Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

The following news item In The Star
OF October "a. 1881. describes. new
Building Boom estate sHs'', deyeiopmens s
nm X gtraaf In Washington IN m
w - CAec@ area that up To that
time had been comparatively neglected:
"One Of the most. noticeable fea-
lures connected with the recent impetus
In building operations Is the changed
condition OF x street west OF Nc
Pherson Square. For many years
property in this locality has re-
NAMED unimproved. The change
wrought In the past few months has
been magical Parties who left the
city in the Spring returned to find that
many new and elegant residences are
rapidly approaching completion, TO be
occupied by the owners this Winter.
occupied by Secretary Evarts during the
Hayes administration Is conceded to be
one of the most pleasing and con-
venient structures erected during the
season. The owner. Mr.. Giles Blague,
is q New Yorker, who proposes to make
this city his Winter residence Pass
ing on to the southeast corner Of X
and Sixteenth streets, we learn that the
as o coal and wood yard has gone into
the hands of wealthy parties from Gin
cinnatt, who intend to improve It,
Among this number Is Gen. Nicholas
Longworth Anderson, who viii erect a
spacious and elegant mansion, hand
some in style and complete throughout.
On the northwest corner of the same
building q large double brick dwelling
for his daughter, Mrs. Gen. Hazen.
Adjacent to this, DIR. w. w. Johnston
has purchased lot upon which he in
tends to build q home for himself in
the future. On the opposite side Of the
street Col. Roger Jones and Gen. Myers,
U. S. A., and George b. Whiting, Engi-
neer Corps, U. s. NJ, are erecting very
attractive residences. In this immediate
neighborhood farther west, Col. Jerome
Bonaparte, who with Mrs. Bonaparte
contributed so much to the society OF
the National Capital last Winter. has
purchased and has under Roadway q
fine residence In the French arcl1i-
tectural style. Judge and Mrs. Lambert
Tree OF Chicago are SO much pleased
with Washington as Winter residence
that they have purchased the desirable
building site at the northwest corner
of Connecticut avenue and X street, OPP
posite Gov. Shepherds. West Of Judge
Tree, Mrs. Biddle Of Philadelphia has
added another proof Of her faith in the
future of Washington by the purchase
Of handsome building lot fronting a.
feet on X street. It viii be seen from
this that the central portion of our
city Is holding its own, notwithstand-
ing the great strides that have been
made on Connecticut and Massaehu-
sets avenues"
-
The Star Of October 20, 1881, prints
in full the report Of Lieut.. Richard L.
Lieut.. Hoxie's Plan Army Army Hnsineer
for River Work. n Uosps ~ = ch ensl.
of public works at washington. making
the following comment upon the pro-
posed treatment of the Potomac nats:
Upon the matter Of the reclamation
of the Potomac fats Lieut.. Hoxie says
the plans for the new river front pre-
pared under the direction of Mai. Twin
ing contemplate doing only what the
river Is doing itself but too slowly. The
elements are simple and inexpensive.
The work Is necessary for the improve
ment Of the river channel and the dam
ger to the health Of the residents Of
the District is an argument against de-
lay. There Is nothing difncult or UNI
usual in the work to be undertaken. A
sandy nat is forming in front Of the
city because the main channel Is wider
here than necessary. IL Is only needed
to MI this sufficiently to change It from
marsh 70 dry land and protect the
border by an ennbankment that will not
wash away. II filled little above high
tide, It may readily be kept dry by SUR
face drains and flood valves and the
This would be the first stage Of the
work. The filing TO desirable eieva-
ton above the tide may be cheaply cona-
pleted afterward in dredging the river
channel and need not be hurried. The
marsh disappears at the first stage Of
the work.
resort to anything Ike : drastic tarifr