The Washington times., 1920-04-25
.DEWEYSHOME
TOBEASTORE
Gift of American Public to Once
Popular Hero Sold BY
Family.

. Purchased with the pennies or
rchool children and the contributions
of patriotic citizens as a tribute TO
hero. the house at 174I Ehode islaha
avenue, given to Admiral George
Dewey, in 1899. has been sold out OF
the family and 10 being eonVer.ea
into a store.
The permit for dismantling this
gift OF the people is issued to MIS-
Francis Pitney, of New Jersey, wife
of John Ballantyne Pitney, relative
OF Supreme Court Justice Mahlon H.
Pitney' Mrs. Pitney Is a daughter
of Mrs, John II. Williams, or Wash
ington. The property was transferred
10 her several weeks ago under ueeu
Ly Mildred Mclean Dewey, widow OF
the admiral, and George q. Dewey
his son.
Waggaman & Ray, architects, are
named as contractors in the permit
for the construction OF the store. The
dismantling Is being done by a gang
OF laborers under direction or Foley
Swan.
Souvenir Hunters Barred.
Disnlav Of a pile of bricks in front
OF the house Is said to have induced
souvenir SPECTATORS to seek to buy
them as relics of the house when
had once been the nations tribute 10
: ,the hero OF Manila bay.
4 Mr.. Swan Indignantly denied that
the bricks would be sold for such
purpose.
"Those bricks will be used as far
as necessary for the reconstructioh
work" he said. "Those which are
not needed on this job will be used
on other contracts. They aren't go
ing TO become souvenirs.
he was asked.
@Tm not going to tell you that" he
replied. "Pll just say that no
| souvenir spectators are going to get
them"
Dewey's Glory Dimmed-
AS a matter of fact, the public does
not seem as much interested in relics
from the Dewey home as II might
have done in the latter part OF 1879.
The residence was possibly the iarg-
est factor in dimming the halo OF
one of the most popular hgures ever
before the American public.
The admiral was more than a year
/ reaching America after his exploit
! of May-day, 1898. The American peo-
pie insisted upon doing some hand
; some and permanent service for him,
/ and when 1t was found that he was
to wed Mrs. Mildred Mclean Haze,
( the thought crystalized in a public
subscription to buy the home on
SRhode Island avenue. The task was
undertaken by Perry s. Heath, then
Assistant Postmaster General, and
was taken up by newspapers and So
'cieties all over the country. Before
The entire sum Of about $63,ooo was
gIaised, the Western Union Telegraph
Company aided the project by tele-
graphing, free, all funds deposited n
tits various Offices.
Gave House to Wife.
The deed to the house was delivered
40 Admiral Dewey october 20, 1893,
{about two weeks before his wedding.
tThree weeks later there was wave
(of protest when he transferred the
,house to Mrs. Dewey. 1t was after
ward transferred to the admiraF6
;eon, George Dewey.
The admiral and his wife did not
foccupy the property long, moving to
! 6fhe house, at Sixteenth and X streets,
previously occupied by Gen. Russell
IA. Alger, Secretary of War under Nc
tKinley Admiral Dewey died January
10, 1917.
Residents of the formerly exclusive
lneighborhood have protested against
the conversion of the mansion, once
! an ornament to the street, into
store; but there is nothing in the
itleed, IL is said. to prevent such use.
David Jayne Hill, former American
1 q AMBASSADOR to Germany, lives at 1745
1shode Island avenue, next door to the
y