Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29

even more detected looking alongside the newer
and handsomer building to the south.
The writer has known this building since he
was child, for he Genes of family which
largely followed the example of Gutenberg and
of our own Ben. Franklin in inclining toward
the art preservative of all arts"-printing
Indeed. almost as far back he remem-
Der, one or more of his close relatives have
worked in the big shop" even in the days
when nearly every one was furloughed, or
"hred"-for that is just what an indefinite
furlough meant-when q new administration
came into power
Those were really hartrending days. for in
many cases the men and women laid of had
little ones depending upon them for support,
and the wolf in many cases was just waiting
at the door, showing his sharpensd, grinning
teeth, to get in his savage work
Indeed, those who recall the Government
Printing Office only under civil service rule
have no idea what it means to be handed
yellow envelope conveying the mournful in
formation that your services are no longer
required" especially during the Winter months,
when there was not over half ton of coal in
She cellar and a grocery bill to pay; and work
was not as plentiful then as it is now either.
However, there was the cheerful side in
getting back which many of them were able to
do; but always with that same amount of
trouble in bringing to bear their influence for
the purpose. What an agreeable difference
today, working for appreciative boss not I'M
der the cruel influence of the spoiS system!
If we ever do away with the unjust apportion-
ment system, that will be another step in the
right direction, and then our District boys and
District girls will be rated upon their intelli-
gence alone and not upon the place in which
they may happen to have political vote.
THE architecture and appearance of this
old building might lead one to believe that
1t is older than it really is, but we who delve
historic matters a Of at
the facts, and when the building inspectors
records are silent, or not available for our pur-
poses, we naturally resort to other sources of
information, and in this case turn to John
SeSsford's Annals for 1885, and find the follow
ing, in connection with the improvements
made in the fourth ward during that year.
IA very conspicuous object in this ward is
Mr.. Wendell's very extensive new building for
printing Office, etc., which is over 240 feet
long by go feet wide and four stories high
with cupola and bell The great number
of persons to be employed in this building will
add much to the population of its neighbor-
hood"
This building was then in a truly suburban
section. Until then H street only on the
map and had not been extended the entire
distance to Florida avenue-or Boundary
street. as it was then called-nor was this
work entirely completed until two years later
when we find the thoroughfare was graded
from North Capitol street to near the turn
gins-"and curbing and grading the footway
the whole distance from North Capitol street"
was done. ut was probably due to the fact
that the printing Office had been placed at
North Capitol and H streets that street
was graded and graveled from New Jersey
avenue to North Capitol street in 1857.
The old Tiber Greek ran but half block
away, entering the area between North Cap
itol and First streets northeast. at point
between and streets to the north, and
continued southwark a direct
until It reached where is beautiful
City Post ONCE, where it took a southweSterly
course, crossing Pennsylvania avenue at Sec
ond street. Over this stream at a point just
to the east OF the old building find that
new bridge replaced an old one in 1857 and an
idea may be had of the size of this creek by
the statement Of an old chronicler, that dur
ing the SOS tavern built on New Jersey
avenue close to the stream, and known as Foy's
Hotel, was washed away during a flood; and
at a much earlier date the same authority tells
us that John Logan operated a mill on this
creek at about L street; this being most likely
the referred to by DR.. Busy Pierce's
mill, and which that author locates in the
neighborhood of First and streets northwest.
Though the two Washington houses-best
known as the Hillman HoGse-were erected on
North Capitol street at very early date only
a few blocks to the south and other houses
were built here and there in this general 10
cality yet it was years after the old Govern
ment Printing ONCE erected that this
section became anything like built up. st.
Aloysius Church was not dedicated until 1859,
though some of the buildings associated with
1t we're probably finished a year earlier.
There may have been a bus line to help to
get the employees to and from their work, but
the H street car line did not come into being
for more than two decades later, and no doubt
"shank's mare" was the popular mode of travel
not alone and necessarily in this section, of
course, for similar conditions existed elsewhere
in the city as it then appeared on the map.
For instance, in 1870 the Ninth street car line