Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-28

The parties mostly interested in gentle
mems clothing in the early part OF the
last century were the merchant tailor,
the tailoress and housewife, for 1t was
we'll down the middle of the century be-
fore the ready-made clothing stores were
established in Washington. The merchant
tailor was an important person in the
community, for besides constructing suits
by measure he furnished patterns and
cut suits to be made in the homes, and
the tailoress was often employed by them
on coat, pant and vest. Many families
did all their tailoring for other than the
dress suit; some were entirely independ-
ent of the tailor and few families had
a sufficient number of patrons to furnish
steady work at home.
About the time Congress convened in the
Capitol, 1900, 6 regular merchant tailor
shop was established on the east side of
New Jersey avenue between and c
streets southeast. in which the names of
Warden, Matlock and Griffith were asso-
ciated. For twenty years or more 1t was
Matlock & Warden and later Matlock &
Griffith, the latter in the second quarter
of the century being on 9th street north
of the Avenue. About the same time,
1900 David Cummins was in similar bust
ness on the north side of street be-
tween 18th and 14th, and later into the
d
chant tailor here.
Few After War Of 1912.
Few were the merchant tailors here
even after, the war of 1912, and those in
Georgetown had considerable trade from
Washington. Though imported goods
were carried by many of our merchants.
domestic fabrics were the favorites, and
Wy IA 1,ol o< Unr
mont avenue and l. street, was kept busy.
1t was we'll into the twenties before
Washington could boast Of half dozen
merchant tailor houses. Matlock &
Warden were still on Capitol Hill, but at
9th street and the Avenue was Benjamin
Burns, in the Weightman building at the
northeast corner; Richard Ballard, on the
Avenue, near Browns Hotel. and John Dick
and J. s. Clark, on the south side of the
Avenue. opposite Browns. Solomon Drew
came up from Alexandria and established
his tailor shop on the east side of 7th
street, above Louisiana avenue, where he
also kept a boarding house. Christian
Eckloff was then on F street. near the
Treasury. and his name was we'll known.
George Hinton, who lived in South Wash
ington, had shop on 10th street near d
and later was on the Avenue on the site
Of the St. James Hotel About 1872
Ezekiel Young was on the north side of
street between 18th and 18th streets, and
~
years or more. John Pruet carried on
tailoring on the north side of the Avenue
between 10th and Goth streets. David
Davis, near the navy yard: John Naugh-
on l. street between 7th and Sth, and
John Hodgson, opposite the barracks,
were the tailors in this section before
1925.
Enoch Tucker & Sons came out of
Georgetown about 1890 and opened near
Browns. Matthias Bouvet, soldier OF
Napoleon, opened tailor shop on street
between nth and 18th soon after in this
decade Christopher Cammack estab-
lished his we'll known merchant tailor
shop on F street near the Treasury.
From time to time stocks of ready-made
goods were sent here from Baltimore for
sale with but little success attending, for
most of the goods were either sold at
auction or shipped back In the forties,
however, many ready-made stores We're
established and there were also few
secondhand clothing stores.
Around 9Th Street.
The center of the clothing trade re-
manned about 9th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue, and in the two hotels
Browns, now the Metropolitan. and the
National then Col. Colemah's- were tai
loring establishments. On the northwest
corner of 9th street and the Avenue was
James E. Cassidy, New England tailor,
who later became a prominent citizen of
Maryland, mayor Of Eliicott City and a
military oficer of that state. Near
browns was the we'll known firm of
Young & Steer, succeeded by A. H.
Young and Young & Orem. Mr.. Steer
was aftel ward In business on the squa :,
east as a tailor and became prominent as
sewing machine agent. At the Concert
Hall building, adjoining Browns, was
Joseph II. Daniels. who later became
music teacher in the public schools. Near
by were q branch of w. T. Jennings and
Co.'S New York establishment In charge
of Walter Howe. On the south side of
the Avenue. opposite, were the estab-
lishments OF Isaac Ellwood and later J..
c. Weichman.
In the National Hotel building was the