Evening star., 1909-06-18
PASSING OF AN OlO HOTEL
CLOSING OF METROPOLITAN
ANNOUNCED FOR TOMORROW.
For Over a Century the Site Has
Been Used for the Same Purpose.
Many Noted Men It's Guests.

The Metropolitan. one of the oldest and
most widely known hotels in the Capital
city, will pass out of existence. SO far as
the Metropolitan Hotel Company is con-
cerned, tomorrow just after the luncheon
hour. There will be no formal ceremony
to mark the passing of the hosiery, Rob-
ert Callahan. jr., who came to the house
ten years ago and gradually worked his
way upward to the position as manager
having decided to make the locking of
the outer doors the only incident of the
closing hour. Immediately afterward the
long list of employees will be paid off, and
then nothing will be left of the hotel but
the bare building, as the morning hours
will be devoted to the sale at public auc-
tion of all of the furniture of the Offices
and the rooms
1t is understood that the estate which
controls the Metropolitan will lease 1t
again for hotel purposes, though it has
practically been decided that the old
building shall be razed in the not very
distant future to give way to a modern
building.
The building of the new Union station
with the consequent removal of the ter
minal station of the Pennsylvania and
other railroads from 9th and Il streets
northwest, directly opposite the Metro
politan. spelled the beginning of the end
Tor the Metropolitan. To be sure. the
hotel has always claimed q large number
or guests from all parts of the country
who. whenever they happened to be In
Washington. made it their headquarters.
But the number Of such guests was not
suficient to meet the running expenses
OF such a large establishment, and when
the removal of the railroad station MAJ
terially curtaiied the Metropolitans tran
slent trade, the business. which had been
a prosperous one through many decades.
was doomed. The Metropolitan Hotel
Company will seek better site farther
up town and will shortly undertake the
erection of an up-to-date building.
Site of the Indian Queen Tavern.
For more than 100 years the site at
what Is now 9th street and Pennsylvania
avenue has been used for hotel purposes,
and within that long period the Metropoli-
tan and the houses which preceded 1t have
furnished the creature comforts to as
many distinguished men as any other
hotel in America. The first public house
on the corner was small frame struc-
ture, built in the early days of the last
century, and known as the Indian Queen
Tavern. Dan Mckeewin was the first
proprietor of the Indian Queen, and he
was succeeded as proprietor by Jesse
Brown, great-grandfather of the present
owners of the house. The Indian Queen
was demolished in 1890 to make way for
more pretentious structure, which was
named first Browns Inn, and later
Browns Hotel.
Only one-half of the large block owned
by Jesse Brown was utilized for the new
building then, the portion fronting on
pennsylvania avenue being converted into
a courtyard, which was halting place
for stage coaches. In the early fifties this
ground became too valuable to be left
in idleness, and Marshall Brown, the
son of the one-time owner of the Indian
Queen, built the present Metropolitan.
When he died the building passed into
the hands of his son, Jesse Brown, who
died five years ago, and his daughter,
Mrs. Rosa Wallach, we'll known in Wash
ington society.
Home Of Distinguished Men.
During its years of usefulness the Met
ropolitan has housed several Presidents.
and scores of senators, representatives
and other public men. Presidents have
addressed public meetings from it's bal
comics, and political caucuses of much
moment to the country have been held
within it's walls. Three inaugural balls
have been held in the Metropolitan. Dur
ing most Of its later years the hotel was
the mecca in Washington for visitors
from the south, this patronage having
grown through the years 1880 to 1850
U-hn Nai OaII