Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-22

property OF Ball 4 Ford. First cents per
foot was the ground appraised. then
cent. and in 1870 cents. but there were
no buildings on which to base taxes. In
that year y. p. Poor held a power of at
torney to sell and convey lots. and in
1885 E. Porter and w. Devices owned
parts of the square. and the next year
William Douglass had site.
In 1871 ]. II. Howell owned in the
square. and the next year ]. w. Wise and
j. w. Shiles owned in the southwest part
of the square. and here had carpenter
shop: Thomas Davis. long a painter. lived
here: Mr.. Shiles and l. A. Cook were resi-
dents on B street. and John l.. Fowler of
the city police on 10th street.
Square 3S4. the triangle in the lines OF
Virginia avenue. C and 10th streets, lay
in the open well down to the civil war
II was laid off into eight lots. and these
in the allotment went to the United States
in 1896 and were included in the Green
leaf contract. AS to progress. there APP
peared nothing to warrant the valuation
of cents per foot reached in 1870. The
records to this time name Greenleaf, Law.
Morris. Nicholson. Elliott and o. Carr
and in 1884 DR.. William Gunton has tax
title for seven lots. In 1885 John A.
DGnoho has lot on Virginia avenue. and
the Bank of Washington owns all the
square which in 1S43 was acquired by Dr.
Gunton.
The square south had till 1920 the same
shape. size. value and ownership as the
preceding, Maryland avenue bounding II
on the south. At that time the Bank OF
Washington acquired six lots. and the
same year John McAleer. Mrs. Mary A.
Elvans, G. Longdon and Samuel Stewart
each had building sites. In 1880 b. r.
Nourse had a lot which later went to
Michael NOurse. and the following year
George Hercus had a lot. At this time
the lot at the corner Of 10th street bore
value of II cents and other ground .
cents. and buildings were listed at 5000
$50. $500. $50 and $50 in the name OF
the United States Bank. In 1855 G. Gran
dell Samuel Devaughn and the Bank Of
Washington owned property. In 1887 b.
Fales bought subot Of lots and T.
George Hercus had bought lot on
Maryland avenue. In 1S41 w. c. Bam-
and later Benjamin McQuay had home
with feed store on Maryland avenue
Mrs. Elvans, the mother OF the well
known John r. Elvans. hardware dealer
and Miss F. Elvans. long public school
teacher, resided on Maryland avenue. as
did w. c. Bamberger, whose wheelwrght
shop faced c street: John Sinclair. ma
chin!st: George Hercus. pumpmaker.
whose shop was near by; G. Crandell and
one or two others.
On 10th street were the home of Will
liam H. Bartlett. bricklayer. and black
smith shop of George Stock. wheelwright.
who was succeeded by Tom Bogus, who
was the reverse of his name in many
attributes.
Government Once Owned It.
The triangle formed by Maryland ave-
nue., 9th and streets. square 1856, was
of one lot, which, in 1897, went to the
government, later to Thomas Law. and
in 1917 to Samuel Elliot and in 1892 to
Elizabeth Brannan ct al. Though put
to but little use in ante-bellum days for
residential or business purposes II has
played an important part N the local MS
tory. Lying in the open in the early for
ties when round and about numerous
frame buildings had been erected the
question of protection from fires was dis
cussed and resulted in the organization
and location of volunteer fire company
on or near the west end of the square.
The preliminary meetings over which Jo-
seph Radcliffe presided resulted in the or
ganization of the Island fire company"
November 6. 1910. by electing the follow
ing officers: William Lloyd president; F.
A. Doniphan, vice president; William
Cooper. jr, secretary: w. H. Stewart.
treasurer; John w. Martin. Noah Drum
mond and Peter Hepburn, captains OF
engine hose and property divisions. re-
spectively: Messrs Stewart. Donaphin.
Lambil were appointed to solicit sub
scriptions for house and equipment and
they succeeded
The Union Company of the first ward.
a
large engine of the p. Lyons make.
known as "Padelion" and big yellow
engine was turned over to the Island
boys. A small frame house with bell
was erected, and in a few weeks was
prepared for service.
Others than those above named were
William Bird, w. T. Doniphan, and j. T.
Cassell, vice president. secretary and
treasurer. respectively, and E. Doniphan.
captain of the hose; the following year
III nolrc y,aff1 II,
shop being near assumed the care of the
property: George Strobel, stock wheel
wright; Gwynne Harris, who deceased
few years since. and practically every
able-bOdied man of that section. Hauling
the ponderous engine to fires or alarms.
oftentimes getting stuck in the mud, be-
came at last too much
Finally, after dragging it in answer to
a false alarm, and returning its to the
house when it broke tracks in the snow,
the enthusiasm died out and the company
disappeared. most of the members going
to the Perseverance Company. The lit
tie house remained there a humber of
years, shortly after being used on Sunday
afternoons for religious services. Rev.
French s. Evans, w. Ryland and other
Methodist ministers preaching.
1t was here that the Ryland NJ. E.
Church came into life, Mr. Evans serv-
ing as pastor, and Mr.. Ryland furnishing
the site on the opposite corner the church
1t is related that when salary for
the minister was suggested Mr.. Evans
said that they need not bother, but as
he lived at a distance and in his pastoral
duties he would do much walking, the
gravel walks would be hard on shoe
leather. Therefore, he was willing to
serve them if they would but pay his
shoe bills, and his services were accepted.
The little building is also connected
with the infancy of Grace Episcopal
Church. the little band which was its
nucleus. served by Rev Alfred Holmead
worshiping here for time ere the little
frame Gothic church was erected at 9th
and D streets. So the failure to keep up
a company to extinguish fires was fol-
lowed by successful churches. through
which eternal fires may be avoided.
Boys will be boys, and those in this
neighborhOod had their adventures. but
it was as orderly here as anywhere
NoW and then one who lived alone who
was regarded as a hermit was hooted at
the bell on the engine house stoned or
some mischievous prank played. but no
dents. Ephraim Wheeler and w. c. Bam-
berger. oft were in the city councils. and,
as before noted. some were in official as
well as business life.
Much of Maryland and Virginia avenues
in the fifties was occupied by railroads
and to a greater extent today. and little
remains of the once familiar ground and
but few of the old families can be found
JAMES CROGGON.
"GENTLEMANLY VICES"