The Washington herald., 1910-06-07
WILL CLOSE THIS WEEK
amen Corner" with It's Past to
Be No More.
PrOprietors of Hosiery at Fifteenth
Street and PennsyIvantG Avenue
say There Is Nothing 20 DO but
Move, Since Government Raised
Rent Beyond Business Reach, and
They Are Acting Accordingly.

Uncle Sans inflexibility IN the role OF
a stern landlord has caused the historic
Regent Hotel, at Fifteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue, 10 close its doors.
Il VIII be vacated this week because the
rent is TOO high. Guests have been given
notice.
It is understood one Of the government
departments, now occupying rented quar-
tiers, will be removed 10 the Regent build
ing.
o. @. Staples. proprietor OF the hotel,
VIII store the furnishings. e. W. Whee-
Lee. who has been manager for the past
two years. said yesterday that. while
business had been good, 1t did not war
rant the ''exorbitant rent demanded by
the government. Negotiations mad been
under way with the Treasury Department
for some time looking to a compromise.
Nothing 20 De bat Move.
''Thero was nothing else to do, in View
OF the needed repairs at the hotel, but to
close it," said Mr.. Wheeler.
He viii leave this month 10 take charge
OF the Braddook summer hotel at Brad
dock. Md He will not engage in the
hotel business IN this city after the sum-
mer season.
With the Regents closing. there passes
into history a landmark. For nearly
twenty years it was a popular stopping
place for Washington visitors. and WAS
formerly the Capital headquarters for
Cooks tourists. Since the opening OF
theaters in the vicinity. the Regent has
become well patronized by the profession
ara many gatherings and reunions OF the
stage folk were held there. ~
Erected forty years ago, the building
was first occupied by the Quartermaster
Generals Offices OF the regular army.
Gen. "Rufe" Ingalls, was at that time in
charge.
Early In the eos the property was
leased by L. p. Brush who opened a
hotel after remodeling the interior. The
favorable location brought it into imme-
date popularity, and the Randall House,
as. It was then known, was a favorite
stopping place
Succeeding Mr.. Brush. Bob" Murphy
took over the lease and rechristened the
hotel the Regent" Mr. Murphy was Ia
charge until 1906, when he went 10 New
York TO assume the managership OF the
Albany Hotel He is the stakeholder for
the johnson fight.
Taken by savannah Man.
w J. Watson, of Savannah, Ga. then
leased the hotel for TWO years, dlsposine
OF the property in 1868 to o. G. Staples
of the Rigs House. W. E. Wheeler wa
manager for Mr.. Staples until the block
was acquired by the government recently
and plans were made for the closing oil
the hotel
AS familiar as the old hosiery itseli
were three of its oldest inhabitants
Gen. N. Emmett Ufell. Gen. John King
and James J. Clifford. Gen. Uren ha:
made his home at the hotel for more
than six years, Gen. King has been there
nearly as long, and Mr. Clifford has beer
at home IN tho Regent about three years
Day in and day out, this little grOuI
could DO found in the hotel lobby or OF
the steps. They were together most o.
the time. and the personal "reminiscences
of each furnished hours OF entertainment
for their friends as they gathered in III,
Amen Corner" and snapped stories.
Gen. UTell, who is a veteran OF tn,
civil and Spanish wars, knows nearl!
everybody IN Washington. and nearl!
everybody IN Washington knows tn
general. Gen. King is a former Repre-
sentative in Congress from Mississippi
and was the originator of the bin tina
killed the lotteries in Louisiana year
ago.
Mr.. Clifford. though considerably young
er than either OF the others. is as inter
esting a parsonage, FOR he had charg
OF the building OF the Coreoran Art Gal
lery, the Riggs Bank. the D. A F
building. and other big structures, in hi
capacity as manager for the Norcros
Company.
. And now a cruel government has drive
them from Washlngtons Amen Corner.
While they are not fearful over the pros
pects. yet they do not relish the ide
ef being suddenly left without a home