Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-03


changes that have taken place
in Washington during the time we have known
the National Capital.
Unimproved squares and lots innumerable
then existed all over the city, except in few
areas right in the heart of the downtown Sec
ton The word path" then so frequently heard
seems now almost obsolete, though 1t was then
in frequent use, for the pathways were then
our avenues by which we cut off distance and
saved time in reaching our destinations. 1t
was nothing unusual then in the outlying parts
of Washington to travel for some distance on
one of these pathways which naturally TOOK
the most direct course over the vacant COM
mons.
For building purposes iron construction ma
terial was then seldom used, and even archi-
lecture in general has changed greatly from
what it was half century ago. In this con-
nection one of the things we seldom see now
is a one-story house, whereas so years ago it
was very common sight. Indeed, the old
timer is fully conscious of the fact that the
washington of his boyhood days Is not the
same washington he lives in now.
OF course the city has changed all over.
and the man who left here even few years
ago might now experience difficulty in fnding
his way around town were he to return again.
Take for instance the intersection OF Fifteenth
street and New York avenue and the blocks
around this busy thoroughfare for when even
we who see this neighborhood every day, re-
gard the changes here as astounding, what
would the fellow say who had been away from
here for the short space of 20 or 80 years? 2
A few days ago the writer dropped In on
Robert ". Fleming, the president of the Riggs
National Bank and a native son. and one whom
Washington has every reason to reel proud OF.
OF course Mr. Fleming is interested in the
District Of Columbia and everything that has
ANYTHING to do with its uplift and welfare
and naturally he is also interested in the city's
old landmarks, especially those in the vicinity
of the bank over which he presides. The two
pictures herewith of the Riggs Bank corner as
1t looked years ago were received by the writer
from Mr.. Fleming upon the occasion OF ms
visit.
To many these views are familiar. George
Hadfield was the designer of the bank build
ing and the residence to the west was erected
at the same time for the accommodation OF
Richard Smith, the cashier of the Bank OF the
United States, of which this building, erected
in 1924 was branch. The present Riggs
Bank Building stands upon the site OF the
cashiers residence, and the building OF the
American Security 81 Trust Co. occupies the
site of the old Riggs Bank the razing OF which
commenced May 3, 1904.
OOKING at the picture of this old building
~ today, it does not strike us being any
thing out Of the ordinary, and yet we are told
by Mr. Bryan the historian, that when 1t was
erected it was the most notable structure in
the city, other than public building
Not only is this a notable corner, but the
entire square has at various times shone promi-
nently in American history. Indeed, the very
first house erected in this block, known as
square 221 is the house once owned by John
Quincy Adams, now the Cosmos Club, and the
one in which died the famous Dolly Madison,
said to have been the most attractive, vivacious
and beautiful of all White House queens.
TIoie tn
originally owned by Samuel Davidson who in
the division of the lots conveyed title of the
entire square to the Government, probably Sc
lecting his number Of lots from property situated
elsewhere. At first, there were in all "a lots In
the square lot being at the northwest corner
of Pennsylvania avenue and Fifteenth street
the bank corner. From Fifteenth street to
Madison place, opposite the Treasury, were
lot l. referred to- and lots q g. 4, and g.
the last one being at the corner vt Madison
place. Going north, on the side with the Be-
lasco Theater were lots q. 8, 9, 10, IL and IL.
and lot IS was where the Cosmos Club stands.
On street were lots a. Is, 16, II, and at the
Union Trust corner, lot 49, The east side OF
the square was made up of lots 10 to "a.
In 1887 among the owners of property In
this square we find on the Avenue side: George
W. Riggs and w. w. Corcoran; on Madison
place, A. B. and J. Houghton (where the the
alter stands, j. D. Cameron, Henry R. Rath-
bone and the Cosmos Club: H street side,
H. r. Rathbone, Sarah A. Haener and Worm
ley's Hotel and the Fifteenth street side then
included the Riggs Bank property, the Royal
Government of Prussia and Wormleys.
MIR. JOURDAN MAUKI ISRAEL of New
Az York City, through his brother, Percy B.
Israel of this city. both native Washingtonians,
supplied the writer with his recollections en-
bracing dates somewhere between the years
1867 and 1880, at time when he and his
brother were boys and living in this neighbor-
hood In a general way, he says that Gen.