The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-06-05
RIGGS HOUSE TO Be TORN DOWN
work or DEMOLTSHING IT
WILL ne BEGCN TO-DAY.
A Modern structure 70 Take the Place Of
Washinston's Once Famous Hotel-A
Few Guests Remained Until the Doors
We're Closed for the Last Time.

| tonight. for early tomorrow morning
the work Of demolishing tho Riggs House,
a famous hotel In its day but Of late a
| trife fly specked and moth eaten around
the edges. will he begun. A big, modern
structure. q combination Of theatre and
Office building. is TO take its place. The
national capital has been getting move
on itself lately so far IA the erection of
modern structures in the downtown sec
tion ia concerned. and the Riggs House ia
one of the last old time landmarks in the
central business section to 60.
Some famous men and women have
made the Riggs House their home. Ben
jamip Harrison lived there for years.
James A. Garfield played billiards there
night after night while he was President.
and Others who have a place in history
were once familiar figures In its lobby.
Susan b. Anthony. Elizabeth Cady Stan
ton and Francis Willard were often guests
at the hotel
Back in the '7Os the Riggs House was
known as Northern headquarters. Z"
where politicians and prominent men
from the New England States. New York
and Pennsylvania invariably stopped
when in Washington. Ten years later the
Western contingent held sway In the
early days when the Riggs House enjoyed
| the patronage of the New Englanders,
the New Workers. and the Pennsylvanians
the sectional line was also closely drawn
in other Washington hotels of the period
The Metropolitan. on lower Pennsyl-
vania avenue was then as now the mecca
for Southern politicians. near-politicians
and camp followers. The Westeners
then congregated AZ the National Mil
lionaires from the Pacific coast and ELSE
where stopped AZ the then New Arlin gton.
which soon will be torn down 70 make room
for the most expensive hotel south Of
New York. The Ebbtt was the head
quarters Of the army and navy.
With the building Of the newer hotels
and the concentration of wealth in the
East becoming more pronounced the Riggs
House lost its distinctively Northern at
mosphere. Its clientele became mixed
I.atterly with the removal OF the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Station from Sixth street
and Pennsylvania avenue it became some
thing of a commercial hotel But a few
politicians remained until the doors were
closed last night for the last time. Rep
resentative Ollie James OF Kentucky. the
biggest man physically in the House.
and his intimate. Representative Tom
Hehn Of Alabama: Senator Stone Of Mis-
souri,. Representative Rothermel OF Penn
sylvsnia and some others stayed until
the last minute before seeking quarters
elsewhere
The old Riggs House possessed the
only billiard room in Washington ever
freouented by a President OF the United
States. Here in the early days of 1881
when he was but newly insugurated 10
| the Chief Magistracy. came James A
Garfield night after night to play the game
with hls chums OF his new sdminist ration
Garfield was much beloved 1t the Riggs
House. His untimely and tragic end
| brought sorrow to more than ono of the
employees Of the old billiard room who
had known and loved him first as u com.
paratvely obscure member Of Congress
and for the short time As President.
Major George A. Armes. still living
and altogether lively. furnished the mosi
sensational episode of his career in the
lobby of the Riggs House. II was on the
night Of March ;. 1850. Major Armes
alveady retired officer of the army.
| had essayed to serve as a volunteer aid
to the chief marshal of Benjamin Har-
rison's inaugural parade
| The Major had handsome uniform
that of "a major Of cavalry Of the old
Indian fighting army OF the '7Os and early
SOS. 1t included a yard long yellow horse
hair plume. The Major was proud OF
that uniform. particularly of the plume
Gov. Beaver of Pennsylvania. one
tlegged survivor Of the repulse of Pickett 5
charge, was grand marshal of the Harrison
inaugural parade. In the course Of that
parade Gov. Beaver described the proud
form Of Major Armes. csrolhng up the
avenue in the ram. The Governor
ordered subsltern tp get the hook /"
Major Armes. protesting vigorously that
he would parade till hell froze over and
that nobody could throw him out of "a
parade when he was dressed up. was
| finally squelched The next night the
Major appeared in the lobby Of the Riggs
House. Gov, Beaver was surrounded by
his stan. Walking mp to the Governor
Major Armes applied two powerful fingers
crosswise To Beavers prominent nose
After he had applied said crossed fingers
he also applied pressure and a considera-
| 'iV 'WVuN' Wv oVoNct hOSc nav bttlflt
for weeks. Major Armes was court
martisiled for the offence and punished by
being prohibited from wearing his grand
uniform for one year.
| The early suffragettes always made the
Riggs House their Washington home.
Year after year Susan b. Anthony oame
To the old hotel Earlier Elizabeth Cady
Stanton was with her. Francis Willard
and other pioneers in the movement for
the uplift Of womankind stopped there
| The financial world OF the 's0s made
the Riggs House a sort OF halfway house
True. the hashy men of finance, the
spenders. sought the Arlington, or al
times the old Willard. but at the Riggs
House were held the quiet conferences
Jay Gould stopped there invariably on
his flying visits TO the capital. Russell
Sage occupied a room there on many
nights following a busy day in communion
with the political powers.
The present Riggs House was erected
in 1870. Prior to that time the site had
been occupied by the Quartermaster-
Generals Office of the War Department
As such it weathered the storm of the
civil war.
At the time of it's opening and for the
first fifteen years of the historic career
of the old house il was managed by. G. W
Spofford Orrin q. Staples. the present
proprietor. assumed the lease on May 4,
1891. He rounded out his twentieth year
Of proprietorship last Thursday, but