Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-23

on the qualities that made him what ne
was His character was one or simplic-
ity and openness. He was from German
stock and was born near Old Heide ioerg
in 1S22 the son of an Ofacer In the Ger
man army. When he was four .his father
brought him to America and the family
settled in Baltimore. In 1882 he made
his first trip to Washington. and ten years
later he came to this city to live. In
1915 he started the business on Pennsyi.
yenia avenue. where the Keystone Hotel
is now. He made his home on I'd street
between F. and q streets ana Tor over
ffty years resided In the same house
where he died. That illustrates his
steadfastness and is in contrast to the
nomadic habits of jewellers In America
today.
"At the outbreak of the civil war no
one had cause to doubt his patriotism.
was right, he was led to enlist with
the Union side and offered his services
in the District militia. When the creolt
OF the government was shaken. we are
told. he came forward with $s.UU IN sola;
made up of his hard-earned savings. ana
paid it over to the government to ald
tn cause he had at heart.
..Of his domestic life we need only say
that he raised large family and was
a deyoted parent AMI grandparent. In
his religious life he was firm and con-
slant adherent to the church whose prlnei-
ple., he believed In. yet no b1got. ana ne
was an ofiicer in a charity organization
devoted to the relief OF the :, po1 sn,,owed s
TIN. principles he taught his employees.
and in his store, no matter how ignorant
or how unobservant the customer SIX
teen ounces were put into pound. An
q, ter characteristic was his fidelity to his
friends and to those associated WIN him'
wen after their death.
And he was sincerely devoted to this
association. He was one OF the organ
ixers. long an oficer and had the reputa-
lion o. bringing in more new members
han any other member. So full OF years
md of honors made up Of the admiration
Of those around him, he was gathered TO
ais eternal rest"
Lived Fivescore Years.
Mr.. William w. Birth was the subject
NJ the next eulogy. and the tributes were
Maid by John b. Mccarthy. He began by
saying:
"r,vescore of years he lived. And it
was a most wonderful life. and most in
creating in connection with the develop
ment of this city. He was born In wash
inafon. almost at the time the city was
born: ninety-hve of those years were
snent here He was raised in this city,
attended the schools here. He was
snec.aiist In architecture and engineering
and had made a success In that line OF
FORK But circumstances turned him to
Commercial lie. He located at the corner
Of I'd street and Indiana avenue ana kept
a store there for many years. He saw
She Capitol burned by the British In the
war of 1872 and saw i rise from us asnes
70 IT'S present glory" After describing
the store Of Mr.. Birth as an. "oid-fashion-
ed country store" Mr. Mccarthy con-
tinued:
EVERY yard that Mr.. Birth sold meas
ured a yard, every pint a pint. He was
hero of the commercial world. he was
much interested in the well at Sd street
and Indiana avenue. He said he had
been drinking the water from 1t for sixty
Ave wears, knew thousands who had been
doing the same. and had never round any
germs in il.
"He was a banker councillor, arbitra-
tor: he settled all kinds of disputes and
had the confidence Of young and old. Peo-
Pile thought there was no limit 10 MS
honesty. He>was an important and valued
citizen. and 1 hope some one can say the
same of us later
Tribute to Mr.. Nailor.
The life of Allison Nailor. jr.. who was
president Of the Oldest Inhabitants' AS
ISOLATION, was the subject of an address
by Mr.. Frank w. Hackett. After COM
mentinR on the note of sincerity which he
declared was Characteristic of all the
speeches he continued:
I II have often wondered at the feeling
Of n ronR brotherhood at the meetings OF
the association. and expect that ii IL be-
cause. as We grow older. We get used to
each other The embodiment of this feel
ing In illustrated. / think, in the character
an occasion like this We like to reflect