her the title
passed to her daughter and husband. Maj.
Parke G.. Howle of the United States
marines. During the residence of the
life of Washington. In time the great
granddaughter of Mr.. Young assisted
their mother in the entertainment of their
friends. The valuation of the ground had
appreciated to cents a foot in 1880 and
the improvements were listed at $1,000
The square between 1919, 18th, B and c
streets, known as 263, in which are now
many houses rented and used for office
purposes by the Department of Agricul-
ture, was divided into twenty-four lots
betwee Daniel Carroll and the govern
ment in 1898; the former taking the west
half of the square and the government
the east half. One-third of the lots in
179S were owned by Robert J. Brent and
had passed from Samuel Blodgett to DR..
VIM. Thornton. The amount due for
taxes was easily found. cent a foot
being assessed for about twenty years
and IN 1880 the maximum was > cents.
In 1917 the east half of lot ]. at the north
west corner of 131s and c streets. had
passed to ]. w Smith and later to Thorn
as Caroerry. Shortly after Mayor Thomas
II. ellis had lot % on 13k street in 1917.
which. through l.. ]. ellis, went two
years later to Joseph Taylor and on 1t a
500 house was erected.
Capt. feter Lenox owned three lots at
l3'e and Is streets. In 1927 John Eyre
had lot on G street and In 1928 Elkanah
Waters and VIM. Wilson owned lot /,
corner of 1872 and G streets. the latter
being taxed for a $500 house shortly after.
In 1890 Jesse Fletcher took the lease of
lot o on l4th street. At the same time A.
Shepherd and r. Semmes owned lot p on
1912 street. when $500 and 5000 improve
owned at the corner of 18th and B
streets lots II to Is in 1889, Walter Clarke
afterward buying lot II. In the southwest
corner of the square F. Stevens bought
lots 6. and s.
Fall in Real Estate Values.
The sixteen lots of square 265. south of
the above. between c, D. 1872 and 14th
streets. in 1897 were in Mr.. Young 5
name. The valuation of lots dropped
from to 1 cent and did not reach )
cents until 1880. Long before. however.
an improvement, of 81 GOO was listed to
Mrs. CaZanave. In 1926 c. McWilliams
owned lots l and 2. the southeast corner
of the square. which afterward went to
Mrs. Cazanave. VIM. Mel Cripps in 1881
owned lot on d street. and in 1896
John A. Wilson owned lots : and 6. the
southwest corner of the square.
Division of Square 264.
The east half of square 264. between B.,
c. 18th and 1914 streets. in 1916 went to
Mr.. Carroll. the west half to the govern
ment. In 1913 e Plowden owned at the
corner of 1917 and c streets lots 3. 4 and
): in 1900 VIM. Brent lots IL to A. in
Guiding the corner of 1917 and B streets
and Solomon Etting the intervening lots
Il to ii on 1?1e street One cent foot was
the value OF the ground until 1920. when
it rose to ) cents. Josiah Millard
bought lot IL. corner of 1917 and B streets
in 1870 and erected a home valued at
81 600 and lived here some years In 1897
John Eyre owned three lots south of
Mr.. Millards. In 1870 Walter Clarke
owned two lots and William McCauley
one lot on 1917 street. There were listed