Evening star., 1928-05-20
BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR.

n DuSlly engaged IN CatChlng nSn
~ III the vicinity of Washington
md elsewhere. of course-perhaps
q lew remarks on early fishing in the
District of Columbia and that majestic
stream, the Potomac River, might Just
now be timely and appropriate.
NO doubt for two or three decades
after the District of Columbia was taken
over by the Federal Government it was
poSSihle--at least in some Instances
Tor one figuratively to step out into his
backyard and catch enough fish for his
breakfast, SO plentiful then were the
streams of the District supplied with
this delicious and palatable food. util-
lied by man ever since his first coming
upon the earth, some fifty million years
more or less, after the finny creatures
first appeared
Though we know that at least some
Of the streams of the District were
plentlfully supplied with fish. yet ii
really does require a stretch of ones
imagination TO believe that at one time
during the early days of the city they
could be caught at Ninth and F streets
northwest. Undoubtedly. there is rea-
son and justification for believing this
oft-tolo story to be true. and whereas
they may not have been large fish. vet
they were fish Just the same. 1t is easy
u.
a number of writers on historic Wash
ington have referred to it and appar-
emily give it their approval.
DR.. Samuel Clagett BuSey. in his
Washington in the Past" tells us that
years ago fish in abundance we're
caught near where the National Hotel
now stands, and as far up as the Ma
sonic Temple. corner of Ninth and F
streets"
Martins District of Columbia and
Virginia Gazetteer. published in 1885,
tells us that within the memory of
many then living "Seines have been
hauled and fish taken where handsome
stores now stand in the part of Penn
Sylvania avenue in which most business
is now carried on" This probably had
reference 10 that part of the Avenue
between Ninth and Tenth streets north
west.
Christian Hines, pioneer writer on
historic Washington. falls only a block
short Of r street when he relates that
when the tides were high fish would
come up the little stream as high as E
street, especially the smaller kind. such
as perch, smelts. eels, etc.
IT is the belief of the writer that the
around Ninth and F streets was in
Franklin Square between Thirteenth
and Fourteenth and / and K streets
northwest, where but only recently in
the middle of Thirteenth street was un-
earthed an old brick reservoir placed
there many years ago. There were sew
eral springs in this block and in its
immediate vicinity which, when their
f1ow was Joined together. must have
produced a good volume of water.
The stream flowing from this square
flowed southwark. changing to south
eaSterly course where stands the New
Masonic Temple at H and Thirteenth
streets until it reached Ninth and F
streets. near where it picked up ST.
Patrick's spring. which helped to swell
Its volume, and where it changed its
course 10 a southwesterly direction |
continuing on to below the Avenue. /
where it emptied into the Tiber
An idea of the size of the stream may |
be had from the recorded statement of |
an old citizen. long since dead. who |
said that about 1900 the only place il !
could be forded with a horse and cart /
was little southeast of the corner of /
Eleventh and H streets. where stands /
the Lutheran Church.
John e. Larner told the writer re- |
Gently that the stream. after leaving |
Ninth and F streets, crossed under /
where is now the west end of the |
Washington Loan g. Trust Building |
St. Patrick's spring at various times |
Hotel spring. Burnes' spring and /
Caffrey's spring, the last mentioned |
name being taken from that Of Father /
Anthony Caffrey. first pastor OF st. |
Patricks Catholic Church, then, as !
now, located in the same block with /
the spring. though not always on the |
same spot.
Unfortunately, little is known of |
Father CafIrey, except that he is be- |
lieved to have come TO this city from
Ireland about 1892, at the suggestion of
his fellow countryman and friend |
James HOban, architect of the White |
House and first worshipful master Of
Federal Lodge of Masons OF this city. |
MY recollection is that Hoban was first |
buried in st. Patrick's churchyard, then |
in the same block with the church. |
When building operations caused the |
bodies here inferred TO be removed. |
Hobans body. ] believe, was removed |
10 Holmeade Cemetery, and Subse- !
ouently found final and present rest
ing place in Mount Olivet Cemetery on
Bladensburg road.
St. Patrick's spring. according 10 DR..
BuSey, first attracted attention during
the naycralty of Robert Brent, Wash
ington's first mayor. 1922. when its
water was collected into a reservoir
built of sandstone. From that reser-
voir its water was conveyed in bored
logs 10 the corner Of Pennsylvania ave-
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