davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1917-03-18

ston Of the army, killed in the line Of
duty in the Modoc Indian war. and
whose widow married Cen F. c. Aims
worth, U. S. A. Then there was Harry
Bacon, who reached mans estate but
died unmarried a good many years ago,
but whose memory will be recalled by
many old Washingtonians.
X
Year after year in the old National
Intelligencer one reads the advertise
ment of this ancient grocery firm, and
the first issue of The Evening Star
that came from the press in 1852 con-
tanned the advertisement of this firm
1t may be that some very proud women
of the present who order groceries have
an unfair estimate of the social status
of these grocers of old Washington
They were among the merchant princes
of the town. They sold produce by
the two-horse wagon load. The WASH
ington families of a hundred years ago
bought flour and sugar by the barrel
and salt meats by the side" The
minute retail of the bushes is a mod
ern development. The word "grocer"
comes from the fact that these mer-
chants bought and sold things zen
gros," and the grocers of a few hun
.dred years back were known as zen
grossers.'
The Washington directory of 1s4s.
compiled and published by Anthony
Reintzel and printed by John T. Tow
Bacon and Co, wholesale and retail
grocers. south side Penn. ave-. be-
tween 9th and 7th-corner 7th": Sam
uel Bacon. south side north between
side Indiana avenue between Sd and 41a-
near 4 ""
The directory Of 1s4s. published by
Gather g. Addison and printed by John
J. Ten Eyck's directory of 1855. printed
by Henry Polkinhorn. shows: "P. F.
Bacon. 5 Indiana ave, and Sam'l
43s E street" The present system
of street numbers was adopted in 1869,
and Boyd's directory of 1870 shows
Peter f. Bacon at S36 Indiana avenue.
and 439 street became No. $40 E-the
number it retains today. The directory
OF 1870 shows that Samuel Bacon was
boarding at the st. James Hotel. and
National Hotel. From 1874 until 1884
Samuel Bacon was registered as living
at go E street. and in 1885 he appears
in the directory as president of the
National Fire Insurance Company, resi-
deuce. 1878 Rhole Island ave-
In the directory of 1880. while his
house address was $50 F. he appears
in the directory as President Of the In
idllu anu SeaDodTd CoaStlHS Company,
and in 1883. still al the E street address.
as president of the National Union In
surance Company" Mary A, widow of
Samuel, continued to live at the Rhode
Island avenue address until her death at
a ripe old age few years ago.
The directory Of 1870 shows that an
other Samuel Bacon-Samue1 H. Bacon
entered the grocery business at 700
Market space. This was Samuel the
third. The site of his store was taken
by Saks & Co. and then the site was
sold to Kahn & Co. In those days
Samuel H Bacon lived at 226 E street
northwest. and the old Scottish Rite
Hall, Sd and E streets, stands on the
Evening star., 1917-03-18

propositions for the authorities. This
was because of the lack of means of
communication. The only railway was
the line running from NueYitas, on the
north coast, to the city of Puerto Prin-
cipe. Nuevitas is the port of the capt
tai city. 1t has an ample harbor,
though the value is somewhat impair
ed by the shoals. Nuevitas itself is not
an attractive port. The only thing
about it was that the railway affords
means of getting out of it
This railway, which vas owned by
a group of Spaniards. was Immensely
profitable. The passenger rates were
high. hut freight rates We're higher
No passenger could carry any kind of
a parcel or package without getting a
bill OF lading and paying what the
trafilc would bear. II Was not unusual
FOR people going up to the city to take
with them a fresh fish, but unless they
had bill of ladiug and freight re-
ceipt they were not allowed to pro-
ceed. Some of the FISH were small
and freight receipt for ! cent in
accordance with the rate sheet was
not uncommon.
Sir William Van Horne, under the
encouragement received from the
Washington administration when Elihu
Root was Secretary of War. changed
the railway status of Puerto Principe.
He built the central railway, several
hundred miles in length, which formed
through line OF communication be-
tween Havana and the eastern end of
the island This railway encouraged
u . Establishment of s'gar plantations
Evening star., 1917-03-18

