Evening star., 1936-08-02
By John Clasen Proctor.

Dp JOHH 0tuSett TOCIOJs
TT CAN be said with great deal of
certainty that no part Of the Dis
trict of Columbia bears fonder
L memories in the mind of the aver
age Washingtonian than does the
square where now stand the National
Archives Building and the Department
of Justice Building, the former, where
for more than century stood the old
Center Market, and the other, covering
the three squares where for many
years were the commission stores,
wholesale houses and considerable
number of stores, where small quanti-
ties of foodstuffs might be bought to
appease the appetite of the inner man.
1t is much nicer to dream of the
past than it is to contemplate the
future, especially just now, when we
60 to buy anything from the grocer.
Salaries are much higher now than
they were so years ago-and so Is
everything we eat, and, though turkeys
right now are not in season, yet, when
they do come on the market, you may
pay at least so cents pound for one,
whereas, that many years ago, one
could be bought from Joe Roth for 10
cents pound. Three pounds Of steak
could then be bought for a quarter,
while bread was only cents loaf
and Frank Wards milk was but
cents quart, and everything was pro-
portionately as cheap. Indeed, it does
seem we are getting no better fast, as
the man on the street might say.
But who will ever forget the crowds
We used to see on Louisiana avenue,
where one had to elbow his way from
Ninth to Tenth street, or just the re-
verse, and the men with whom we
would deal along that thoroughfare,
only a few Of whom are now in busi-
ness elsewhere.
THIS was, indeed, for many years,
- the center for Washington's food
supply, and 1t made quite difference
when the snow was banked high here
about or the area was flooded, which,
fortunately, only happened at long in
tervals. To an Oldest Inhabitant, 40
years does not seem to be long time
to remember, and, yet, if we do not
train our minds in this way, things
become very much muddled after that
lapse of time. Today many could not
mention six merchants who were en-
gagged in business on Louisiana avenue,
between Ninth and Tenth streets, as
long ago as that, although there were
quite a number, some of whom were
G. K. Andrews & Co., Henry L. Strang,
Thomas L. Spilman, Oliver o. Spicer,
Frederick Schafer, j. F. Saum, Landon
& Middleton. Krey, Price g. Co., Kelly
& Chamberlin, w. S. Hoge & Bro,
Hsndrickson g. Co., Augustus Y. Gray,
Golden Love & Co., Galloway & Lord,
Walter Duckett & Co., Thomas H.
Pickford, Joseph P. Roth, Henry ].
Rice, D. Morgan g. Co., Miller & Rol-
Ter, J. w. Lynn & Co.. Compton
Brothers, Bullen g. McKeever, Biedler
& Co. and Rudolph A. Ashton.
Nearly all of these were commission
merchants, though there were also
an adequate proportion of drinking
saloons to accommodate the large
number of thirsty patrons who wended
their way downtown on market day,
and who also frequented this now
obliterated thoroughfare, and SO we
find Leo F. ZwiSsler taking care of
the drinking customers on the south
side of the avenue, while Theodore M.
Rudd catered to those who came
his way on the north side.
It was on the north side Of Louisi-
41,1+ i
c street came together at Ninth street,
that stood for many years and until
removed only recently, the theater
known to many as Ford's Opera House.
THIS corner, as well as large part
- of downtown Washington, was a
part of the David Burnes tract at
the time the present part of the Dis
trict of Columbia was carved out OF
the State of Maryland, the part taken
from Virginia having been retroceded
James Croggon, who wrote for The
Star for many years, and up to the
time of his death, had this to say OF
the theater site:
James Moore, who was a prom
anent dealer in bacon and lard az
early as 1910, owned the eastern por-
tion Of the square on which is nov
located the Majestic Theater, and
several years after the west end ol
the square. In 1924 the value of the
ground was from 10 to Is cents. The
theater site was owned by Col. Peter
Force, who had on it brick building
valued at $500. The lower portion
was used in part for shoemakine
and other shops, and here Mr.. Jane;
johnson, an ex-lieutenant of police
was employed about the year 1880
The upper portion was the coach
shop of Mr.. Peck for long period.
Later the original building made
way for a larger structure, which ir
the late forties became the coach fac.
tory Of Haslup g. Weldon, and 9
portion of the ground floor was giver
to the manufacture of horseshoe nails
Subsequently, the upper portion be-
came a gymnasium, first under the
management of Prof. Sharretts ant
next, Prof Jardine, both Of New York
and for few seasons 1t was vel
patronized by the lovers Of athletic
sports. Then william Marshall hac
a carriage repository there, and latel
It became a theater. Immediately ir
front of this building was the favorite
ground for the circus performances
in the thirties and forties, when cir
cuses consisted Of a dozen or so per.
formers and horses, with small
band"
IRON the available sources Of in.
formation on the subject, it woult