Evening star., 1935-03-31
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By John Clagett Proctor.

r IFE is Just one thing after an
other, and every generation has
its special worries and problems
IL to solve Today it is the vast
number of automobiles running
on our streets and highways, and the
accidents arising therefrom, as well
as the gasoline and parking stations
that agitate the public mind, while
80 years ago and earlier it was the
horse. the livery and other stables
that caused the public so much con-
Germ.
Today, in the heart Of the city. we
have many unsightly parking stations
and every now and then these are
being added to. No one can foretell
what the end will be. However, even
this condition is not quite SO bad as
it was when so many of our residents
kept each a horse or two in stable
on the rear end of his lot, and, besides
this, there were not far from a hun
dred livery stables scattered all over
the city. some right in the downtown
section, many stabling hundred
horses or more.
These stables were regarded as fire
traps, for in the days before electric
lights lanterns, filled with kerosene
oil, or candles, we're used in furnishing
light for night inspections of the
stables and for lighting purposes gen.
orally outside the home. Some
thoughtless people even carried the
ordinary coal-oil lamp down to the
barn at night when the wind was not
blowing too hard.
The horses bedding was most al
ways Of straw or leaves, and If the
lantern happened to explode or be-
come upset, or the candle was drop
ped, or something happened to the
1amp-which is said to have been the
cause of the great Chicago fire of 1871
the chances are that the Fire De-
partment was called out to extinguish
the blaze, which sometimes was done
before much damage had been suf-
Tered, but generally the stable and its
contents, including the poor animals
tied in their stalls, were destroyed.
One OF the many fires of this nature
occurred in the frame livery stable
OF A. r. Fowler, on New York avenue
near Fifteenth street, few months
after the close of the Civil War, and
not only destroyed 10 horses and a
COW. but also burned considerable other
property in the vicinity.
A year before this, on the night of
February 10, 1864, fire occurred in
the private stable of President Lin
coin. This building happened to be
OF brick and contained, at the time
OF the fire, six horses, which were
burned to death, while the building
with the exception of the part used
as a carriage house, was consumed.
This fire, it is said, was of incendi-
ary origin, and for the offense the
police arrested q former coachman
who had been discharged on the
morning prior to the fire and who had
been seen in the stable about one hour
before the fire was discovered.
THE original White House stable
- was erected about 1900, on the
southeast corner OF G and Fourteenth
streets, where is now the Hamilton
National Bank. It was q one-story
brick structure, 40 feet inches BY
SO feet, with a 14-foot ceiling. Thi.
stable was abandoned by the Govern.
ment some time prior to the Summer
of 1921, for In August Of 1921 it be.
came public school, with seating
capacity for 81 pupils.
A picture Of this old building, placet
in a frame Is by 81 inches. was ex.
hibited at the Centennial Exhibitor
at Philadelphia, in 1876. It was ir
this building that the celebrated
school teacher, Strong John Thorn
son, taught some of the early Wash
ingtonians who are with us today
and all will testify, that he was I
strict disciplinarian who believed ii
the adage. Spare the rod and 70,
will spoil the child"
The ground upon which this build
ing stood was sold, in accordance will
an act Of Congress, approved June 4
1872. which provided:
BE It enacted that the Gov
ernor of the District of Columbia be
and he is hereby, authorized to sci
and convey part Of lot numbered IL
In square numbered 253, being par