tack would be made by an overland
march from the south. There was only
one John Morgan in those days. and he
did not usually repeat his exploits. Pan
anna was richer prize for him.
The city of Puerto Principe was the
most picturesque place in Cuba. This
was because the streets were as mar
row as in the cities of old Spain, and
the architecture was similar. Over
hanging balconies which almost
touched one another and doorways that
had all the characteristics Of Moorish
civilization were the striking feature.
Puerto Principe. or Camaguey, is still
picturesque because the streets are
narrow and crooked. and the hanging
balconies still remain. Yet the inn
provements during the last twenty
wears. which include sanitation, have
destroyed much that was characteristic.
tne street was named for Charles A.
Dana. the famous New York editor,
who was always so firm friend of
Cuban freedom. This was done during
the Spanish times. The municipality
was so thoroughly Cuban that the su-
perior power could not always afford to
go counter to it.
During the ten years war in Cuba,
which was the first long-continued but
unsuccessful struggle to obtain inde-
pendence, II was said that every house
in the city was the refuge Of at least
one fnsurgent. This was not exactly
so, because the insurgents took to the
fields. but there was scarcely a house
hold that did not have some member out
hghtib.. AT ono time tue u.I : shl.;i-
Evening star., 1917-03-18

people. During the American military
occupation photograph was taken of
group, all of whose members were
known to be more than 100 years old.
1t happened that most of this group
were Africans, who had been born and
reared in slavery until middle life.
Puerto Principe, as it is always called
in the Spanish books. two or three CEN
turies back was the spoil of the buc-
cancers. After the settlement on the
north coast had been several times at
tackled and looted. the real city was
established sixty miles in the interior.
The freedom from the attacks of pi-
rates caused it to become very prosper
Gus. But all this prosperity disap-
peared almost as overnight when Nor
gan. the buccaneer. landed his follow
ers on the south coast and marched
overland. He was then just plain pi-
rate. not having been knighted by Eng
land. but the accounts of his exploits
usually refer to him as Sir John Nor
gan.
The riches taken by the pirates were
almost incalculable. but the town soon
resumed it's former prosperity, for it
was the center of a rich region and it
was not anticipated that another at
Evening star., 1917-03-18

One moment there were two soldiers
talking three feet from my hiding
place What did think of in my ditch?
My whole life passed before my eyes
I was awake and I dreamed I was talk
ing with my mother at home, In the
evening by the lamp, with my mother
just as 1 saw her when came away.
II stole out of the ditch as soon as
the fields had sunk back to the silence
of a beautiful night Of peace. lighted
by a number of stars. By dint of run
ntng at all hours and in all weathers,
through the byways of farms, I had
learned to guide myself easily. 1t did
not take me much time to find the little
house in which we had rested the even
ing before-my two friends and L
just before we Joined our column. Six
o'clock was striking at the village bel
fry when I stretched out to sleep, be-
tween two bundles of straw. on hay
NOW that seemed softer to me than a
feather bed. Soldiers came hunting and
searching through the village. To the
bugle's sound and with notices posted
the Prussians promised 500 marks
(S125) for every fugitive that should be
given up to the authorities
Not one was betrayed-not a single
one. 1t Is not me you must admire.
Evening star., 1917-03-18

mobile was already ten yards behind
me. I saw there was no one inside. At
the wheel there was red-faced Prus-
sian chewing at one of their big ci-
gars. He slowed up and beckoned with
his hand. My heart beat as I went up
to him. I am going to X he ended by
making me understand. Am I on the
right way?' He was driving away from
that village. which was just on my own
way. I tried in vain to point out his
way to him, and then I offered to get
in with him. va. va. dankeschoen"
And he pleasantly made a place for me.
Ten minutes later we came to the first
houses of X. and I said: Here you are"
He took a cigarette from a black
leather case, and 1 thought he would
never have done thanking me. Blame
me if you will. but l smoked his cigar
cite and II had no smell of the boche.
My companions were at Liege before
me. after wonderful tramping about.
Cost what 1t might we wished to get
across into Holland, and as soon as
possible. Our hurry all but cost US
dear. a smuggler was caught the day
he was to have got US across. His
clients a dozen or so. were taken with
him. We had promised him 1000 francs
$4,000. But when we came to the place
Evening star., 1917-03-18

house purposes and the upper will probably
be occupied portion Of the American House.
In the square bounded by e and D.
9Th and eth streets northwest, the
property holders in 1902. counting east
from the corner of 1th, We're John Mur-
dock, William II. Dorsey, Henry
Thompson, Andrew Jamison and James
Maitland. Alexander Kerr and David
Burns heirs. Dorsey owned the lot on
which the Bacon house was built in
1910, when Samuel Bacon bought the
property and Andrew Jamison and
James Maitland owned the lot which
was bought by William Bennfng, de-
vised to his widow, Ann Benning. then
bought by Richard S. Cox. and bought
about 1855 by James c. MCGUIRE and
which remained in the Mcclure family
until about 1896. when 1T passed to
Amanda E. Downey.
About 1910 Samuel Bacon first bought
part of lot in the sQuare-lot (Which
faces on D street at the west corner
Of Cox's alley. which runs through
from E street. The lot had been owned
by George Bomford. In 1919 the square
owners on the south side Of e were
John r. Platter. David Bates. John
Chancey's heirs. John Cations heirs.
John c. Calhoun, Thomas Whelan, AL
ton Clarke and 0. B. Brown. James NJ.
Evening star., 1917-03-18

