Evening star., 1933-10-15

Walk tIIOuSu Lilc UuS1CoI pd1I VI
& G street in this city, few ever give
J thought to the days gone by,
when this crowded thoroughfare,
the real heart of downtown Wash
ington, was quiet residential section, with only
an occasional apothecary shop and doctors
office or two to care for the wants of the neigh
borhood. Indeed if we will but turn back the
pages of time, when the Federal Government
moved here in 1900, we will find but one build
ing along this street, east of the Treasury, and
this was a stable erected that year for the
White House horses and carriages. Twenty-one
.'ears later it became public school, and here
held forth for years the celebrated schoolmaster,
Ctrong John Thomson. who undoubtedly taught
reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic to the tune
Of a hickory stick, and there men still Iv-
ing here who can recall some of the tunes this
old stick used to play.
This early school building was demolished in
1886, and today the site is occupied by the
new Hamilton National Bank, at the southeast
corner of G and Fourteenth streets. Across
the street from this old school was another
landmark, the first Foundry NJ E. Church. built
in 1915, from funds donated by Henry Foxall.
This early church gave way in 1902 to the Colo
RADIO Building, as we see it today.
The Church Of the Epiphany-probably the
oldest structure standing on G street in the
block between Thirteenth and Fourteenth
Sli CCto- ciC lU1lB IcdCIl lIS nuuOIeOCu year,
for the church records show that the corner
stone was finally laid on Monday August IA,
1843 after this formality had been postponed
twice on account of bad weather. The congre-
cation however, had formally organized the
year before, as we find by the minutes of the
church vestry which tell us:
"a meeting of persons desirous of forming
another Protestant Episcopal Church in the
city Of Washington was held in ST. Johns
nr1 off fIo ~
March. The Rev. John w. French was called
to the chair and Gilbert Rodman appointed
secretary.
"A committee appointed at a previous meet
ing, composed Of Messrs. Goldsborough Ed
wards and William James, to prepare a plan
FOR the proper organization of the church. with
suitable rules and articles of association, was
called upon for its report. A report was accord
ingly produced and read by William Goldsbor-
ough. chairman of the'committee. During the
reading of the report, the Rev. Mr. French va
Gated the chair and called on the Rev. Mr..
Iawley to preside. who, on taking the chair,
stated that he wished it to be understood that
the object of the meeting met with his most
hearty appreciation and good wishes"
On motion Of Thomas H. Gillis, who we find
was then serving the Government as chief clerk
of the fouruth auditors office, the meeting pro-
ceeded to the election of five trustees and the
following were selected: Mr.. Gillis, chief clerk,
fourth auditors office; William M. Morrison,
bookseller; w. B. Bergman, clerk, Treasury;
Charles H. James, apothecary and druggist at
the northeast corner of Fourteenth and E
streets, and James Morss.
John w. French was elected the first pastor.
His salary was pledged at 5000 year, and,
toward meeting this expense the following
persons agreed to give annually, the amounts
specified: Thomas H. Gilliss ($20); Charles w.
Goldsborough $40; James L. Edwards $3.50;
William M. Morrison (s25); William James
$500; w. B. Bergman $40; Charles H.
James ($20); Arthur L. McIntire $500; Rufus
Beach go; w. Brown ($12), and Gilbert
Rodman (s20). Total amount pledged, $196.
[ IOWEVER, the real beginning of the
] ] church was mission enterprise in 1841,
under the charge of the Rev. French, the first
meeting being probably held on January 6, 1912,
at the residence of Mrs. Sarah Easton, widow,
whose home was on the northwest corner Of
Nineteenth and streets. Here those attending
agreed to associate themselves as new congre-
cation and adopted the name of Epiphany
Church.
At first the meetings were held in Apollo
Hall, then on the south side of E street be-
tween Thirteenth and Thirteenth-and-a-half
streets, on the present site Of the old Southern
Railway Building. The building had quite
history. AS early as 1888, as one-story frame