Evening star., 1908-01-25
AS TO FRANKLIN PARK
Known in Early Days of City
as Fountain Square.
FIRST PUBLIC PURCHASE
Source of Water Supply for White
House and Departments.
CAMPING GROUND FOR TROOPS
War Dance by Indians Results In
xcitement-Names Of Resi-
dents in Neighborhood.

Square No. o49 between j, X, 18th and
14th streets, which has been known as
Fountain Square, Public lot and Frank
lin Square, now a fine park. represents
probably the first investment made by
the government in Washington real es-
tate. And 1t has a history not dupli-
Gated by any square in the District, for 1t
was from there, in the days Of Monroe,
the White House and some of the de-
partments received a supply of water.
One of the squares in Gen. John David
sons portion of Port Royal when the gov
ernment took the land for the Federal
District was in 1896 plated for thirty
lots. In the division with the proprietors
these were vested in the United States,
and in 1901 acquired by Benjamin Stod-
dert. The corporation placed a valua-
tion Of cents a foot on the ground. and
that was the rate when held by private
parties. In the early days several springs
were found in and about the square, and
In 1916 the corporation of Washington
made an appropriation to purchase a
spring and site, but this became obsolete
because Of the discovery of good water
on the west side of 18th street south of X
street. From this many residents were
supplied by a wooden log line down 18th
street, and this later was extended on F
street 10 street. ABOUT lSZU the
government appropriated more than 5000
for the. purchase of land and to supply the
White House and departments with water
About one-third of the sum was expended.
Appropriation for Purchase.
Congress in 1929 made an appropriation
of $4,000 to purchase and inclose the
square. The owners then were George
Cover. John Granberry's heirs, Col. w. W.
Billing, David A. Hall, James Hastings,
R. Robertson. Sylvanus Hartshorn, Thorn
as Williamson, L. H. Machen and " NJ
Randolph. There had been little or no
Improvement made at that time While
much of the ground was low and moist
there was some suitable for building sites
but with the exception of grass little else
was grown.
pipe lines and constructing reservoirs in
1881 seemingly neglected this square for
nearly twenty years, and it became at.
tractive to the boys in search of adven-
ture: on part of it the corporation
cattle were wintered, and Mr. Williamson
gathered much hay. In the thirties it
became we'll known to the public as
Fountain Square" through a delegation
of Sac and Fox Indians giving a war
dance upon 1t. A large crowd assembled
ladies and children in front of the circle
As the dance progressed the crowd broke
the lines and pressed in when it was
found that the Indians uniforms were
natures own garb. with paint and feath-
ers. and, with ladies fainting and chill
dren frightened the dance gave way to
an indescribable scene
In 1So1-o2 appropriations were made by
Congress for filling up the square, and
nearly $4,000 was expended. From, three
to ten feet fill was required to bring it
up to a level.
Camp Site for Troops.
In 1861 barracks were built on the
square for troops and were first occupied
by the 18th New York State Militia,
Col, later Cen, Daniel Butterfield
This regiment left in the advance over
the Potomac in May, 1861. and during the
early years of the war other troops were
here. In 1864 Congress appropriated
$1,000 for inclosing the square and plant
ing trees, and two years later watch
man was employed.
The square to the north, 24S of twenty
lots, was. in 1896. vested in Davidson's S
name, and in 1910 they made subdi-
vision into siXty-siX lots fronting X
L, 18th and 1ith streets. Thomas Snow
den of Prince George county. Md, in
lSO3 had lots on X and 18th streets and
in 1910 Thomas G.. Slye of Georgetown
leased this square with others for twelve
years. Count Demenu III 1925 owned lots
on Is street and 18th street. Six yeas
afterward Joseph Elgar. w. Williamson
and James Owner owned some lots. In
ls52 Robert Oliver and III. Peters had
invested in the locality. About 1S27
Charles l.. Coltman bought lot 80 on
the corner of 14th and X streets, after
ward selling it to c. Hill. A three-storied
brick building was erected here, and in
the forties the Rugby Academy was es-
tablished by Rev. G. +. Morrison. There
some of the leading residents prepared
for college and the business walks of life
among them Mr.. G. d. Wise of Virginia
Gen. Peyton Wise. Admiral II. G. Tay-
lor. Maj. f. Taylor W. c. Bell, w. Stone
Albert. c. s. and A. T. Bradley, Joseph
IL. Mckinney, IL. Wise Garnett I.u1
Leonidas Coyle were some of the gradu-
ates, with a number of Smiths from
Virginia.
Interruption of Habit.
In 1889 Luke Richardson moved from
the Island section and invested on L
ing in which he resided few years. In
the forties Seth A. Elliott, a clerk In the
Navy Department was there, and later
Capt. James Goddard. a master painter.
who moved from Georgetown. D. B.
Morgan bought on X street about 1910
and John b. Morgan long resided there
About 1850 the Mckenney .amily which
Mr. James III. Mckenney. clerk United
States Supreme Court, represents, settled
on X street.
Though few were the subscribers to the
morning papers in that section there was
an individual not a patron who had the
habit winter and summer of reading the
papers before the other residents arose
The boys got on to this racket and. an
ticipating his visit, hid the papers from
him and enjoyed his discontinue in after
ward seeing that the subscribers received
I he naDprS