Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-10

L. ~ one OF the OlQeSC precincts IN the
II city. However, 1t has always held q
very high place in the opinion of the
people who live within the territory patrolled
by its police officers.
Originally the old second precinct in the
organization of the Metropolitan Police Dis
trict of the District of Columbia, for many
years its men patrolled more territory than did
the officers of any other precinct During the
exciting years of the Civil War period the
area it looked after embraced all of the Dis
trict of Columbia beyond Boundary street (now
Florida avenue) and west of the AnacoStia
River to Rock Greek, and the writer feels salts
fed that at one time a large part of the
northern part of the city south of Florida
avenue was also included within its boun-
diaries.
Shortly after the passage of the act OF Con-
RreSs approved August g. 1861, providing Tor
the Metropolitan Police Force, the District OF
Columbia was formed into 10 police precincts.
Precinct No. Il comprised all the territory
east of the Anacostia River-or Eastern Branch
of the Potomac. To it were assigned one ser
geant and seven men, all mounted, with head
quarters at uniontoWn.
No Observation-Disclosures the eighth, as
before stated-had one sergeant and nine
mounted men, with the station house "on Sew
enth street, near the first tolgate."
Precinct No. comprised all the territory
living west of Rock Greek, including AnaloStan
Island in the Potomac River, and the city Of
Georgetown. It had two station houses, one
on High street (now Wisconsin avenue), near
old Bridge, or NJ street, we call it now and
one in Tenleytown, which name is being
crowded out by the name Friendship there
having been considerable contention over the
spelling of the former name.
Incidentally, this is the passing of a very
beautiful old name, which might well be re-
GREETED. Some argued the word had too many
"n's" and others that it had too many rs"
The post Office, however, did not fsel that
way about it. and for years used the old spell
ing, "Tennallytown," until the controversy grew
so warm that it dropped the name entirely
and used the word Friendship"
In this connection it might BE- said that the
census of 1870, the first taken by the United
States Government, at about the time this
village was just coming into existence, gives
the names of the heads of but two families of
the name by which this village was for many
years known to us, and they were John TEN
nerly" and Josiah "Tennely" and not "Tenley"
RUT then changes of this nature have taken
place all over the District. Uniontown be-
came Anacostia, as we know Brightwood
avenue became Georgia avenue, and Tenley-
town road was changed to Wisconsin avenue.
Maybe some day those living around here will
be calling Pennsylvania avenue Goose Greek
avenue, after the old Tiber Goose Greek,
which once flowed sort of east and west
through the downtown section of the city.
8 had / sergeant, mounted policemen and IL
footmen. No. 4, which comprised the old first
ward of the city during our limited suffrage
days, was allotted sergeant and is patrolmen,
with its headquarters on K street, between
Twentieth and Twenty-first streets northwest
Precinct No S took In the second ward of
the city, with 1 sergeant and II men. For
several years it seems not to have had
station house of its own and probably used the
Central Grand House on the south side of
and
streets, as its headquarters. 1t took in the
territory from Seventh to Fifteenth street and
from H to N street northwest
Police precinct No. took In the section
from the Canal (B street northweS) to H
street north, and from Seventh to Fifteenth
street west, or what was known as the third
ward 1t had / sergeant and 18 men, and its
headquarters was at the Central Grand House.
Old No. precinct included the fourth ward,
with its station house in the basement of the
east wing Of the City Hall, with a force of
j sergeant and 81 men, while No. had its
station house at the corner of Fifth and
streets southeast with l sergeant and IL police
men who patrolled the fifth ward.
No. precinct comprised the sixth ward
To it were assigned / sergeant and 10 men,
and 1t had station house on Garrison street.
between and G streets, in the Navy Yard
section, and No. 10 took in the seventh ward
Its force included sergeant and Is policemen,
and its headquarters were on Fourth street, be-
tween @ and streets, in the section we old
timers used to call the Island"
RY 1878 the police precincts had been re-
duced to eight, with Lieut.. Gessford in
charge of No. /; Lieut.. johnson, No. q; Lieut..
Skippon, No. 8; Lieut.. Hurley, No. 4; Lieut.
Austin, No. S; Lieut. Greer No. g.; Lieut.. Kelly,
No. Z. and Lieut.. Noonan, No. 8.
The writer remembers the original second
eff hnll Vxhfa for