Evening star., 1928-06-11

TO the Editor ot The Star:
The young ladies of Washington in
the early days objected to crossing the
ford at Goose Greek, on Pennsylvania
avenue near the Peace Monument.
The following is an interesting refer
ence to this creek and ford:
THE RIVER TIBER IN WASHING
#.4 TON.
I'm one of Thomas Moore's epistles
In verse, written from Washington, not
far from the year 1908. and addressed
to Thomas Hume, Esq, NJ. D., the Oft
quoted line appears:
And what was Goose Greek Is Tiber
now"
The correctness of this illusion of the
poet and the existence OF such a stream
having recently been disputed, Col. B
8. Ewell. president of the College of
William and Mary, writes to Daniel C.
Gilman, president Of Johns Hopkins
University as follows:
This was a small stream crossing
Pennsylvania avenue short distance
west OF the Capitol at the time when
Moore came TO this country. In my
early days there were four rows of Lom-
hardy poplars In the avenue between
the Capitol and the Presidents house
one between each pavement and the
carrtageway making two; then one
about 25 feet from each of the first
rows, making four and between the
middle rows was a graveled roadbed for
wet. weather. and between each of the
side roads Summer dirt road.
Where the graveled part-the GEN.
ter--of the avenue crossed the Tiber
was plain wooden bridge. which was
one one occasion within my recollection
carried off by flood Where each of
the Summer roads crossed was a ford,
both OF which / have driven hundreds,
literally, Of times, and II was my delight
In those days to cross one of these
that on the south--when the tide was
high and the water comparatively deep,
whenever / had young ladies in the
vehicle. for the worthy purpose OF max
Ing them scream and beg. which they
did while crossing. scolding vociier-
ously as soon as the carriage reached
terra firma.' OF all this am sure--so
Moore was right when he said. And
what was Goose Greek once is Tiber
now the now being the date of his
writing.
Where the 'Tiber' was then there Is
at this day an arch Conceaiing 1t (the
streaml, which indeed seems To have
much diminished In volume.
b. S. +. (WELL).
Williamsburg. Va, Dec. 8. 1884.
"tMag. OF Amer. Hist. 1885 (Febru-
ary), vol. l3, p. 1881"
The memoirs of Gen James Wilkin-
son note this Goose Greek. He states
his father. previous TO the founding of
the Federal district and city, was a
resident and owner OF large colonial
estate In lower Maryland near Benedict
and the Patuxent River. and had become
the owner OF large acreage covering
much OF the present City OF Washing
ton, including this Goose Creek His
mother, however. objected To living In
this locality on account of the lack of
improvements. It's isolation and un-
healthiulneSs. They thereby lost the
benefits from the advance In real es-
tete values upon the location OF the
Capitol at this point
He states that at the time OF the
establishment OF the Federal district
and previously the creek above mem
toned was known as Goose Greek, but
the Commissioners deeming this name
too commonplace and plebeians and not
In keeping with the dignity OF the Capt.
tai CITY of great Nation, they there
fore rechfistened IL Tlber. probably In
honor OF the Roman Emperor Ttherius,
with possible visions OF their country
equaling that great empire.
w. i. WAGNER. M. ID.