Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06

EIHE small red brick building on
the northwest corner of 18th
and f streets had its founda-
& ton laid good many years ago
and is entitled to classification among
the old hotels of Washington. Though
never as imposing in structure or in
furnishings as Gadsby's. Browns, the
Kirkwood House. the Jenness House.
the Washington House. st. Charles, ST.
Marc. st. Cloud or the Union Hotel, it
was a fair type of the small hotel of
the capital of fifty years ago. II is
especially worthy of remark because it
has survived in a neighborhood that
has undergone so many changes. 1t is
also a neighborhood in which great
changes may come at any time and this
e Washington landmark may pass.
The first owner of the corner, accord
ing to records to which the Rambler
has had access, was man whose name
appears as Cornelius McDermottroe.
That was in 1902. This lot when first
laid off contained 1882 square feet was
valued by the city assessors at 1850
and was improved by a house assessed
at $500 The assessment indicates that
the Improvement was a frame of con-
siderable size or 1t may have been an
nnpretentious brick. From certain evil
dence between the lines of the records
the Rambler believes that that house
did not stand the corner of 18th and
J., hut north Of the corner. facing on
18th. When the lot was divided into
thfee parts, the north, east and west
parts. there was a small house on the
north part and the Rambler believes it
was the same which was there in 1902
The next lot on the west was owned
IN 1902 by Samuel Davidson II con-
tanned more than 5000 square feet and
was assessed at $3.50. The next lots on
the west were lots Nos. and 4, owned
by John Mason. containing respectively
s.T.1 and 9.sos square feet and assessed
~ Ssss and s7ss. The adjoining lot on
ia" west. No. ). owned by Samuel Dav-
ids"n. contained over II. 900 square feet
and was valued at SS0s. Lot No 6 was
in the name OF William IL Dorsey. lot !.
III the name OF John Davidson and lots
= and belonged TO william IL Dorsey
Lot No Was the west end Of the block
the northeast corner Of 14th and T..
There was no building OF amy kind on
the south front OF the square between
18th and 18th streets unless the Ram
bier Is wrong in his conjecture tina I
Inc small house on the corner lot faced
on 18th street north of T.
nv iptS csk tue east SiOe or l3tn.
north Of e. were in the name OF VIII
Ham u. Dorsey. until one reached the
corner of 18th and F streets where
the large lot containing $500 square
feet belonged to Richard Forrest It
was Improved by a building assessed at
$1,000. and the property stood in the
fame Of Richard Forrest for half CEN
Jury. Turning east along the south side
or + street from the corner of 18th. the
Ge&t lot 10 Forests was owned by
Samuel Blodgett. ami the next two lots
on the east stood in the name of tIot-
worthy Stevenson. These two lots were
Improved as early as the year 1900. the
west lot by structure assessed at
$1,000 and the east lot by one assessed
ut $2,5o0, which would indicate that ii
was one of the fine dwellings of the
young capital. AS early as the year of
which the Rambler is writing some of
the + street lots had been cut in half
and that adjoining on the east Cloth
worthy Stevenson's lots was divided be-
tween Collin William nd John johnson.
y $500 house stood there. The mex, lot
belonged TO Samuel BlodRett the next
on the east to James Dougherty and
the next on the east had been divided
between George Betz and Joseph Bent
ley.
\ s2no house stood on Betz's half and an
lot WAS III the name of McDernottroe. and
flo rest LOT brings ono To the corner OF
1eAh and Z. That lot was divided. one