Evening star., 1934-09-16

Howell Cobb, tDho became Speaker of
the House December %, I849.
waiting through the night in an adjoining
room. He said to me. after passing a painful
day Perhaps some one had better remain all
night in the parlor.' From this time he knew
some friend was constantly at hand ready to
attend to him.
"On Sunday morning last was watching at
Mr.. Clays bedside. For the last hour he had
been unusually quiet, and I thought he was
sleeping In that, however, he told me I was
mistaken. Opening his eyes and looking at
me, he said, Mr.. Underwood, there may be
some question where my remains shall be
buried. Some persons may designate Frankfort.
wish to repose at the cemetery in Lexington,
where many Of my friends and connections
are buried My reply was, I will endeavor to
have your wish executed"
h NATURALLY, Henry Clay spent much of his
Y time in Washington and early took up his
residence at Mrs. Peyton's boarding house,
which stood on the west side of John Marshall
place between Pennsylvania avenue and G
street, near the corner Of Pennsylvania avenue.
John c. Calhoun, Robert Y. Hayne, Henry A.
Wise and Henry Wilson also resided, at one
time or another, with Mrs. Peyton. For while
Mr. Clay attended Trinity Protestant Episcopal
Church. but later took pew at old st. Johns
in Lafayette Square.
In the early history Of Washington quite a
number OF Representatives lived in boarding
houses, which were kept by some of the best
people of the city. 1t is probable that the hotel
facilities were not able to care for all members,
and It Is also quite probable that even had the
capacities of the hotels been sufficient that
the Senators and Representatives would have
preferred to reside in boarding houses, where
there was more privacy. OF course, some mem
bers preferred to live in hotels, but these were
the exceptions. For while Mr. Clay lived in
the Decatur House, and he is said to have been
real estate holder in Washington having
at an early date traded what is now the site
of the Belasco Theater for Kentucky mule
However. according to the story, which may
be and which may not be true Mr.. Clay won
the lot at cards, and subsequently traded it to
Commodore John Rodgers for an imported
jackass which the commodore brought home
with him from a Mediterranean cruise made in
1927. Clay sent the animal to his Kentucky
stock farm for breeding purposes. Gen. WASH
lngton was also scientific breeder of mules and
raised many fine specimens at Mount Vernon
In looking the city directory for 1922 it
was found that there were about fifty boarding
houses here at that time in which lived men,
bers of Congress, the names of some of the
proprietors were Mrs. Polk, near CAPITOL Hill
Mrs. Claxton, Mrs DowSon, Mr. Tins and Mr.
Frost same; Mrs Queens near Browns, this
latter building having stood for many years on
Pennsylvania avenue between Sixth and Seventh
streets razed about year ago. Beside Browns
HOTEL it had number Of other names, but
was last known as the Metropolitan.
Other boarding houses were: Capt Coyle on
Capitol Hill; Mrs Wilson, near the Treasury
Building; Mr.. Woodside, in the Six Buildings,
north side of Pennsylvania avenue between
Twenty-first and Twenty second streets; Mr.
Sawyer, south side Of Pennsylvania avenue
between Sixth and Seventh streets; Mr. Emack,
Capitol Hill: Mrs. Hamilton possibly Mrs.
Alexander Hamilton), near City Hall, the
court house; Capt. Burch, near City Hall; Mrs.
Blake, Tenth street near Pennsylvania avenue
northwest; Mrs. Clarke, Treasury; Mr..
Fletcher near post ofice, then on E street
between Seventh and Eighth streets; Mr.. Gardi-
ner. near Browns Hotel; Mrs. Gather near
City Hall; Mr.. Handy. Pennsylvania avenue
near Twelfth street; Mrs. Hickey, Capitol Hill;
Mrs Myer, opposite Center Market, where the
Archives Building now stands; Mr.. French,
Navy Yard Mr.. Kervand, near the Seven Build
ings north side of Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween Nineteenth and Twentieth streets north
west; MIS- McCardle opposite Browns Hotel;
Mrs. Tucker, opposite old Center Market; Mr..
Mcleod Mr.. Young, Mr. Dunn Miss Heyer and
Mrs. Scott, CAPITOL Hill: Mr.. Hyatt and Mr..
Sawyer opposite Browns; Mr.. Sardo, corner
Tenth street and Pennsylvania avenue: Mr..
MCGOWAN. opposite Strothers; Mr.. Rapine and
Mr.. Davis near post office; Mrs Wilson, near
Treasury: Mr.. Little, Navy Yard; Mr.. Wurtz,
Pennsylvania avenue, and Mrs. Pratt, opposite
Browns Hotel
The hotels mentioned where members of
Congress resided at that time included Browns.
Fecks' in Georgetown; Queens, Capitol Hill,
ana Sanford's, north side OF Pennsylvania ave-
"oe Detween Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets.