Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR.

" VEN with its political drawback,
l. the District of Columbia is forg-
ing ahead rapidly; indeed, too
IL speedily for the local historians,
who have difficulty in keeping
tab on the old buildings which are fast
disappearing, not only in the downtown
section but in the outlying parts of the
District as well. Recently some once
notable business houses and residences
have given way and passed into the
discard in connection with the Govern
ment's extensive building operations
now well under way, and private enter
prise is well keeping pace with Uncle
Sans best efforts In removing old
landmarks.
Just month or two ago the east
half of block 224. between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth and and G streets, was
cleared of its old houses to make way
for another Skyscraper. Of course. not
The kind erected in New York and Chi
cago and other large cities, where there
is no restriction as to height, but the
kind Of structures which are permitted
here in Washington. where Congress
and the Commissioners feel that the
real necessity for higher structures has
not yet been reached.
When this building is completed the
four corners of Fourteenth and F streets
Will DS DulG up Will IIlOOeI1 UullQulSS,
the corner stone of the large Press Club
Building at the southeast corner of this
busv intersection having been laid April
3. 1926, and the structure practically
completed in the latter part of the fol-
loving year
This is one of the most interesting
sites in the congeSted section of the
city. being near the historic Willard
Hotel and located on the corner occu-
pied for SO many years by the Ebbitt
FcUSo. whose proprietor was for long
time c. c. Willard. one of several broth
erS who were successfully connected
with the hotel business here awhile ago.
The earliest person to build upon this
site was David Craufurd. whose daugh-
ter, Sarah c.. married Richard Forrest
The Craufurd residence, erected shortly
after 1900. was a large double dwelling.
It stood on the street side, next to the
house directly on the corner which was
built in 1886 by Bushrod Washington
Reed, who conducted here a grocery
store This Mr.. Reed came from West
moreiand County Va, in 1888 and was
related to the Reed family several of
whose members were lost in the burn
ing Of the WawaSet. The statement is
also made that he was related to the |
Washington family of Westmoreland |
County, as his name would imply.
After Mr.. Reed moved from this
corner in 1864, when the property was
sold to c. c. Willard he moved to the |
southeast corner of Thirteenth and F
streets where he was succeeded by his |
two sons, William B. and p. H. w. Reed |
Subsequently the store was for time |
run by N. w. Burchell
X y X
r IcHARD FORREST was postmaster
CT Georgetown In 1897. and moved |
to Washington in 1900. He was one OF |
the eight clerks appointed by President |
Jefferson in the Department of State,
where he is said to have held his po- |
Sition until his death in 1928 |
Originally, the Craufurd- Forrest resi- !
dence and the corner building, occupied |
by Mr. Reed. were separated by a 4-foot,
private alleyway. Later, after these
dwellings had become hotel property,
upon this narrow strip was erected
series of bath rooms, lighted by small
oval windows on each floor, which indi-