yarnum. Alexander Kerr and Ezra J.
Ramsey. On December - obadiah
Bruen Brown sold to William Benning
for $3.50 lot IS. on which the Benning
Cox-McGuire house stands. William
Benning being the builder of the house.
In 1874 the southeast corner of eth
and T. was owned by Raphael Semmes.
a wine merchant. and then. counting
east, were the lots of John Cation,
James A. Kennedy. Samuel Bacon. John
c. Harkness. r. c. Washington. A. Med.
Davis. Ann Benning, William H. Camp
bell, Leonias Coyle, the Baptist church
and C. G. Grammer. a rich German who
lived at the corner of and X streets
Lot Is contained 10000 feet and John
C. Calhoun had owned half of it. 1t
was subdivided into four lots about
1883, and they were bought by James
A. Kennedy, Samuel Bacon, second, John
c. Hardness and r. c. Washington. In
1854 the lot holders on the south side
of e from 7th to 6th were Raphael
Semmes, John Cation. James French.
Samuel Bacon, John c. Hardness, A.
Med. Davis. James C. MCGUIRE, William
H. Campbell and Leonidas Coyle. In
1864 the owners of the same lots We're
Susan ireland, Francis Mattingly. John
Cation, n. NJ. McGregor. Samuel Bacon,
J. c. McKelden. A. Med. Davis. James
c. Mcclure, William H. Campbell and
Leonidas Coyle. About the time when
Samuel Bacon bought the home on
Rhode Island avenue. where he and
his widow died. the old property on E
Evening star., 1917-03-18

site of his house as well as on the site
of the homes of Col. Wright Rives and
Benjamin Charlton.
S. H. Bacon of the Saks- Kahn site in
1874 entered the business with his
father and UNCLE on the American
House corner. The following adver-
tisement is from The Star Of June IL.
1874:
s. II. Bacon, 100 Market space, is selling his
entire stock at cost to close business by the 1st
of July. The balance will be sold at auction.
He will then consolidate his business with S.
Bacon & Co., Erocers, corner Of PENNSYLVANIA
avenue and 18th street. where he will be pleased
to his friends and patrons.
The following news item Is from The
Star of September %. 1870:
Improvement on the Avenue-The building at
the southeast corner OF 7th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue is undergoing such a change that
II OF the countrymen in the neighborhood
fail to come to market for few weeks they
will hardly recognize the place. The Messrs.
Bacon completely renovating their building
by putting a front to the first story or
ground door the Avenue front and one large
door with iron facngs the 7th street side.
All the windows being enlarged and faced
with ornamental iron caps and sills. while
fourth story will be added to the building. all
surm0unted by q French roof. The first two
stories will be used now for store and ware
Evening star., 1917-03-18

