The Washington herald., 1908-07-05

The square on which the new Municipal
Building stands has an interesting history.
II was purchased by the District Commits
sioners as the site foy the Municipal
Building IN 1902. from the Capital Trac-
ton Company. for $4,000 It had pre-
viously been occupied by the traction
company as the site for rs power house
when the Avenue line was propelled by
cable The building was burned. and for
several years the ruins stood upon the
vacant square. as reminder Of former
days.
Prior TO its use by the railroad company
II was for many years the site Of the
Nailor stables. which at one time were
also burned. with about forty head Of
horses, the conhagrauon, Ike that OF
the power house, being among the biggest
fires in the history OF Washington
The square is known upon the District
records as square 255. It is bounded by
Fourteenth d. Thirteen-and-a-half and
streets northwest A triangular
reservation fronts it. containing a small
plot of ground between h street and
Pennsylvania avenue. which has BEEN
public space since the laying out Of the
city.
Was in Dnvy Burns Tract.
The ground originally formed part Of
the Davy Burns property acquired by the
government for the Federal District In
the sale Of lots after the subdivision Of
the tract, 1t became first residential and
then a business and manufacturing
square. The land was low and. situated
but little way from Tiber Creek. but in
the early day. owing 10 its proximity 10
the Avenue and the White House, IL was
sought after by some Of the best families
as place OF residence.
The earliest lot owners IN the square
were Benjamin Stoddart, the first Secre-
tary Of the Navy. Isaac Pollok. David
Peter. William II. Dorsey. James X.
Blake, once mayor OF Washington; Col.
Michael Nourse. and Col. John Tayloe, at
one time proprietor OF the Willard Hotel.
In the days Of the stage couch. several
stables were erected and operated on this
square: among them one bv James Ma
her. the proprietor Of the Western Hotel.
which stood at the corner Of Thirteen
and-a-half and F streets. One OF the
other stables was built and owned by the
Nailor family In fact the Majors first
acquired one or two lots in the square.
then added 10 their possessions, until the
greater part Of the property was owned
by them
Tive first lot purchased by the elder
Nallor was one on the ID street side
Later he added all the holdings on Tblr-
teen-and-a-half street and finally those
on the street front. Beside the stable
was large wagon and repair shop which
occupied about half of the r street front
with the side OF the shop on Fourteenth
street Later this was used by the con-
tractor for the public printing and bind
Ing. before the days OF the Public Print
ing Office.
Home of the ''KnOw-nothfnES.'
In the exciting 'Know-Nothing" davs
this square was famous for being the
home of one Of the lodges. which met in
une Of the upper rooms Of the building
described It was supposed that the plot
10 destroy the stone sent by the Pope OF
Rome 10 the Washington Monument was
Matched n that lodge room.
The preparation of the site for the NIu-
nicipal Building. after it's purchase by
the District, was also an interesting Incl
dent. The old smokestack of the poUer
house was the chief obstacle 10 be re-
moved. Il was high chimney built of
brick. containing about 10000 brick. The
contractor for the removal OF the chin
ney and other debris left from the fire.
was James L. Karrick. Of this city. The
chimney was feHed much as a great tree
would be cut down by lumbermen. 4 hole
was dug under one side. nearly half way
through the base Of the stack. Then q
charge OF twenty pounds Of dynamite
was placed in four holes drilled I'm the
remaining part and ignited by electricity.
About 10 o'clock on the morning Of Sep
tember 4, 1902, the fuse was lighted. A
deep explosion followed and the great
chimney fell over upon the ruins OF the
power house. after being an unsightly
eyesore for more than six years.
In the fan Of 1902 the last vestlges Of
the old power house were removed and
the lot made ready by Mr.. Karrick for
the laying Of the foundations Of the pres
ent building. which was done during the
winter Of 1902 and the spring Of 1903 by
~ B. Stannard.