Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20

bluff about 80 feet high. A century
ago wharf stood at the intersection
of Seventh and I streets. Travel to
the heart of the city was by way Of
a dirt road cut through the bluff at
M street
About 1910 Kelly Lambell's marine
railway and shipyard was, the foot Of
Ninth street. Ten years later the river
front was improved to accommodate
a new passenger line to Alexandria
and the establishment Of Pages ship
yard. All during the nineteenth GEN.
fury wharves were built and rebuilt.
Construction was mostly out of wood,
and the natural decay of timbers in
water made it necessary to renew the
docks frequently.
THE bluffs stood in the way Of harbor
Development but to residents near
by they were boon on hot Summer
day. Evenings family groups would sit
ON the grass END eat lunches while
children ran ub and down the ;nclineS
in pursuit OF each other. Also they
served spectators as a grandstand Tor
viewing the many river regattas and
boat races that ran on the Potomac.
The oarsmen, dressed in loud-colored
shirts, could be seen a long way of.
Although young, all of them cultivated
mustaches and even Sideburns.
In 1850. when George Page laid the
runways of his shipyard. pedestrians
made their way to and from the
wharves by way of long flight of steps
on the face of the bluff east of Seventh
street. The necessity of widening the
carriageway and laying better foot
path was an issue Of municipal cam
paign of So
Which side of Seventh street shall
have the path? voters asked themselves.
for it was certain that the city would
not De so liberal as to construct side
walks on both sides of the street. Two
nominees for the board of aldermen
stood on platforms Numerically oppo-
site. One, Mr. Page. harangued for
sidewalk on the east side of Seventh
street. while his opponent. Mattingly,
fought for q sidewalk on the west side,
Page lost, and on that account, Sew
enth streets first sidewalk was built en-
the west side.
Motley Young built the first house
hereabouts, presumptious mansion
that rose in 1854 II stood on what Is
now g street between Ninth and Tenth.
OF, two stories brick. the house COM
manded a splendid view of the river in
both directions. About the house we're
small log cabins for the white Isrm
hands, and hard by. stood tiny coun-
try graveyard. Almost until the middle
Of the nineteenth century. corn, rye
and potatoes were cultivated along the
waterfront.
For long time the waterfront had
uncertain definition. The tide rose
and fell over what is now. Water street.
About 1920. practically all Of the city's
mail arrived at this wharf via steam
ers of the Southern Mail Line Boats
made about five trips day to Alex
andria, while large vessels piled daily
between Norfolk, Baltimore and se;ia7
points on the bay.
Facing the river were tAverhs and
hotels to accommodate travellers. AT
the northwest corner Of Eleventh and
Water street, John Foy and E. F. VAL
entine were hosts to tourists. In the
early years of the century. a number
of other buildings went up that sim
may be seen.
Wat Congress and city planners in
ten6.to make OF Water street and its.
envIrons Is something oid-timera
CONTINUED on Fourth Paaa1