Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-08

Il was transferred by Andrew Thompso: to
Walter Mitchell, with its contents for $500.
About dozen years after . four-hundred-dol-
lar improvement at the southwest corner of
Fifth and streets was owned by William
Gallant, leading carpenter and builder of
those days. In 1880 on the east side of Sixth
street between and NJ q two-story frame was
listed to Way & Gideon for $500. There was
then no mention of other taxable Improvements,
and the land listed in 1902 at half cent soon
after fell to an eighth, and did not average
cent until near $780, Nevertheless, after many
years that section got move on, and 1t has
since becoIe thickly populated Poorhouse
HILL the name a portion of it bore in the first
half of the last century, is known only to the
old folks, and Grow HILL as the neighborhood
OF Fifth and streets known about war
times, is about obsolete"
The establishment of the in6rmary, as it was
then called, NJ street, between Sixth and
Seventh streets took place in 1907, and a glance
at the topogra ply of this section will show that
from M street south there is a decided slope
for several blocks; hence the name "Poorhouse
Hill"
THE square had been laid off," according to
Mr.. Croggon, into "a lots on M, N, Sixth and
Seventh streets, and they were vested in the
Government in 1896, and lay idle until 1907.
The corporation had FOR few years cared for
the poor in temporary quarters, and square 448
was selected. Andrew Bradley, jr.; John David
son and Griffith Coombe were the commits
Sioners, and the purchase was made of Thomas
Munroe, the city superintendent for 5000 in
February of that year and a building erected.
This was three-Story and attic structure of
brick, parts OF which are yet standing having
been converted into dwellings Before the close
or 1907 1t was opened for use. Besides accom-
modating INDECENT poor, the 'penitentiaries' as
Offenders against the city ordinances were called
were confined there and portion was used as
the dwelling of the intendant. AS may be sup
posed, the situation being commanding and the
structure imposing, it was attractive to those
ON the outside and from the reports many of
the inmates, whether patients or prisoners were
satisfied to be there though the latter
made to work. A substantial fence inclosed the
square, and for many years gardening was the
occupation of inmates. number after 1922
were employed on street work in the neighbor-
mood under an oyerseer In Winter woodsaw-
ing gave employment to the inmates Aronp
the intendants of old recalled are Robert Clark
John McClelland, president of the guardians
acting; Mr.. McNerhamy and Richard Butt The
potters field was in the northeast section and
IN the cholera epidemic of 1888 a part of the
square northeast was utilized for burial pur-
poses
I'm 1843 it was determined to relocate the
institution and the corporation had a subdivi-
sion made into 70 lots which were sold at public
auction May 10 that year. On liberal terms
being offered. many passed to private owners
Rev DR.. G. w Samson, Caleb H Shreve
michael Hoover, Mr.. Ward and others
They brought IN average Of 500 per lot. from
to cents per foot. 1t was years later be-
fore the square all vacated"
GOING over tbs neghborhood with Mr.
- Stickney, of the residences still
standing, were pointed out and as the writer
mas fa1r recollection of this vicinity himself
" was especially interesting to both
Durng the approximate period from 1875 10
1883. the following persons were living on M
street from Fourth to Seventh streets:
Stephen r. Cassin was keepino a drug stora
" the northeast corner of Seventh and M
ssfeetS The writer went to the same school
LOr wniie with his son, Stephen and recalls
Ut CaSsns beautiful daughter Marie who
later became the wife of the recently deceased
president of the school board, Charles Francis
Carusi A'"''o''
To the east OF DR.. Cassin's on the north side
OF street in the frame bay-window house
lived for long while Frederick Schafhirt an
anatomist in the surgeon generals office This
mouse has c!apboards on the side and this and
the front doorway indicate its old age No
oouot the bay window was added years after
the house was first built
The house on the northwest corner of S:n-
ano-a-hah street and M was the home of
Robert c. Hcwett, tie well known -four snd
reed dealer whose place of business was arou d
the corner at 1927 Seventh street This build
ing mas more the appearance of hotel with
IT'S large porches stretched across the entire
front of the structure than a residence Ae
stated, the east part of this building is be-
Heved to have occupied a part of the Door
mouse, the remaining portion of which is Just
across the street
Much of the ground from here eastward IN
Sixth street was vacant until more recent
years, except the houses already referred to-
On ire south side of NJ street between Sixth
and Seventh streets there lived at the corner
OF Sixth during Civil War DAYS a Mr. Depoes
= and it is said his daughter was the vie of
Col E. E. Ellsworth, killed in Alexandria at
the beginning OF the war by man named
jackson Tor hauling down the Confederate flag