Evening star., 1917-09-30
FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR

Fifty years ago Washington was old
enough to have acquired venerable
landmarks, the pass
Honest Row" ing of which occa-
-, stoned general COM
Demolished. ment. In The Star of
September "a, 1857. is an item telling
Of tho demolition of buildings OF this
character, known as Honest Row"
'.This location. south side OF Louis
lana avenue. between 9Th and 7th
streets. is rapidly becoming changed In
last Of the small buildings in which In
years gone by justice was dispensed by
Magistrates Dom and Murphy. de-
ceased: Gilberson, Johnson and others,
while lawyers in the upper stories
studied out knotty points in cases pend,
ing below stairs and in the courts. ana
constables gathered about reaoy 10
serve the necessary writs which might
be issued. The first great encroacnment
on the limits of Honest Row" was
made a few years ago. when MI. John
H. Semmes erected his siX-story hote
known as the Seaton House, extending
from Louisiana avenue through to {
street, and the present move in tear :
ing away the remnants OF the row is
preparatory to the erection OF tnree-
story building on the lot OF Mr.. James
L. Barbour (partner of Mr.. Semmes Tor
a long period of years., running throug
from Louisiana avenue to G street 10
an average width of fifty feet Ihis
building will be built in the same style
as the hotel, and the lower por.ion,
with iron fronts, will be arranged as
stores, while the upper stories. whlch
will contain twenty-eight rooms, will
be connected with the hotel
Organization of the Washington Press
Club was duly effected as noted in an
item in The Star Of
nroon;,o+ior September 26, 1867.
o, as follows:
OF Press CLUB. IAN adjourned
meeting of tho editors and reporters
this city was held yesterday afternoon
in the reportorial room of the National
1ntelligencer for the purpose Of COM
pleting the organization of a Washing
ton Press Club. Mr.. John c. Proctor Of
tho Republican occupied the chair, and
Mr.. r. F.. Boisseau Of The Star acted as
secretary. Mr.. James H. Sprigman,
chairman of the committee to prepare
ernment of the association, reported
the same, which were read and after
several amendments adopted. The
active members of the club shall be
those gentlemen actively engaged upon
the city papers as editors or reporters.
Honorary membership may be bestow-
ed upon such persons as have or may
be professionally connected with jour
nalism and also have achieved emf
nence in the profession. In case any
member of the club shall consider that
he has been wrongfully treated profess
sionally by any other member he shall
have the right to apply to the execu-
tive committee for an arbitration. and a
committee of three shall be chosen to
whom the subject shall be referred.
The constitution having been adopted,
the club proceeded to elect permanent
officers, and the following-named gen.
tlemen were chosen: President, John c.
Proctor of the Republican: vice presi-
dent, w J. Bennett of the Express:
Secretary, r. F. Boisseau of The Star:
treasurer. w. r. Collins of The Star:
executive committee, o. X. Harris of
the Express. James Croggon of The
Arthur Shepherd of the Intelligencer.
James H. Sprigman of the Republican
and F. J. Nantz of the Union. After
some other business the club adjourned
until the first Saturday in October.
the executive committee
met and elected Mr.. o. K. Harris chair
man. The Washington Press Club has
made Il very favorable beginning, and
already has twenty-one active mem
bers. The gentlemen all seem to take
an interest in the welfare of the club
and no doubt it will be a permanent as
well as an excellent organization"