Evening star., 1935-09-15
Burning of old HoSpHalDm-
ing CivH Wm; WHh Sisters of
Charity and Patienb Running
for THeWLive, Marked High
Point Of Excitement on a MAN
TH0ronghJMs.

at one time was president Of Colum-
bian College, or what is now George
Washington University. Though the
writer never knew Mr.. Samson per-
sonaIly. yet he always had keen in
terest in the man because Of the part
he played at his parents wedding, as
announced In The Star Of October 10,
1856, which says:
"On Thursday, the 9th instant, by
the Rev. Mr.. Samson, Mr.. John G..
Proctor Of Hagerstown. Md, to Miss
Mary A. Davidson (Which should be
Davison) of this CITY,"
AS this particular clergyman was
extremely popular, the chances are
that he performed like service for
many ancestors Of present Washing
tonians.
The residence of John C. Calhoun
was also on the south side Of the
block not far from the Benning-Mc-
Guire residence. at No. 6l4, which to-
day is doing service as a transient
house, operated by the Young Wom-
ems Christian Association. George
Collegiate, DR.. John Davis, Leonidas
Coyle and Leonidas Campbell were
also early residents Of this side Of
the street.
In the block between Seventh and
Eighth streets the most noted build
ing was the Blodgett Hotel, built in
1893 by Samuel Blodgett. It stood on
the north side of the street, where is
now the large Government building,
erected many years ago for the Post
Office Department, and used as such
until the building just vacated at
Eleventh street and Pennsylvania av-
enue was completed.
The Blodgett Hotel building was
never used for the purpose originally
intended. and when Tom Moore Wis
tied Washington in 1904 he found, as
he said, the hotel already in a ruin;
a great part of its roof has fallen in,
and the rooms are left to be occupied
gratuitously by miserable Scotch and
Irish immigrants" Indeed, 1t was
never completed by the promoter and
about the only use to which 1t was
put prior to its being taken over by
the Government in 1910 was to hold
the first theatrical performance there
In 1900, the company being Wignall
& Reinagle, who conducted the New
Theater in Philadelphia, and came
here and fitted up just enough space
in this building to carry on for about
three months.
IT WAS CALLED the United States
Theater, and the first performance
was given about June of the year
mentioned, the title of the play being
Venice Preserved, or the Spoiled
Child" But the weather, which can
never be entirely depended upon, was
not in harmony with the occasion
and the enterprise, for it Is recorded
that short while before the theater
opened O heavy storm broke over the
city, overflowing the creeks and drown
ing much stock and almost running
the theatrical scenery. Apparently
the expenses were greater than the
profits, for the promoters closed the
theater in September following.
This building was also notable as
having been the meeting place Of the
third session of the Thirteenth Con-
gress, September 10, 1914, to March
3. 1915, following the burning Of the
public buildings by the British. This
particular building had been saved
from destruction through the efforts Of
DR.. William Thornton, who told the
British officers that 1t housed patent
models of interest to the entire civ
ilized world, and not of interest alone
to this country.
BY 1929 or 1880 it became necessary
to enlarge the building where were
then quartered the Post Once Depart
ment, the Patent once and the city
post ofice, and an addition was built
to the original structure, facing Sew
enth street, and here Kuere subsequent-