Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-20
GROWTH WAS SLOW
Section Near Dupont Circle
Long Neglected.
LAND SOLD FOR A SONG
Quarter of Cent a Foot the Price
in 1843.
SOME OF THE EARLY OWNERS
W. w. Corcoran, Gen Lingan and
Peter Hagner Among Them.
First Summer Garden.
SOME OF THE EARLY OWNERS

one OF the sections o. washington tne
remarkable growth of which in recent
years evidently was not anticipated by
the early inhabitants of the District OF
Columbia is that lying to the southeast
of Dupont Circle, bounde don the north
by P street, on the south by j. street,
on the east side of 10Th street and on the
west by 18th street. The present condi-
ton of this section need not be COM
mented upon, and every one familiar with
it's advancement during the past twenty
years knows of the rapidity of it's devel-
opment. Yet individual and municipal
improvements were long conspicuous by
their absence in the locality.
When other sections of the city were
beginning to grow old this section was
almost a wilderness. In 1880 a strag
Cling village was beginning to appear
on the land which is now bounded by
l. and M and 18th and 10Th street,
but elsewhere in the neighborhood the
houses at that time were few in number
and isolated. All the improvements of
half century's growth represented the
expenditure of but a few thousand dol
lars.
1t is difficult to realize the conditions
of the past, when much of this land was
open, whole squares being unOccupied
Old Slash run was of little use except
for carrying off the rainfall and the offal
of a few slaughter houses.
The most of this section, when the
ground was planned for the city. was in
Guided in the Blodget tract, and the tracts
of Samuel Davidson and Gen. Lingan
also contributed. In the plating public
reservation or square larger than Lafay-
cite Square was contemplated centering
on the site of the Scott station. 10th and
y streets, and Massachusetts and Rhode
Island avenues. By the lines of 18th, 18TH,
NJ and n streets and the avenues a num-
Der of squares We're made. some of irreg-
ular shape, but since new streets have ap-
peared increasing the number old natives
have witnessed the conversion of the run
into a sewer. the streets from dirt roads
to broad. smooth carriagewayS and the
primitive frame home sites replaced by
palatial buildings.
Section Long Neglected.
The square 14O, between 18th, 10Th. L
and NJ streets, was divided into thirty
four lots, between Gen. Lingan and the
United States, in 1897, and though Slash
run traversed the southern portion in the
first half of the last century was the scene
of some minor improvements in small
frame buildings. 1t. however, was long
neglected by the corporation. The lots
were listed first at half a cent foot and
reduced to quarter, but by 1880 from
one to two cents were placed on it. In
1919 refer f1dSHer, lOiiS duultoT VI
the Treasury, owned two lots; two years
later J. Heugh eight lots. including the
northwest quarter of the square, and
George Walker eight lots on 18th and L
streets. Henry Walker long had his
slaughter house here. the run carrying off
the offal and in 1916 John Libbey was
on an I. street lot. In 1919 Col. William
B. Randolph had lot ID, and George Beall
the northwest quarter of the square; in
1920 n. Davidson owned a lot on NJ
CT ty-n IN
which afterward went to Henry and
Sabret Scott. William Cole owned three
lots NJ street, and NJ. LETTERS owned
two lots on the northwest corner Of 18th
and L streets In 1922 George P. Max
we'll and l.. Underhill owned on 18th
street, and J. G. Moore was on l. street.
NJ. Hapner owned two lots at 10Th and NJ
streets in 1925 ]. Walker two on 18th
street and l. Lamar lot on l. street.
DR. Gunton owned lot on l. street in
1927, and in 1882 w. w. Corcoran had lot
10 on 10th street: four years after w. c.
Cole and A. A. Clements owned lots on NJ
street and D. knep two lots at the corner
of 18th and L streets.
In 1880 the following were listed for
assessment: William Linkins. $50; John
Sibley, 500: Josiah Lamar, 500: T. c.
Moore. $500; James Walker, $500; G.
Beale, $500: Sarah Bateman $50; = SUIT
ton. 500, and Ann James, $50.
Some Early Owners.
In square 1871. between l., NJ Sth street
and Connecticut avenue, east of the above,
and through which ran a stream, ten lots
We're made. which in 1876 were appor-
toned: One to S. Blodget, three to Samuel
Davidson, and six to the government In
1901 Stoddart ct al. and Joseph Burrows
each had a lot In 1912 Evan Evans had
the Stoddart lot, N. Cutter one adjoin-
ing. and William Waters that at l. street
and Connecticut which ha
dollar building. The next year
Walter HELEN and D. Geiger' owned
a lot; James Moore two years
and Gideon Granger, the latter Post
master General, each had a lot as did
r. S. Beckley in 1907 In 1914 James NJ.
Varnum was lot owner. Seven years
b. Beall owned lots The latter sold
his lot in parts to Maria Riley, James
Aud and Serrin and Ashton in the three
years following. A building was listed
for 500 in Mr.. Bealrs name. and the
ground was charged at one cent value In
1884 John Walker owned a lot; in 1910
Thomas Frazer and Johnson HELEN
also, and in 1913 Thomas Corcoran.
The twenty-one lots in the square east
number Ice, between L, NJ and 18th
streets and Connecticut avenue, were ap-
portioned in 1897 to the United States
and remained until 1851, when they were
conveyed by the commissioner of public
buildings to Nathaniel Carusi. In all this
time the ground through which the stream
wound its way was Improbable, for the
United States paid no taxes, though the
assessors rated it at half cent per foot
The thirty-two lots in square 1873, be-
tween l., NJ, 10th and 18th streets, in 1897
was divided, one lot going to Mr.. Blodgett.
sixteen to the United States and thirteen
to Samuel Davidson. two of the latter
for improvements. This was vested in
1901 in Mr. Stoddart, but William O'Neale
owned at the southwest corner of 18th
and NJ streets. in 1919. two years after
William Simmons succeeding, and Joshua
Pearce bought here in 1910. In that dec
ade. w. w. Corcoran had nine lots in the
north part of the square, and John p.
Heiss eight in the southwest quarter Of
the square. In square 1872 north of the
above the seventeen lots in 1875 were
vested in the proprietor Mr.. Blodgett In
$500 I. kebbard had title, to which r. S.
Beckiey succeeded in 1907
Owned by the Government.
The two small triangles west of Scott
statue, north 49, and south Isl, between
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island ave-