Evening star., 1918-10-06

ORIGINAL BURNEs HOME STOOD
birthday. Rev. Mr.. Hawley must have
known all the facts.
The building of the house is ascribed
by Glenn Brown in his history of the
capital to Benjamin II. Latrobe and
the time of its building being set as
1872. Mr.. Brown says: While in
Washington Latrobe designed st.
Johns Church, which stands at the
corner of 10th and II streets, oppo-
site Lafayette Square. In 1912 he de-
signed the Van Ness mansion, one of
the notable residences of the early
days in Washington. He also designed
Brentwood, q mansion of dignity and
magnitude in the suburbs of the city
in 1918, and the residence of Com
modere Decatur, which is still stand
ing on Lafayette square, but remod-
eled out of all semblance to it's orig
inal appearance. The other residences
mentioned still remain, but in a di-
lapidated condition.
If the house was built from designs
by Latrobe it was probably not built
at the time Of Marcla's marriage for
Latrcbe was appointed architect Of
the Capitol in 1903 and most likely
was not in Washington in 1902. What
follows Is from "The Documentary
History of the Construction and De-
yelopment of the United States Cap
1tol Building and Grounds" published
as government document in 1904:
In 1903 BENJAMIN H. Latrobe was appointed
by President Jefferson. He continued his serv-
ice until 1917. with the exception Of the
period Of the last war with Great Britain He
during that war. Mr. Iatrobe was born and
educated 1w tn in his professor in England com
philadelphia he designed and constructed many
public buildings in that city. 1t is to his
genius genius We, we owe the design and finish of the
Court. the old hall of representatives and the
interior of the wings of the central building.
Sps' Upon his resignation. in 1917, Charles Bull
cesOr.
sonality of avidfBurnes, the Rambler
recalls that Allen C. Clark, In his
Greenleaf and Law in the Capital
City" makes mention of Mr. Burnes,
and. turning the well-thumbed pages
OF that valuable book, he finds that
Mr.. Clark quotes Thomas p. Wood
ward of the Washington bar "as mar
shaling the worthless of the old CITY,"
The quotation from Mr.. Woodward
follows:
:As 1 work over the too many dry
and musty records I often try to con-
whose acts and deeds am investigat-
ing. I picture William Prout, the
staid Baltimore merchant Ben. Stod-
dert, the revolutionary soldier; Robert
Morris, the great financier Of the COL
onies; Samuel Blodgett, the lottery
man; the Youngs gentlemen ITO the
manner born: David Burnes, suddenly
thrown into unfamiliar company;
James Greenleaf. the prince of schem-
ers; Thomas Law, man Of the world;
George Walker, the canny Scotsman,
and all the lesser lights, clad in the
quaint costumes of the time. doing
business as real estate brokers' after
the most approved methods"
Lying before the Rambler is a COPY
or Anne HollngSWorth Wharton's
Social Life of the Early Republic"
and in 1t may be found the following
many of the facts for which the
Rambler has been searching are in it:
The years when Mr.. Madison was Secretary
of State were full of happiness TO his wife,
more so perhaps than her later life in tile
White House, which brought with it more care
ana responsiDllity. Mrs. Madison's younger
idence in Washington, bringing to her house
the charm and variety of interests of young
people. including the bevy of friends and their
who were to be met at Mrs. Madison's we're
Harriet stoddert, Anne Randolph and the
lovely Marcia lsnrnes. the daughter of old
Davy Burnes, whose cottage stood until re
Gently on 17th street near l.,
At some time later the Rambler
will take up the story of John p. Van
Ness, as he has the promise of much
mategial on that subject. At the first
president of the Bank If the NIetrop-
oils, now the National Metropolitan
Gen. Van Ness was identified With
most of the important civic move
ments of Washington from the time
of his election as president of the
bank. on January II, 1914, until his
death, March Z, 1916. Those who have
followed him as presidents of the
1855; Thomas Carbery, lS55-1863:
George Lowry. 1s63-1S65 John B.
Blake (first National Bank presi-
denD, 1S65-l874; John w. Thompson,
1e74-lS97; e. Southard Parker. 1Ss7-19Os,
and George w, White. elected January