Evening star., 1935-12-29

cupying national spotlight that has
not been theirs since the days prior
to the World War, contrasts with an
older time in our Nations Capital have
q special interest just now.
Through the courtesy of ]. Morris
Woodward, himself long a resident of
Washington, there has been brought
to my attention recently the original
draft Of the recollections Of one who
IS years ago this month was approach
ing his Goth birthday. Later read be-
fore the Association Of Oldest Inhabi-
tantS, Of which he claims to have been
the Oldest member in 1900, these legal
foolscap pages written upon both sides
in clear, careful penmanship bridge
the years to the no less colorful drama
Of an older time.
William w. Birth, e03 North Caro-
lima avenue southeast, December, 1900,
tells us that he was born here in the
first month of the eighth year of the
nineteenth century"
Family Locations Here.
He speaks of his family first living
on Pennsylvania avenue near Twenty
second street and later in the vicinity
Of the K Street Bridge across the Po-
tomac in Georgetown. This he refers
to as IAN iron one at the date of writ
ing, then wooden one and before that
of arched stone" Over this bridge his
father and grandfather saw Gen.
Washington pass, latter the close of
his presidency on his return to his
loved home at Mount Vernon" Con-
corning the Pennsylvania avenue To-
calities, his "reminiscences paint a
vivid picture.
"At Pennsylvania avenue, L and
Twenty-fifth streets now stands the
Columbia Hospital Building" cts
successor occupies the same site today
with tablet recently unveiled telling
Of the occupancy which Mr.. Birth re-
latest Here in the 20's was a hand
some private residence occupied by
Tench Ringgold for several years mar
shall of the District of Columbia
After Mr.. Ringgold left it became the
home of Mr.. Baggot, the British min
lister whose snowy equipage with four
horses in flashing harness, a coach
man and two footmen attracted a
great deal of attention"
We can readily believe that the
children of this time had their own
pageant as the minister's coach and
four swept by with the coachman and
footman "clad in red velvet coats and
small clothes trimmed with silver but
tons down the sides, silver knee and
shoe buckles and white silk stockings" "
II recall too," says Birth, "a great
fete given by the minister in this
house on the birthday of George "
when the entire residence was bril-
liantly Illuminated. My friend Ed
ward Sims, who was a builder, earned
the first money he made after coming
to Washington fitting up the windows
| for this illumination. AS candles were
used it is easy to understand and the
possible fire hazards which had to be
outwitted." BY contrast His Britain
mic Majesty's representative, Sir
Ronald Lindsay, stopping in for a
debutante's tea this December in a
soft collar and a tweed suit fresh
from an afternoon stroll, is most sig
nificant. Equally austere today in its
simplicity is the British Embassy on
Massachusetts, avenue, even when its
entertainment is most formal.
First War ONCE.
The first war Office, Birth tells US,
was eastward on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. from Columbia Hospital" Burned
not long after coming into Government
use, the fallen walls lay as they fell
for more than so years"
Concerning the next square east at
Pennsylvania avenue and Twenty-first
street, the recollectons take on a
lively gossipy turn as they center about
the building occupied by Billy O'Neal'
as a tavern called Franklin House.
Birth recalls as living here, Andrew
Jackson, afterward our seventh PreSi-
dent; Gen. John H. Eaton, his Secre-
tary of War, and John Randolph OF
Roanoke, for sarcasm unequaled and
for many years a conspicuous figure
in the House and Senate"
Randolph, so Birth tells us, was
"very peculiar in his dress, always ap-
pearing in small clothes (knee
breeches and fair-top boots)." Invar-
iably accompanied by his colored valet
Juba and three or four foxhounds, it
was his custom. according to Birth
to stride about, riding whip in hand
though he might not intend to mount
It was also his habit to rap his whip
on the side of his boot and call his
dogs by name, paying no attention
to anything or any person who might
pass, unless he deemed the individual
worthy of his notice" Reputed to
be q descendant of the Indian chief
tain Powhatan, Randolph, so Birth
claims, was proud of this lineage.
In Randolph's biting sarcasm" oul
chronicler shows his interested amaze
ment as he recounts the following in
stances Of it: "On one occasion whilst
Randolph was at one Of the hotels
at Saratoga a man from Washington
who was a consumptive merchant tai
lor named Ballard with shop ad-
Joining Kalen's corner, Eighth street
and Market space, met him at one Of
the springs" AS Randolph was one
of the tailor's customers, the latter
bowed and spoke.
"Who are you, sir" said Randolph
"I made your breeches, sir" replied
the tailor.
Maj. Breeches. I never heard o!
him." Snorted Randolph.
"I mean your small clothes, sir,
gasped the embarrassed Ballard.
well, sir" snapped the Senator, ''.
paid you for them didn't II" anc
passed on.
Anecdotes From Hearsay.
"On another OCCASION" to quote
Birth, "a young man In Randolph!
district was soon to cast his first vote
Being anxious to see the noted man
before casting his ballot, he rode tc
Senator Randolph's home to be told
that the Senator. had gone to the
Post once. Upon reaching there
he approached Senator Randolph as