Evening star., 1937-01-10

ditions prevailed in downtown Wash.
ington.
To many the condition Of our
streets became q joke, and one resi-
dent, styling himself "Old Chronicle"
little more facetious than the rest,
wrote to the editor of the National
1ntelligencer. in 1921. saying:
THE communication Of Hyazinth
Zephyr, which appeared in your paper
the other day, induces me to state to
you several melancholy accidents
which have occurred in this city since
the late improvements of our streets.
The fact may be perfectly relied upon
and can be suhstantiated by eye witt
neSSes.
THE 28th Of last month, as a Fred.
erick County wagner was whistling
his team. consisting of six fine horses,
all merrily jingling their bells, Just
as he came near the valuable i'm.
proVement at the corner By the office
of the Secretary of State, both driver,
wagon. horses and all, suddenly dis.
appeared. Luckily, however, the end
OF the drivers whip remained visible
above ground, which being laid hold
OF by hackman, brought the whole
affair to light.
| The same day Dandy sunk into
great hole near the Mansion House
Hotel and would certainly have dis.
appeared entirely had not the i'm.
menslty OF his pantaloons buoyed him
up till a plank was launched to his
assistance. by the aid of which hs
Hoated to terra firma.
Two days after, a lady in a largo
hat. was pulled out Of a hole near the
corner of F street, by the feathers. as
IL happened, very luckily, that her
nat was fastened to her head by three
dozen and a half hat pins. NB-Ths
lady did not wear false hair.
| Last Wednesday poor lame sailor.
IN attempting to make his way to the
navy ONCE, stuck in the mud and was
extrlcated only at the expense of his
rlght leg, which was left in the hole.
LUCKILY. 1t happened to be a wooden
ieg' or tnere Is no knowing what would
nave become of the poor man."
HOWEVER, it is really nice to Wis.
ualize Pennsylvania avenue as Wa
Knew 1t in bygone days, and to speak
OF 1t as it was known to exist in tha
Gays OF the early city residents, sincs
II aHords us an opportunity to really
appreciate what is now one of the
outstanding boulevards of the world.
over which every President of the
United States has travelled, with the
probable exceptions of Washington
ana the first Adams, and on which
every inaugural parade held in this
city has marched.
MOI only Is 1t noted for this. but for
the many other parades held along
lts spacious lines, including funerals
OF prominent men, the marching IN
war OF our soldier boys and their viz.
torlous return. the reviews of our
crack military companies, parades Of
'he Grano Army Of the Republic. the
grand review held at the close of the
civil War, and ever so many fmpor.
tant events that have occurred on
tnS noted Avenue since it was first
made passable to the present time
AS an outstanding thoroughfare. it
not nearly as old as many of the
ooulevards of Europe, and yet, for his.
toric significance. it is the equal Of
any. Indeed, the first brick house
erected on the Avenue was not built
until 1899. and at this time ground
could be easily purchased for 16 cents
square foot. But buildings began
10 multiply, and soon boarding houses
ana hotels, principally for the benefit
Oh members of Congress, became nu.
merous. and it was not long before
1t became Washington's principal bust.
ness street, and though it no longer
holds this distinction, yet 1t will al.
ways bring to mind wonderful memo
rieS of the past.