Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
hart Disclosed by Excavaors Points to Commerce of Past

AT this time there was no particular
outlet for draining the Avenue of water
so as to permit 1t to pass into Tiber
Greek. so there were two trenches dug
for that purpose, one along Eleventh
street, and the other. think. down
along Fourteenth street. which, In a
great measure, drained the Avenue and
carried the water into the Tfber.
X y
CARUSIS saloon stood at the north
~ east corner Of Eleventh and G
streets, now the rear of the President
Theater. Here was opened on Friday.
November is. 1904. Washington's first
playhouse. a number of subscribers hav-
ing met the year before in Tunnicliff's
Tavern with this end In view. Incl
dentally the tavern here referred to
then stood on the A street side of the
site of the buildings now occupied by
the National Wonian's Party, at alas
First street northeast The site of
Carusis saloon Is one of the historic
sites of the city, and the committee
having in charge the marking Of such
places will soon place on this building
a bronze tablet giving It's history.
In 1897 writer for The Star, speak
ing of the Tiber and the conditions
hcreabouts gives this interesting infor-
nation:
THE Tiber proper was formed by
Reedy branch which had Is source in
Mount Pleasant and entered the head
of the Eighth street; a stream west of
Glenwood, crossing Florida avenue be-
tween First and Second streets north
west, and a third from near Montello.
on the Baltimore a. Ohio Railroad, en-
tering the city east OF FIRST street north
east. Before reaching N street the
three branches. united and at or near
X street formed quite a favorite place
for hathers. known as the Blue Cork
Between ! and X streets small stream
from Second street west and between ID
and K streets the waters from the
northeast section. rising at Twelfth and
q streets Maryland avenue and Seventh
street and Third and X streets flowed
On First street south of G street north
west the Tiber received the waters of
Willow Tree spring tsouth of New York
avenue between Fourth and Fifth,
which coursed southwark TO Judiciary
Square and in Indiana avenue to Its
confluence. Crossing PENNSYLVANIA ave-
nue. In Second street west the Tiher
traversed the Botanical Garden reserva-
ton, emptying into the canal at Third
street, Two small runs In Pennsylvania
avenue near Second street flowed south
ward to Z and First, and joined by an
other from Second and y streets south
east flowed into the canal at South
Capitol below e street Thus the Tiber
drained more than half the territory
within the boundary of the city
THE Island had not then received
the dignity conferred by the title Of
South Washington. and was an apt
illustration of the geographical term "A
body OF land entirely surrounded by
water
THE canal entirely cutting 1t off from
the remainder OF the city made 1t nee
essary to throw bridges over the Tiber
TO supply means Of communication,
These were at Fourteenth, Twelfth,
Seventh and Four~and-a~half streets;
Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia ave-
nues, and N street, and were wooden
structures, with the exception of that
on New Jersey avenue, which was of
brick. Formerly stone arch was at
New Jersey avenue, but this had been
replaced by brick archWay, which.
built OH an angle and In superb man
ner. attracted much interest and for a
long time was regarded as q masterpiece
OF brick work.
nF course all the old residents know
that the Washington City Canal
for many years ran along ID street
northwest 1t was begun In 1909 and
declared completed In the Autumn Of
1915. An account Of the exercises incl
dent to Its completion. written at the
time. tells us that barge was provided
for the directors and other officials of
the company and for members of the
City Council and for prominent citizens
as we'll The Marine Band followed In
another vessel TO enliven the occasion.
and we are told 1t took one~half hour
TO make the 2~mile trip from the start
ing point ut Twelfth and u streets