Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10
GRADING REMOVES HOUSES
Dirt Used in Terracing Around the
Capitol.
SOME OF THE FIRST BUILDERS
Original Proprietors In That Part
of the District and Their
Historic Connections.

northeast, known as square NO. 10, III
the lines of b. c. LIST and I'd streets. pos
sesses much interest, for during the early
years there were some Of the older WASH
ington families associated with some OF
the thirty-two building lots plated there
in. Though these passed from the original
owners slowly. a few of them became per-
manent sites for buildings during the first
quarter of the last century, and some OF
the workmen on the Capitol had their
homes here The ground was originally
elevated, the average being nearly ten
feet above the present grade Of the street.
affording what In this day would be ideal
building sites and permitting terraced
fronts.
Until 1850 the natural grade was undis-
turbed and the improvements were made
with no reference to aught but building
lines. When, however, the streets were
cut to the established grade the earth was
used for terracing the Capitol. and some
of the lots were also cut down to the
grade.
The house at the northwest corner of I'd
and B streets was probably the first INN
provement made in the square, also
the most substantial. dating from about
1900. and it is yet an imposing residence.
For very many years it was occupied by
Henry SewaIl and known by his name.
AS the residence of the Spanish minister.
the boarding house of Riehl. at which
Vice President George Nj. Dallas was
guest, and the home of Reverdy Johnson,
Attorney General under Taylor; Sam
Strong, a contracting builder. and Senator
Barbour. il has in turn borne their names.
There We're one or two other early i'm
provements. which have long since dsap-
peared.
An Original Proprietor.
Daniel Carroll of Duddington was the
original proprietor in this portion of the
city. and when the title passed and the
square was laid out into thirty-two lots
Mr.. Carroll was given title to sixteen of
them, in October. 1892. The following
year Mr.. Carroll bought of the commits
sloners lot ], at the northwest corner of
I'd and B streets, for $26666: Benjamin
Dulany acquired lots 6 and Z, on the B
street front, and j. X. Dumott secured
lots and 3 on the same. In 1874 the
government lots were included in Mr..
Greenleaf's contract with the commits
s1oners to purchase lots and improve
them, and the next year most of these
lots were in the name of Groenvelt &
ellis.
In 1896 George Collard owned lot on
b street. DR.. Robert Sewall bought lot
In 1893. and afterward lots and 80 in
the southeast corner of the square, and
in 1902 George Fenwick obtained a deed
for lot on b street, but had held rights
in same years before.
At this time the corporation of WASH
fngton had been established and the
ground listed at cents I'm corner lots
and cents in the others. The improve
ments were listed to DR.. Sewall at $500
on lot 1, corner and I'd streets; j. r.
Defmotts heirs. $500, lot 8, on B street.
and Robert Brown, $780, lot a. on C
street.
Mr.. Fenwick. in 1901, had leased part
lot D. midway the B street front, to P.
DOugherty, and the latter in 1905, trans
ferred a lease subject n 10
ment OF $15 per annum, to Peter Howard
for SIS. In 1906 Robert Brown obtained
deed for lot "a, street.
Had Garden on Lot.
The next year ]. c. Dickson purchased
lot &c. corner of LIST and streets and
for many years had a garden thereon.
Ten years later he bought the lots south,
IA and 10. In 1910 Thomas Mcintosh a
stone cutter at the Capitol, bought lot
and erected home there. the family
residence standing for many years. In
1916 J. III. and B. Dulany owned lots
6 and Z, on street. David Watterson
In 1918 bought from Washington Boyd
the west half of lot 4. 1893 square feet,
for 5000. and Ignatius Wheatley sue
ceeded to title, and the family resided
here many years.
In 1e.o Ann r. Dermott became the
VI ioe o, anu Tue DuhuiiiS Was
listed to her at $500. Eight years after
Griffith Coombe held the lot adjoining 4,
and Thomas Havener owned In lot g. In
1880 the corner lots were listed at cents
per foot, the others at cents, and the
improvements. On lot 1. Sewalps heirs,
$4,000: lot 3. Ann r. Dermott, $500; lot 4.
Griffith Coombe and George Collard's
heirs, 500 each; lot ), Thomas Mcin-
tosh, 500: lot ii, Margaret Dickson 500;
lot -, Robert Brown, 500 Mr.. Car
roll had placed his lots in the hands of
Tabs, Weightman and Wallach, trustees.
An Imposing Residence.
In 1881 Mr.. Greenleaf erected on the
northwest corner OF the square a large
frame residence. He died in September,
1S43. This was two-story and attic
structure. with a cellar. extensive porti-
cos. and until altered about 1870 it's pc
culiar style was attractive.
Some forty years ago the heavy grading
Of the streets followed; the cellar gave
way to a full lower story.
In 1884 Timothy VIM. many years pur-
ser at the navy yard. purchased lots 6 and
2. Ignatius Wheatley, in 1886, bought In
lot 41,163 feet of ground-for $500 In
1871 {. II. Wiltberger owned lot 10, cor
ner LIST and b streets. In 1874 David A.
Hall bought lot 13 north. The Dickson
property, lots IA, Is and IS, went to James
Moore. ST.. and Scott Stephens held lot
4. In 1915 William Fisher bought several
Of the Carroll lots, and Jonathan Elliott
lots II to %. in the northeast part of
this square JAMES CROGGON.