Evening star., 1933-10-01

hospital buildings which stood on the W strese
side Of the park formerly Pomeroy street.
Gen. o. O. Howard, a veteran of the War Of
1861-1865 who always doing something
nice for the colored people-who really needed
. friend at that time-conceived the idea, after
the war was over, Of turning some of these
buildings into hospital for colored people, and
through his efforts these two-story shacks be-
came the beginning of what is now Freedmen's
Hospital with its handsome, up-to-date build
ngs and equipment.
The ball park-at least the greater part
was known. some so years ago as Beyer's
Park, being conducted as dancing and picnic
place by Louis Boyer, who ran the Park Hotel,
then-aEd until 10 or Is years ago-on the
Seventh street side Of the ball grounds. It
was more of a drovers rest than anything
else. and in order to quench the thirst of the
farmers, who were his principal patrons, he
sold variety of liquid refreshments. Tho
writer recalls the park when it was really
a beautiful place, with ever so many mag
ni1cent oak trees. When it was decided to
turn the park into ball field all of these
handsome oaks of the primeval forest were
feled by the ruthless hand Of man.
Boyer sold beer in the park at nights to cool
of the dancers who came there to trip the
light fantastic with their best girls. to tho
strains Of John PStorio's band or maybe it
was Esputas orchestra. Sometimes there were
foot races here. and at one time-at a quite
early date-a wooden track was built there to
accommodate those who had formed the bicycle
craze, when the chumsey. wooden bicycle first
came to the city. many years before the in
vention of the present wheel
A CROSS the street from the Park Hotel was
\ the Station House. over which Lieut. john
presided for first ha,ild
ing occupied for this purpose was removed q
few years ago when the new street above
Florida avenue, extending over to that street
on the other side, was opened up for traffic
reasons. The second building occupied by this
precinct is still standing, and is the one at
the southwest corner Of the new street men,
toned and Georgia avenue Below this was
Harry Browns grocery store, Squire Walls Of
flee. Sheehy's grocery. and Koss' drug store
was at the northwest corner Of Florida and
Georgia avenues. The writer even recalls
when Reedy Branch crossed Florida avenue at
Eighth street on its way to intercept the old
Tiber Greek. A small bridge served as a means
OF crossing this stream at Florida avenue
Around on Florida avenue, between Sixth
and Seventh streets, near Seventh, lived the
Cole family. one Of whom I believe Is now q
route agent for The Star. "Bode," another
member of the same family. is a butcher in
the O Street Market, with his older brother.
The Brown family, which included Harry
George, Will, Frank and maybe others, lived
nearby. Frank is a member Of the Associa-
ton Of Oldest Inhabitants and the writer un-
derstands, is the father of Miss Helen HAYES
said to be the finest emotional actress on the
American stage and herself a native Wash
ingtonian.
Prior to 1873, when the subdivision Of lie
Droit Park first made its appearance on the
map, nearly all Of the territory north Of Florida
avenue and east of Seventh street was woods
and open fields generally used for grazing.
Even the widest Imagination at that time
could not have conceived Of the great changes
that have since taken place Indeed, there Is
hardly block of ground in this section Of
washington that the boys have not played
Dali upon. and many good players-such as
Henry Gladmon, for instance-were developed
right here and helped to build up the interest
that has made Washington a pennant city
today.