Evening star., 1935-05-26

pecially for the purpose.
However. those citizens had a real
reason, and a good one, for coming
to Uncle Sans rescue, for hardly had
Congress convened in the Blodget
Building when its members were
urged-by those who saw the psychol-
ogy of the situation-to remove the
Government elsewhere. Indeed. the
matter went so far that record vote
was taken in the House and, accord
ing to the National Intelligencer of
September 81, 1914, it was decided not
to remove the Government, the vote
being 54 for and 83 against. After
lapse of three months the Senate
agreed with those opposed to its re-
moval.
TO THE student of local history. it
is easy to see the underlying
cause that brought about this deci-
sion. George Washington, the Pres
ident of the United States, had urged
the capitalists of the country to in
vest their fortunes in Washington
real estate. and, supported by Con-
gress, the most glowing inducements
had been set forth in direct appeal
and in advertisements. They did so,
and by the time Washington was
burned out nearly all had gone
broke" while those who had not we're
fighting with their backs against the
wall to save what little still remained.
If the Capital were removed, complete
bankruptcy, and perhaps imprison-
ment besides, stared them in the face
Under these circumstances Congress
should not for one moment even have
considered removing the Federal Cap
ital elsewhere. However, as Grover
Cleveland might have reasoned, it was
a condition and not theory that con-
fronted the people of Washington at
that time, and in this predicament
they realized that there were Just
two things that must be done, and
one was Immediately to provide ade-
quate quarters for Congress, the other
to lend it sufficient funds to begin
restoring the public buildings. Both
of these were done.
Congress accepted the offer of the
banks to loan the Government half a
million dollars. and stock company
erected forthwith the old brick Capt.
tol, where Congress met for four years,
or from 1915 to 1919, when the orig
inal Capitol was sufficiently restored
to receive it again.
In the meantime, President James
Monroe was inaugurated in the brick
building in 1917, delivering the first
public inaugural address on the out
side of the Capitol, and here were
heard in debate the voices of such
noted Americans as Henry Clay, DAN
iel Webster, John C. Calhoun, Andrew
Jackson. Thomas H. Benton and John
Randolph. Calhoun died here March
81, 1850. when it was Hills boarding
house
This building cost the owners s25,-
600 and was the largest structure built |
here by private enterprise up to that |
time, the corner stone being laid on
July 4, just 100 years ago.
nN THE A street side of the site of |
the temporary Capitol, a little
east OF the corner, was one of the |
earliest hotels or taverns erected in |
the city, being operated as early as
1893 by William Tunnicliff, who had
previously conducted the Eastern
Branch Hotel on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. southeast between Eighth and
Ninth streets. The building on A
street was erected by Tunniciff in
connection with George Walker, but
at the time of its purchase and re-
moval by the stock company in July, |
1915, it was owned by Moses Young.
Henry lngle and e. B. Caldwell.
Apparently its first proprietor, Tun-
nlciln. was not altogether satisfied |
with the place, which he gave up In
ABOUT four years time; then the busi-
ness was taken over by Pontius d.
Stelle. who remained there one wear |
t1804 to 1805). Samuel Coolidge then
conducted the tavern from 1910 to
1872 and Robert Long was there in |
1914 and at the time of its removal
John Mcleod was its proprietor.
After Congress vacated the brick
Capitol it was for many years board ,
ing house and probably continued as
such until it became a Federal prison
for political offenders during the Civil
War and at one time there were l 1,OO4
prisoners incarcerated within its walls.
Capt. Henry WirZ was a prisoner here
and was hanged In the rear yard for
his part in the starving to death of
Union prisoners under his charge at
Andersonville, Ga. Wir1 was born In