Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-18
IN OLD WASHINGTON.
By James Croggon.

so you want to know something about
the Washington of my childhood?' said
an eighty-year old lady resident to the
writer.
well, it was a most pleasant place
to live in, in spite Of the absence of the
conveniences which We enjoy in these
days. There were no skyscrapers or
palatial dwellings, no asphalt streets with
stone trimmings, and the homes of the
people were mostly two-story brick or
frame, the latter predominating. Three
story structures were scarce, and he who
lived in one was regarded as prosperous,
and the few who could boast of four
story were then considered in the same
light as the millionaire of today. No
impossible barrier between the middle
class and the more fortunate ones existed
and character was placed above mere
financial or business ability.
"My infancy and YOUTH continued
she, was spent near The Star Office.
we'll remember the Majors. who owned
what is now the site of the municipal
building. Allison had a coach factory.
blacksmith shop and livery stable on that
place. Thompson, who was a coach
maker, resided on the south side of ID
street opposite that site, and Dickinson
kept grocery at the west end of Majors
row of small two-story bricks extending
east on D street from the corner of 131s
Streets Mrs. Rabbit, Richard Downer, a
well knOUpe carpenter, John Glover and
Miss Hess were nearby. Miss Hess was
a fortune teller. and in those days she
had large custom.
Early 18th Street Home.
1T is my 18th street home to which
moved in the early thrties l particu-
larly remember. On the east side OF
18th street between E and F. streets was
Henry Smiths row Of fine houses ex-
tending from the corner of F street. Mr..
Smith lived here and was a leading car
penter and builder, as also Samuel Kirby,
who became a leading cabinetmaker and
undertaken. and built up a large business
on sth street near the avenue. The Proc
tors and McGonsiles were there and
southwark Mrs. Glover and Mrs. Lydock,
who kept a boarding house. Her daugh-
ter married Capt. James Fl. Blake of the
infantry, who was a leading bookbinder.
On the northeast corner OF 18th and +
streets, in frame house, Hut" Stewart
lived, and he and his wife kept what was
probably the earliest secondhand furni-
ture store.
On the west side of the street at F was
the dwelling and grocery Of Jacob Dixon,
who was well known in the District as
d trainer race IdNIHS CIdL &c
of those of DR.. Thornton and he also kept
a stable south of his house on the site
where he later built houses for his two
daughters. Joseph Peck lived about mid
way of the square and south of him lived
the Laporte family. There was then a
gulley running down the street, where
stream had run. 1t would not do to give
the names of clipping parties from this
section as 1 knew several girls to walk OH
to a minister's
On the site OF the present Star building,
at Pennsylvania avenue and 18th street.
was a two-story frame occupied by
Charles Gautier, noted French confec-
toner and chef. North was the cabinet
making shop of william Mel. Grips and
at the E street corner Andrew Noerr had
his bakery and residence! At the north
east corner Of 18th and D streets the
Madisonian Office was located during the
Harrison campaign in 1910, and later
Robert Farnham established a bookstore
there. Above Daniel Hauptman had his
tinshop and dwelling. Old Mrs Barry had
small shop known to the boys for the
"cent-a-stick" taffy. Mrs. Langvoigt lived
north of this and had a number of goats
who gave the boys much sport: some
times more than they bargained for.
Goat Attacked Henry Clay.