Evening star., 1935-01-20

home Of John c. Rives in his day
one of washington's foremost newspaper own
ers and editors-and, more than that one OF
our most honorable and charitable citizens
He named the place Kildee.
The old mansion reflected the character and
virtues Of q man whose pen was welded for the
benefit of the public good, and who nodded a
welcome to passers-by along what was then
an old country road.
John O. Rives was one of our pioneer citi-
sens coming here in the early 20s. He was
born In Franklin County, Va, on May "A,
1795, and was taken to Kentucky when IL
years Of age. There he was cared for by an
uncle.
It is said that he later became cashier Of q
bank at Edwardsviue, Ill, and came to Wash
tngton in 1924 to accept q position under the
Government. But it Is quite likely that he did
not become attached to the Federal Govern
ment for several years after coming here IN
1927, we find him employed as a clerk in the
Office Of the United States Telegraph, a news
paper established here in 1896 by j. s. Meehan
and Duff Green. He then made his home at
Browns Hotel, on Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween Sixth and Seventh streets, which later
became the Metropolitan Hotel nearly all OF
which was removed recently.
In 1880 he was clerk in the fourth auditors
ONCE and retained his headquarters at Browns
Hotel. Soon after this he was introduced to
Francis Preston Blair by President Jackson,
and in 1882 assumed the business management
OF the newly established Globe, becoming q
partner in publishing this paper about 1884,
and became its sole owner in 1845, its Office
being on the north side of street between
Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, just west Of
the National Theater, and that property was
purchased by the proprietors IN 1886.
IRON the beginning, the Globe property Is
] said to have included q row of three build
ings, which stood just west of the National
Theater. and here Mr.. Rives is reported to
have erected q home about 1845. According to
che City Directory, he was still living there In
1850, subsequent to which he sold the prop
erty for 900 to Charles Flint. member of
the Presidents Mounted Guard, who in 1860
was conducting restaurant at Fifteenth and
= streets.
On March S, 1845, fire broke out in the oil
room in the back part Of the National The
ater, and the building was entirely destroyed,
the bare wall only being left standing seven
or eight buildings and several stables were also
destroyed, and the reflection was so brilliant
that two companies Of Alexandria firemen see
ing the light In the sky, dragged tlleir engines
from that city to the scene OF the confagra-
ton, but proved Of little service.
It Is probable the Globe received some dam
age from this fire, but at any rate the Last issue
OF the paper was printed here on April 30. less
than q month after the fire. and in the fol-
lowing month, for political reasons, the publ1-
cation was sold to Richie & Heiss, who pub
lshed on the same site the Washington Union.
Immediately thereafter Mr.. Rives bought
property on Pennsylvania avenue between
Third street and John Marshall place, where
the corner stone for jackson Hall was laid on
July 4. 1845. and the building completed and
dedicated on July 4, 1886. Here was printed
for many years the Congressional Globe. the
forerunner Of the Congressional Record. begun
by the Government in 1873
In the meantime. the Rives property en- E
street had become Flint's Hotel favorite con-
gressional stopping place, where the entire
South Carolina delegation once stopped to-
gether with many other members from the
Southern States. About this time Flint also
opened bowling alley on the east side of
Fourteenth street above Pennsylvania avenue,
and the street property passed into the hands