street came into the ownership of John
l.. Vogt, who in the sos bought much
other property in the square.
Samuel Bacon second, was a member
OF a long list of the common councils
OF early Washington and he was presi-
dent of the common council OF 1884,
1s45. 1876 and 1si7. Samuers brother.
Peter Bacon, was at the head OF tho
District militia at the outbreak OF tho
civil war. fulfilled his duties faithfully.
and was a prominent man in the first
and second inaugurations OF Presidene
Lincoln and was a warm personal
friend OF Lincoln
The Rambler has much other fnfor~e
nation about Samuel BaSon. second, bu1
he must pass on to the Mcclure house.
614 street. That this was the prop
erty of William Benning. the big East
ern branch landholder and builder OF
the first Benning bridge in 1875. Is In
teresting In Itself. and after his death.
as the Rambler has already said. HIS
widow. Ann, long lived there. The Ram
bier assumes that William BenninS
built this house. because he bought tho
lot from Obadiah Brown in 1925 Tor
$780, and in the assessment of 1880 Ben
ning's improvements on the lot were
appraised at $1,000. James c. Mcclure.
who was a man of great force OF char
acter and business ability. came tp
Washington from Pennsylvania, and.
being bookbinder by trade. associated
himself with Jacob Gideon. bookbtnder
and stationer, on the west side OF ?th
street. six doors north of Pennsylvania
avenue. AS early as 1S43 MCGUIRE had
gone into business for himself. Here
is one of his advertisements published
in 1913:
~ c. Mcclure IS prepared to furnish AZ
shortest notice blank books Of every descrfps
ton, ruled and bound. the materials and work.
manship warranted equal to any in the eoun-
try; also arranges and binds in the best style
periodicals and music; old books rebound. mara
will be executed at prices as low as can he donp
in New York or Boston. Specimens Of the W :
rious styles Of work with their prices may hs
at his bindery on the corner or 10th ant
Pennsylvania avenue, second story.
James c. Mcclure and Cornelius wen-
dell were appointed printers and book
binders to the government. and after
some time set up large brick buiid-
ing at the southwest corner of North
Capitol and II streets. This was the
government printery and bindery, which
was bought by the United States and
was the nucleus of the greater govern :
ment printing Office. Mr.. MCGUIRE had
a large family. 1t was his son, Fred
world. who married daughter OF
Franck Taylor. the bookseller and pub
Usher of whom the Rambler wrote q
few weeks ago. The eldest daughter
of James C. MCGUIRE. Mamie, became
the wife of Richard T. Merrick. the
lawyer. Another daughter, Mary vir-
ginia, married in 1859 Admiral Taylor,
who was a son of Franck Taylor, and
who performed distinguished service In
the civil war and won the gratitude OF
all Americans as the commander OF
the battleship Indiana in the Santiago
land and naval campaign. Then there
was Joseph MCGUIRE. who married q
Miss Chapman. and another son. DR.. Clark
Mcclure. whom most WashingtonianA
know.
Evening star., 1917-03-18
The Only Way.
R 1SHoP TYREE said. ironically, Of
~ Sunday golf. In Nashville:

R 1sHoP TYREE said. ironically, q
Sunday golf. IN Nashville:
The only way for the church to com.
bat Sunday golf would be. I suppose,
TO make the pews comfortable an
the old eighteenth-century SQUIRE 8
used to be.
The squires big, square pew used 10
be curtained off, You know, and fur
nished like parlor 1t had a separate
fireplace in it, and If the sermon was
too long. the squire would poke the
fire impatiently as hint for the
preacher to stop.
Some squires had liveried meniai
to serve wine and cake half way
through the sermon, and also to bring
them their mail and newspapers which
they would read during the discourse
Once an unusually luxurious squiee's
pew was shown to the famous Wilber.
force, and the squire asked him glees
fully if he could suggest any improves
ment or addition.
Only one said Bishop wilbsrforos.
drily, a card table,"
Evening star., 1917-03-18
A Backhander.

6frs LIHU ROOTS recent letter to
L. the anti suffrage convention was
a back handed slap"
The speaker. a woman herself. set her
jaw grimly.
'Elihu's letter talked in the main
about unconstitutionality, whatever
that is but it was really an indirect
slap at US.
..it reminded me of Mrs. Singer"
".pid Jane Cuff ever say anything to
YOU about me? a woman asked Mrs.
Singer.
.'No. never Mrs. Singer replied. If
lane Cuff can't say anything good of
a person. she don't never say MOTH
ing"
Evening star., 1917-03-18

clan in the town was an American. All
the other members of the medical pro-
fession were Cubans, and they had
taken up arms. During the last war
Cuban patriotism in Puerto Principe
was quite as pronounced.
1t was said that Camaguey had given
more titled support to the Instructions
than any other part of the island.
There were numerous marquises and
counts whose titles We're derived from
Spain. but who had become thoroughly
CUbanized.
American military officials recall the
Marquis of Santa Lucia. He was one
of their problems. He had bean presi-
dent so-called. of the Cuban republic
during period of the ten years war.
and he had gone into the later war,
which resulted in the Intervention of
the United States. He was a prominent
figure in all the gatherings, and was
very radical in his demand for free
Cuba without any Platt amendment.
But he adapted himself to circum-
stances. as did a great many other
Cuban patriots at that time.
During Spanish rule Camaguey al
ways was one of the difficult military
Evening star., 1917-03-18
Significance of a Loyal Cgnnaguey i'm Cuban Revolt

