Evening star., 1935-04-07

Gen and Mrs. Greely ana tnelr cnll-
dren were all of more than usual
height, and were referred to as "those
tall Greelys." Their home, as did so
many of the old homes in this neigh
borhood, had the English type ground
floor dining room. Its rather low
ceiling proving an inconvenience to
the Greelys, the general had the
plaster overhead torn out and beams
finished in the manner of q ships
cabin. The result gave not only the
desired head room," but an attractive
decorative effect.
One of the lines Of Hamburg ran
through the residence of James Nor
ris Woodward, at e23 Twentieth street.
who has himself lived in this neigh
borhood many years and whose pa
ternal grandfather, Woodward, and
maternal grandfather. Thomas Pur-
cell, were greatly esteemed citizens in
their native Washington. Old records
and licenses in the possession of Mr..
Woodward show the Washington city
seal Of 1902 and depict the Capitol
as it was then, without a dome or
wings.
Lieut.. Maury Residence.
At Nineteenth and G streets, on
the northeast corner where the Maury
Apartment is located, lived Lieut..
Matthew Fontaine Maury, afterward
Comdr. Maury of the Navy Depart
ment. Comdr. Maury was put in
charge Of its department of charts
and later became chief of the Naval
Observatory. Largely self-taught be-
yond high school background, since
there was no Naval Academy in those
days, he was the first naval officer
to advocate a naval academy as a
necessary training school for naval
officers. The soubriquet which he
bore, Pathfinder of the Seas" was
an unusually appropriate one, for he
knew more about the Gulf Stream
and other ocean currents than any
living man His book, winds and
Charts" became the authority for the
maritime world, adding immeasurably
to the safety and profit of those who
follow the sea. The George Washing
ton University, at its commencement
in 1853, bestowed the honorary de-
gree of doctor of laws upon Comdr.
Maury in recognition of his contribu-
tion to knowledge. This same year,
at the instance of Comdr Maury, the
United States called the celebrated
Brussels Conference for the co-opera-
ton of nations in matters pertaining
to maritime affairs, at which time
Comdr. Maury recommended the ex-
tension of meteorological observation
to the land, resulting in founding of
weather bureau, helpful to agricul-
ture. Our present Weather Bureau
and Signal Service are largely the
outcome Of his perception and ad-
vocacy.
Comdr. Maury's knowledge Of the
sea made possible the laying of the
Atlantic cable. Not only did he
prophesy the saltwater plateau In
the Atlantic between Newfoundland
and England, but he conducted the
soundings and suggested many help
full details. At the celebration of the
completion of that great undertaking.
Cyrus w. Field said: 'Maury furnished
the brains, England gave the money,
and I did the work" Matthew Fon-
tsine Maury's textbook, Physical
Geography of the Sea-" is still book
of charm and interest.
In the uncovered house on the
southwest corner of Eighteenth and
G streets once lived William Writ. He
was one of the shining lights of the
American legal profession In the early
days of the Republic, and as such was
selected by President jefferson to
prosecute the case for the Govern
ment against Aaron Burr. He wrote
really great book in his authorita-
tive biography of Patrick Henry, that
morning star of the American Revo-
luton. William Writ, when serving
as Attorney General of the United
States, was one Of the group of cab
met officers who, with President
James Monroe, attended the George
Washington University's first COM
mencement, on December Is, 1924.