Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12

For the better conduct of its affairs and for
the purpose of holding its meetings the Free
mems Society was badly in need of hall Of
its own, and the cry for help not listened
to in vain, for it heard by Gen. John p
Van Ness, who had married many years before
Marcia, the heiress and the beautiful daughter
of David BurneS, and who had died in 1892
leaving him widower.
Van Ness had served the city as its Mayor
from 1880 to 1885, and while his life was near
ing its end yet he still had a keen interest for
the welfare of his adopted city, and though he
had married into the family of a Scotsman,
yet he evidently did not share in Robert Burns
lines:
"Give him strong drink until he wink
That's sinking in despair,
An liquor guild to FIRE his bluid,
That's prest In grief an care
There let him bollse an deep carouse
WI bumpers flowing DER
Till he forgets his loves or debts
An minds his griefs more"
for he sat down and wrote a letter Of which
the following Is . part:
washington,
June 2, 1843
To Messrs. Henshaw, Callan and Savage,
Committee.
Gentlemen: The interest have long felt,
and which is daily becoming more intense,
in the just cause in which your constituent
institution is engaged does not permit me to
hesitate a moment about contributing my
mite toward the success. Whoever loves
virtue, morality and religion; whoever feels
concern for the happiness Of his fellow
creatures in this world, as well as in their
efforts to prepare and qualify themselves for
another far better, must be amply remuner-
rated for such contribution, however liberal
it may be, by the reflection of his having
co-operated for those benevolent purposes
He ought to wish no greater reward
Further along in his letter the general adj
vised the committee that he would present them
for the purpose indicated q lot on the south
side Of street between Ninth and Tenth
streets northwest, with the proviso that the
title would not pass until 81 500 had been ex-
pended on the proposed improvements. The
value of the lot at that time was said to be
$l,S0o.16, and its dimensions 20 feet front by
1877 feet deep.
THAT same year-1843-the corner stone OF
the building was laid, and four years later
it was ready for use and for many years there
after it was used for the purpose for which it
was erected. Its main hall was also available
for entertainments Of various kinds, and here
even the celebrated Charles Dickens gave one
or more of his interesting readings while visit
ing this country.
This building, known as Temperance Hall,
still stands at GA z street northwest. Up at
the top of the building can still be seen the
words "Marini's Hall" and the date 1876"
which evidently is the year that Prof Louis G.
Marini celebrated dancing instructor of his
day, moved into the building, where he lived
and conducted his dancing school, and many
an old-timer will recall the soirees he attended
here around 40 and SO years ago.
How interesting it is to compare an old
dance program Of 40 years ago with the present
terpsichorean lineup Then we had the waltz,
lanciers, schottische, polka, quadrille and yorke
while now we have the fox-trot toddle waltz
Paul Jones and one-step. .-.s
8 After this building was vacated by Prof
Marini it was occupied by several branches Of
the Government including the Census Bureau,
and in more recent years it has been given over
TO business purposes and the lower floor re-
modelled sa+ -st
From time to time years ago there were
many temperance bodies in the District of
Columbia, where now there are comparatively
very few. In $780,. according to the City Direc-
tory, there were the Sons of Temperance Inde-
pendent Order of Rechabites, Sons of Jonadab.
Good Templars, Mutual Temperance Endow-
ment Association, Juvenile Templars Temple
OF Honor, the Washington Dashaways and the
Georgetown Dashaways Today the writer Is
INFORMED that there are but I'VE temperance
organizations in the city, namely the Rechab-
ties, the Sons Of Ponadab, Good Templars.
Womans Christian Temperance Union. and the
Anti-Saloon League.
LEW of the real old-time pioneers In WASH
ington temperance work are living today.
those still interested in the work is John r.
Nahoney, who is now nearing his eighty-second
milestone, and though naturally not as young
as he used to be, yet to all appearances seems
to be hale and hearty.
Mr.. Mahoney is, and has been for years, the