Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-20
NEW PLAZA TAKES
WASHINGTON INN
Passing of Old Building on Site
of One Erected for First
Presidents Winter Home.
FOR MANY YEARS HOME
OF NATIONAL LEADERS
Burned by the British August %,
1914, and Subsequently Rebuilt
Into Two Houses.
BY JAMES CROGGON.

BY JAMES CROGGON.
In the demolition of the property be-
tween the present Capitol grounds and
the Union station plaza, the principal
building which will disappear is that
now known as the Washington Inn, for
, the site was originally occupied by "a
three-stored mansion erected for
Washington. which was intended for
his winter residence. However. but lit
tie of the original structure remains,
only the two end walls Of the three
upper stories, the building about 1918
having been superseded by two dwell
ing houses. Aside from its historical
interest associated with Washington in
the early days of the last century, it
was the domicile of "a number of the
most prominent men of that day
Washington had before this time
been interested in Washington real
estate. having as early as 1892 acquired
square 234 situated west OF the old
observatory grounds. now occupied by
the naval bureau of hygiene, and it
is supposed from it's location that he
had an idea of building a residence
there.
In 1898 he acquired lots in the Car
rollsburg section on the AnacoStia or
Eastern branch. investing there be-
cause it was supposed that that sec
ton would be the commercial part OF
Washington. and he had also in the
same year bought two lots on the east
side of New Jersey avenue, west OF
the lot on which he built his mansion
in 1893, having purchased that lot dur
ing the previous year.
1t appears that soon after the purchase
he wrote to his friend, DR.. William
Thornton. agreeing to the suggestion to
erect two houses for the accommodation
of members of Congress. That he de-
cided to build one house instead of two.
On December ~. 17:S. he sent a check
for 500 for the purpose of laying in ma
terial for the building. DIR. Thornton SUI
pervised its erection, and Messrs. George
Blagden and John 1-enthal. both of whom
We're employed on the Capitol and whose
descendants are living here today. We're
the builders. Plans were made by Dr..
Thornton and tho proposal of Messrs.
Blagden and Lenthal was accepted by
Washington January Nd, 1913 The build
ing was completed in the latter part of
that year. but some delay occurred in
the delivery Of glass. which was ordered
in Boston through Gen. Benjamin Lin
coin. The grounds We're enclosed and set
out with trees and plants under the gen.
erals personal direction and some of
these trees were on the street and Il rev
remained within what are now the Cap
itol grounds. An aged yew northeast of
the Senate wing is today pointed out as
one of the trees planted by the general.
On Level With Capitol Floor.
The house faced eastward and its foun-
dations being about on level with the
ground floor of the Capitol, there was a
magnificent view. especially from the up
per windows, and evidently he had the
| idea that the city of Washington was to
be built up in that direction.
There is little doubt that had Wash
| ington lived to occupy it that. next
| TO the public buildings. i: would have
| been the most prominent point in the
| capital and the center OF society. AS il
was. it became in the early days of the
| century. when most OF the leading men
/ in Congress resided in Georgetown for
want of accommodations here. the home
| of many of those prominent In Congress.
| On the meeting of Congress In 1900 ii
| became one of the principal congress
sional boarding houses. and for many
years ii was conducted by Mrs. Frost.
| Here were gathered many of the leading
men OF the nation. Prior to its destruc-
/ ton by the British August -, 1871
4 among others Ii gave shelter to were
l Nathaniel Macon, All old revolutionary
Il
| est time OF any of our legislators, thirty
| seven years William Ii. Crawford OF
| Georgia, who was prominent in the legis-
i lative halls and in the cabinet and in
lso5 one of the candidates for Presi-
4 dent of the United States; Col. John
! Taylor of Carline, Va, a writer of note
| especially on political subjects, and also
| a member of Congress: X. Marion. a
| representative from South Carolina from
! 1905 to 1910: John Iiailiard who served
4 "a
1 1Si to his death in this city in Feb
| ruary, 1876: james Turner. once gov
i ernor of North Carolina and a senator
| from 1903 to 1916.
| John T. Frost, son of Mrs. Frost was
| for a long time clerk in the House OF
/ Representatives and lived there and was
| with the army at Bladensburg on til,
approach of the British.
Official Report on Burning.
As congressional boarding house |,
| went out of commission August - 1914
| having been burned by the British prob.
ably because they had learned that some
papers of the House OF Representatives
| had been moved thereto. John L. Frost
| was In charge of the office of clerk OF
the House in the absence of Patrick
| Magruder. the clerk. and after the desc
Grafton by the enemy Mr. Frost made tho
following report, September H. on behal
of Samuel Burch and himself:
/ ION the 21st tof AuGust the first OF the
undersigned clerks was furloughed b,
Brig. Gen. Smith at the request of Col
George Magruder for the purpose of re
turning to the city. TO take care of ant
save such part of the books and paper.
of the clerks Office as he might be abb.
To effect. in case the enemy should ge
possession of the place, and he arrived
here the following day
His orders from Col. George Magrude
were not 10 begin packing up until /
was ascertained that the clerks at tn,
war office We're engaged in that business
and II was not until II o'clock Monday
the I'D. that we were Informed that they
had begun IL move the effects of that of
lice, although we were subsequently, tcl,
| TINT IL hid commenced the laN haf