Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-19
Capital Sidelights

residents or t0oay arc Taking AKA AAiS
toric homes here and to houses that
stood in the streets Of the past was
illustrated by many inquiries follow
ing references by Charles Moore,
chairman Of the Commission OF Fine
Arts. in letter to the National Capt
tai Park and Planning Commission, to
the historic "Six Buildings" on Penn
sylvania avenue, the residences George
Washington built on North Capitol
street and the houses of Thomas Peter
on K street and of John Law on New
Jersey avenue.
The row Of "Six Buildings" 2107 to
2117 Pennsylvania avenue, shares with
the immediate vicinity of the Capitol
the honor of having been one of the
earliest residential sections of the Cap
ital City, where the members of Con-
gress and high Government officials
were glad to And habitation.
In 1890 No. 2107 was the first Navy
office, and there Samuel Houston, Gov
ernor of Tennessee. United States Sen
ator and first president of Texas, had
his residence. Other distinguished &C.
cupants Of these buildings included
Gen. James Wilkinson, general in
chief Of the Army, 1896; John Francis
Mercer, first president of the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Canal Co., and James
Madison, while Secretary of State.
Where Government Hotels" now
stand on land that Is soon to be land
scaped as part of the great park be-
tween the Capitol and Union Station,
on the west side Of North Capitol street
midway between B and G streets, is
the site of two lots acquired by George
Washington, On which he erected
houses that survived him for more
than a century. In Washington's will,
dated July, 1873. he describes this
property as Original lots numbered
10 and ~ in square 634." which were
purchased by him for 1868, with the
condition that he should build two
brick houses, three stories high each. +"
on them. One of these houses he in.
tended for his Winter residence, but
he did not live to complete it. These
houses were subsequently reconstruct.
ed as a hotel, and known first as the
"Hillman House." Later e:1e name
was changed to the washington
Inn," which. was demolished in 1913.
This same site was used in June, 1917,
for the encampment of the Southern
Confederate veterans during the first
reunion ever held by that organization
in Washington.
The Thomas Peter houses are at
2618-20 X street. He was one of the
Original proprietors' of Washington
City, and married Martha Parke Gusts,
Mrs. Washington's granddaughter and
sister Of Nellie Gusts, who was
adopted by Gen. and Mrs. Washing
ton. Gen. Washington was frequently
visitor in these houses. The British
ministers, Anthony Merry, Francis
James Jackson and David Montague
Erskine, also lived there. The famous
Irish bard, Tom Moore, was guest
of Mr.. Merry in this residence in 1904,
at which time he wrote his famous
satire on Washington Of those days:
In fancy now, beneath the. twilight gloom
Where tribunes rule. where dusky Davi bow
And what was Goose Creek once is Tiber
This embryo capital. where fancy sees
squares IN morasses. obelIsks in trees.
With shrines unbuilt and heroes yet unborn
At New Jersey avenue and C street
southeast. where the Potomac Hote'
now stands, originally there was erect
ed row of three dwellings, built abou,
1898 by Thomas Law, son of the Bish
OPP of Carlisle, who was a brother OF
Baron Peterborough. Mr.. Law was a
talented but eccentric man, and ruler
of pOpulous district in East India
He married Elizabeth Parke Gusts
granddaughter of Martha Washington
and invested his fortune in Washing
ton lots and improvements. The corner
building was Conrad & McMunns Ho
tel when the Government moved to
Washington in 1900. Here Thomas
Jefferson. as Vice President, and AL
bert Gallatin were guests.
X X u X
Now that public opinion is pretty
well agreed that Col. Charles A. Lind
bergh owes his daring and courage
and intrepid voyaging to the race OF
Vikings in his Morse ancestry, along
come others who claim double inheri
lance for him, with scientific knowl
edge, inventive genius. consummate
skill, love of nature and extreme mod
esty coming from illustrious forbears
on his mothers side.
Mrs. Lindbergh's great.grand
father. DR.. Lodge, was prominent In
New York from 1910 to 1846. Her
grandfather, DIR. Charles H. Land OF
Detroit, is now accredited with supply
ing some of the best corpuscles in Col
Lindbergh'S efficient blood. He was q
man Of extraordinary scientific attain
ments and is credited with contribut
ing to modern dentistry more than
any other man, including the Jacket
crown, the porcelain and gold inlay
and various forms of bridge work.
Those who were associated with him
said that he was at least a generation
ahead of his profession.
DIR. Land also made extensive re.
search in Oil combustion, and the re.
suit OF his studies has been of untold
benefit to American industry. His pio.
neering opened the way for the oil.
burning systems we have today. But
his outstanding virtue was his modest,
unassuming nature. kindly and unself.
ish to q fault. He is credited with at
least IS inventions. many Of which
have been ascribed to others. He is
said to have possessed brilliant imag.
nation to conceive and exact skill to
execute complex mechanical problems.
making them simple Of application to
practical uses. He had no Convention
Of commercializing his wonderful crea.
tive genius. and passed on all of these
finer traits to his reat-grandson
Charles A. Lindbergh, who is now do.
Ing things scientifically according to
the Land method.
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