Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-27

p some one were to inquire what became Of
the George Washington houses which stood
from 1899 TO February, 1915, on the west
side of North Capitol street between and
C streets probably the only reply he would
receive would be that they were removed to
make way for the Capitol Plaza improvements,
INST as the Old Brick Capitol was removed in
order TO erect on its site the United States
Supreme Court Building.
But with the George Washington houses few
people have any idea that matter of fact
these two old buildings substantially exist today
Not as they originally stood, oh no; Tor they
were entirely taken down to the ground But
what happened was this: certain gentleman
named Hugh J. Phillips ST., feeling that the
material of these houses should be preserved,
for the sentiment attached to George Wash
iBgton, for no other reason, purchased the
houses and had the material carried to the
southwest corner of New Jersey avenue and
C. street southeast, just across the street from
where the Varnum Hotel stood and where the
House once annex Is being erected-and there
built with the historic bricks the frames, the
doors, the trimming and even the marble man
tels-sent to Gen. washington by Gen. Lafayette
two of the three stories Of the hotel now
occupying that corner.
Mr. Phillips a native Of the Eastern Shore
of Maryland, but resident OF this city for
some years at the time the Government ordered
the Washington houses removed was keeping
the Wycomico Hotel on the opposite side of
North Capitol street, to where the two residences
ordered built by the first President then stood
His hotel being also in the line of improvement,
was also ordered taken down, and it was then
that the idea occurred to him to buy the ma
terial contained in these buildings and build
with it what is now the George Washington Inn.
Recently Mr.. Phillips showed the writer
through his hoStelry and pointed out partic-
uIarIy the beautiful white marble mantlepieces
sent to this country gift to Washington by
Gen. Lafayette, to be put into the formers
Qusitely fine workmanship, and the design Is
modest and pleasing. Toward the top in one,
and at either end there is a bunch OF grapes
within a double circle, and at the top center,
forming an arch portions Of early French
armor are artistically arranged together. The
other mantel is substantially the same, except
that the carving within the circles represents
oak leaves and apples, and the center piece, In
addition to the armorial treatment, matches
the design within the circles.
THERE is much early American furniture IN
! this hotel, placed there no doubt to match
its history, but the most attractive thing the
writer saw a piece of gray earthenware,
with blue scroll design-quite familiar so and
more years ago-which Mr.. Phillips said was
Martha Washingtons wine crock.
1t is, indeed a peculiar contraption, of CYL
indrical form, about two feet high. Across the
top 1t is about 10 inches in diameter and
tapers to about at the bottom. In ad-
dition to the knobbed lid, there is disk that
settles In the making of the wine as the con-
tents Of the crock 60 down. This disk is
perforated with mnumerable little holes and is
notched to permit it to slide uniformly over q
groove, baked in the side of the crock. The
lid is also perforated, and altogether 1t is GER
tainly a peculiar and skillful piece Of earthen-
ware.
Mount Vernon itself is not forgotten in this
collection. and here we fnd metallic repro
duction Of the old mansion house, said to have
been made by q soldier Of the Revolution who
fought under Gen. Washington. It seemed TO
be unmarked, and the name Of the maker, for
the time being at least, Is lost. The foliage
and background is Of lead, cleverly executed
and the entire model is painted artistically.
piece Of sheathtng partly charred, and
taken from the roof Of the Washington house,
which the writer also saw, would impress one
that these houses were not entirely destroyed
by IRE by the British after they defeated our
troops at Bladensburg August "a, 1914.
Indeed, Mr.. Phillips has even gone beyond
collecting things pertaining to George WASH
ington, and showed the writer a massive piece
Of timber in his back yard that measured 16
feet long and IL by IA inches on the sides,
that he obtained when the Hotel varnum, Just
across the street from his place, was being
RACED. Perhaps the reader will recall that
Thomas Jefferson lived at this hotel when 1t
was conductSi by Conrad 81 McMunn, and
that it was from here that he was escorted to
the Capitol by number OF citizens to take
the oath of Office as President of the United
States on March 4, 1901. Upon this occasion.
an account printed at the time tells us that
about 10 o'clock the Alexandria company Of
rif1emen, with the Washington Artillery COM
pany paraded in front Of the President-elect's
lodgings. Unfortunately, this Inauguration
the first of President to occur in Washing
TONS generally confused With Jefferson's sec
ond Inauguration, when hi is said to have
ridden up the Avenue, unaccompanied, hitched
his horse to the Capitol fence, taken the oath
OF ONCE and without any further ceremony
ridden back to the White House; which is sub
stantially correct, except that he was attended