The Washington herald., 1918-09-15

Wnlie munlClpdl form oil gOYernmt
Newspaper Men Prominent.
In the early days Of Washington
newspaper men took an active and
Important part In the affairs of the
District. as members of the profession
DO today. The first governor of the
Territory Of the District of Columbia
Henry D. Cooke, was first Of all a
Newspaper man.
In 1857 when the District promoters
met at the Ebbitt House. that ancient
hotel vsA situated on the site OF the
new Ebbitt, Fourteenth and T streets,
but that vicinity presented a much
different appearance fifty-one years
ago than IL does today. The main
entrance to the old Ebbitt was a con-
siderable distance from the corner of
Fourteenth street, due to the fact that
two large structures intervened. The
lower door OF the corner building was
occupied as a. grocery by N. W. Bur-
chell, the rrst fioor OF the next build
ing was used as a shaving and hair
dressing saloon" The rooms above
these business places were occupied
as part Of the Ebbitt House. Next to
The hotel entrance was the book and
stationary store Of J. A Wfneberger.
The roadways Of T and Fourteenth
streets were OF the dirt road" va
riety. so common to the streets OF
Washington at that time, furnishing
a liberal supply of mud in wet
weather and dust galore in dry sea-
sons
The ''bob-taiI" one-horse street cars
OF the Metropolitan car line, hauled
BY saunt steeds, with the driver Of
fciating also as conductor, came
down Fourteenth street and curved
into F street. following the same
course OF the Washington Railway
and Electric Company's cars of today.
The management Of the hotel an
nounced in all its advertisements that
the house was convenient to "a mod
ern and model street car line, con-
Meeting with the railroad depot, the
capitol and government depart
ments"
District Created
Following the approval by the Presi-
dent Of the act creating the Territory
Of the District Of Columbia, February
q. ISL. there was great rejoicing
among the citizens OF Washington
proper and old Georgetown, now des-
ignated as West Washington. Local
politics became q profession to many
and Democratic and Republican or
carnations sprung up like mushrooms
IN the three wards which comprised
the city. The parade Of political clubs
IN the First, Second and Third wards
was an almost daily spectacle, and
the organization fever extended to
Tennallytown on the west and Union
town (now Anacostia) on the east.
The Democratic clubs were COM
posed entirely OF white men, as a
colored Democrat was a "rara avis
in those days, while the Republican
associations were composed largely of
eolOred men. II was about the time
the District became Territory that
two noted leaders in local politics
came into the limeEght-big Bill Dick
son, Democratic chieftainT and Cor
oneI' Perry Carson, a colOred giant.
leader OF the dark-skinned hosts of
the local Republican organization. A
bitter rivalry sprang up between the
factions, which was engendered by
civil war prejudices, then strong here,
and there were many street fights,
some Of them almost riots in pro-
portion.
I was standing at Third street and
Pennsylvania avenue northwest, Just
after the Democratic clubs from East
W dSAlAlA5 LOh anu OnlOnLOWn were
marching to their meeting places after
participating in big rally uptown.
Suddenly Pap" Drane and Jack
Davis. policemen whose beat ex-
tended from the Capitol to Seventh
street northwest, came running along
swinging their clubs.
What's the trouble, Pap" yelled
a citizen
'HeTs Dustin at First and Mary
land avenue" replied Pap" Drane
without lessening his speed.
Rival Factions Battle.
And sure enough on the then open
space, now marked by the statue of
Gen. Garfield, a battle royal was in
full swing. 1t appears that as the
Navy Yard, Capitol Hill and Union
town Democrats were proceeding TO
their bailiwicks they were attacked
by a mob OF colored men and boys
Pistol shots were exchanged by the
combatants and the air was filled
with brickbats and cobblestones.
Pap Drane and Jack Davis, who
were later Joined by others Of the
limited Washington police force, used
their clubs with good effect upon The
rioters and succeeded in bringing
about a suspension Of hostilities, but
not before there were several broken
hesds. The game policemen escorted
q long line OF prisoners to the old
central guardhouse on Louisiana ave-
nue. between Ninth and Tenth streets,
where they were arraigned and tried
the following morning by a police
magistrate. The wounded were treat
ed by physicians who had been sum-
moned from several directions. There
were no emergency hospitals in Wash
lngton at that period.
II is a saying trite and true that
history oft repeats itself" AS
countrywide interest in the National
capital was awakened in the years
Immediately following the civil
war because OF the ACCOMPLISH
ments Of that conflict, so has world
Wide interest in the Washington of
today been aroused because OF the
Important part this nation Is taking
In the titanic struggle in Europe.
Congress, the administration and
the people were quick to note the
Importance OF Washington in 1870
and 1871. The peoples of the world
are noting the fact that Washington
Of today has become the greatest
Capital City Of all. :
Senator Hannibal HamIin, of
Maine, was the father of the original
hanging the form Of govern
the District of Columbia.
ptroduced in the Senate
5, 1870, but was not en-
aw until the following
the measure had been
be White House, the
xuara