and other agricultural development 1t
also added to the Importance of the
city of Camaguey. Some branch lines.
or feeders also have been built. which
have further added to the develop
ment of the province.
Camaguey province is still far from
being a network Of railways. but there
are sufficient lines for troops to be
transported readily to accessible points.
This is probably one reason why ex-
President Gomez, with his handful of
followers, was unable to escape the
government troops.
In tn. o.d days a smaH BAND OF
irregular troops could roam over a
good deal of the central section of
the island without danger of being
overtaken. This always was the trou-
BILE with the Spanish troops. The IN
surgent bands knew the country bet
ter, and could quickly take refuge in
the manigua, or bush.
Jose Miguel Gomez himself, when an
insurgent Cuban commander. was in
the habit of doing this. He knew the
country well. He does not seem. how
ever. in his present exploit. to have
taken into account the changed con-
ditions due to the railway. Also ne
seems to have overlooked that the
loyal commanders of the Menocal
troops also knew the topography of
Puerto Principe as we'll as he did.
The main circumstance. however, is
that the mass of the Inhabitants OF
CamaRuev were not in sympathy
with his revolt. Had they been. the
Menocal administration. in spite of the
railway facilities, would have had con-
siderable difficulty in capturing HIM,
but a loyal Camaguey had no use Tor
a disloyal ex-president of the republic,
Evening star., 1917-03-18

and had a numerous family, but the
only children the Rambler can now re-
call were Samuel Bacon, who married
Mary A. Howard: Peter F. Bacon, who
married Elizabeth Coombs; Caroline,
who married George Spencer, and Ann,
who married a man named McCutchin.
Samuel Bacon (2) was born at the cor
ner of Pennsylvania avenue and 18th
street in 1910, died in March. 1887. and
during his long life was identified with
many of the interests of Washington.
This was also true of his brother, Pc
ter F. Bacon, who died at the age of
eighty-seven years. about 1900. Mary
A. Howard. who became the wife of
Samuel Bacon t2). was born in the fine
old Howard house on the west side of
Sd street southeast. close to the Eastern
branch-a house which was standing
the lats time the Rambler was in that
Evening star., 1917-03-18
The Beaten Tack.

A PROPOS OF a widow who, dying,
~ requested to be buried near her
five husbands, Booth Harrington said:
'It must have been this widow that
they tell the story about.
According to the story. widow
and her latest capture were advancing
up the aisle of fiower-decorated
church to the music of the wedding
march, when every light. every single
light in the place, went out
Mr. Harrington paused with an awed
look.
And what happened?" asked the
listener
.-They kept right on" said Mr.. Tar
kfngton. 1.-The widow knew the way"
Evening star., 1917-03-18
A Gargantuan Meal.

A GERMAN-AMERICAN 1ournaNxf
3A told at a banquet in New York Q
little story.
They are eating whale in Germany
now" he said. "and in a school one day
a district visitor nodded to q boy and
asked:
"You. there. boy. do we eat sha
flesh of the whale?
yves, sir the boy atammered.
we do, hey? And what becomes
then, of the bones"
I'VE leave them. said the boy, p6
the sides of our plates"
Evening star., 1917-03-18
A Turn Down.

late 'asa msx.sn. sssss to as
short story for $500.
And" said London. hopefully. the
deal being concluded. -can I have the
money now. before write the stuff?'
The editor gave a laugh and a shrug.
'sYour stories, my dear London" he
said. "are immortal. but you. unfortu-
II civ. are not.
Evening star., 1917-03-18
encouragement.

e1rHE late DR.. Walter J. Dodd of Bos-
ton served bravely in France last
wear, but it was his wonderful pioneer
x-ray work which caused his death
Dr. Dodd died a martyr.
This brave and successful man was
once consoling in Boston man who
had failed.
"Oh, WELL" he said. every chap with
an aim in life must expect to use up
whole lot of ammunition before he hits
the mark.
Evening star., 1917-03-18
Fantastic.

A GOVERNMENT official. condemninn
~ a suggested war economy Of q
rather fantastic nature. said at a WashA
ington dinner:
This economy reminds me Of tho
private who visited the canteen ana
asked for pound Of bacon.
"'Yes, STR said the canteen keeper
and what kinc Of bacon do you prsferc
That there Mica long. strea10
kind said tho private. Then can use
the rind for shoe laceA'"
Evening star., 1917-03-18

section. Her father was the clerk of the
navy yard in the days when Commo-
dore Tingey ruled there. The Howard
family had come to Washington from
southern Maryland. where 1t had long
been settled in Prince Georges. Charles
and St. Marys counties.
Samuel Bacon inherited much valua-
BILE property from his father and the
main business of the firm of Samuel
and Peter Bacon grew with the result
that these two branches of the Bacon
family We're among the rich and solid
people of Washington.
Samuel Bacon 90 and Mary A. How
ard had several children. Those reach
ing maturity were Samuel Howard
Bacon. who married Jane Il. Sangston: {:
Caroline, who became the wife of Gen.
Charles Haywood of the Marine Corps;
Alice, who married First Lieut.. Gran