Evening star., 1932-03-20

GLeuenth and Thirteenth streets.
arranged by nature to be protected by fortified
camps on the circuit of its hills. 1t may be
made almost Verona if need be- Our brother
regiments have posts nearly as charming as
own. in these fair groves and on these fair
slopes on either side of US"
A FTER the war, the Stones returned to their
suburban home, or at least occupied 1t dur
ing the warm months Summer residence.
At this period small, brick residence stood
somewhat to the north of the main dwelling,
and this was occupied by Henry A. Pixton, who,
the City Directory tells US. was farmer For
many years Mr.. Pixton looked after the Stone
estate for Mrs. Elizabeth ]. Stone, whose city
residence was at 609 Fourteenth street north
west.
In his younger days the writer knew some OF
the members of the Pixton family, particularly
the oldest two children, william and Clara, the
former Of whom was killed at San Juan Hill
during the Spanish War, and the
latter now Mrs. Tad" Taylor of Arlington
County, Va. Among the children-born on the
Stone property-were also Nelson A. and Rich
ard both Of whom have been my neighbo,s for
some years.
knew of no considerable stream that ran
through the Stone property He said there
was little stream. some 48 years ago. that
started in wet weather from a gutter on the
old Fourteenth street road Just above where
Kenyon street is now which took care of
the watershed in that section Further on
he states:
I'm regard to the settling Of the Wilson Nor
NAL School I remember the building of the
lra from
the old Eighth street sewer to Harvard street,
which line was expected to be the extension
of New Jersey avenue. Said sewer was about
40 feet below the surface at that point (Har-
ward street,. I think part Of that front wall
of Wilson Normal School is lying on part of
that sewer fill"
I Mr.. Pxton also says that the water that
accumulated In the ravine to the south of
Harvard street was mainly surface water and
that In dry weather there was practically no
water to be seen in the hollow. Before this
property was subdivided he also says that in
the Winter months his father would dam up
this ravine and form an ice pond from which
ice would be taken for the following Sum-
mer's use.
THE writer also asked his good friend, Mrs.
Emma r. Heffner, referred to recently as
having been born on the northeast corner of
Georgia avenue ana Howard place, FeDfuaTy
%, 1849, and who spent much of her early
life in this neighborhood, and who still lives
nearby-f she ever recalled o stream that
ran through this property in, or anywhere
near Harvard street. and she said she did
not.
Recalling that his good friends Charles w.
Fits and Adolph J. Schippert had nearly 40
years ago lived in row of cottages across the
street from the Wilson Normal School, he
asked them what they knew of a stream re-
ported as once having run where this school
building is now located.
Mr. Fits did recall a very small stream
which he said supplied by spring near
the site of DR.. william A. Hammond's old
residence. still standing at $500 Thirteenth
street. However, he said the flow of water
was slight and that it barely Tickled along
at the bottom of the ravine. This, also, was
the substance OF Mr.. Schippert's comment.
who did not regard any water that flowed
where the normal school is located as of any
consequence. Mr.. Schippert. however, said
that these cottages were built about 1892 By
a Mr.. Sharpless, and that around that time
they were occupied by Charles w. Fits, Rob-
ert w. Dutton, Charles T. Chapline Harry
Murray, Mr. Clark, John M, Nellie M and
Anna F. CroSsman, and himself
To further satisfy his mind the writer
looked at Boschke's map and a map of old
local watercourses, but neither of these indi-
Gated stream through in the direction of
Harvard street, and the writer feels that Mr.
Pixtons solution of the matter is correct, and
that an arm of the Tiber never did flow
through Columbia Heights.