Evening star., 1937-08-29

COURT SITE IN FAMOUS AREA
Judiciary Square, Where Building Is Being Completed, Holds
Memories Which Bring Back Most Distinguished Events
in Story of National Capital

for our internal revenue and for
other forms of taxation.
Even the Civil Service Commission,
or part OF 1t at least, once occupied
quarters In this building. and we are
told that during Theodore Roosevelt's
sojourn here As the head Of this COM
mission, he had no trouble finding his
way to the little 5-and-l0-cent lunch
room IN the building, and there, near
ly every day. over oyster pie and
other delicacies, discussed the affairs
Of the day with other more or less
prominent men.
All kinds Of ganizations have met
In this building, including the Odd
Fellows, Masons. Oldest Inhabitants.
Columbia typographical Union, and
In the early days church services were
frequent occurrences.
THE old Pension Once, In the north
ern part Of this area, now occupied
by the General Accounting once, Is
of historic Importance mainly because
here were held seven inaugural balls
Cleveland, 1885 and 1893; Harrison,
1889; Mckinley, 1897 and 1901; Theo-
dore Roosevelt, 1905, and Taft. 1909.
On the wall just inside the main
doorway of this building, which faces
F street, is a brief statement regard
ing this building lettered on what ap-
pears to be the corner stone. 1t reads:
"A,D. 1888. President of the United
States, Chester A. Arthur; Vice Pres
ident, George F. Edmunds; Speaker Of
the House Of Representatives, J. War
rem Keifer; Secretary OF the Inte-
rior, Henry M. Teller; Commissioner
Of Pensions, William W. Dudley. Pop
ulation Of the United States, 54,272,-
738. Revenue Of the United States,
ss,2s7, ,5s2 dolls: appropriation for
military and naval pensions, 99,460 900
dolls. New Pension Once, architect,
Gen. Montgomery c. Meigs, U. S. A."
According to the latest Biographical
Directory OF Congress, when this cor
ner stone was laid. George F. Edmunds.
here mentioned as Vice President, was
President Pro Tempore OF the Senate,
having been elcted to this once March
5, 1888. 1t Is true that after Gar
f1eld's death. and Arthurs succession
to the presidency the office Of Vice
President was vacant, and it re-
malned vacant until Thomas A. Hend-
rlcks became Vice President on March
4, 1885. In the meantime, II Presi-
dent Arthur had died. Edmunds might
have succeeded to the presidency, but
1t was surely stretching \ point to
place on this historic tablet, that he
was at that time Vice President"
The architecture Of this building
has been severely criticized by the
professional designer OF buildings
though the layman, who has to look
At 1t day In and day out, does not
regard 1t as such monstrosity as
some architects would call it,
EVERY inaugural ball held in this
building was said to have been
the largest and the best. but the first
one, held on March 4, 1885, in honor
OF Grover Cleveland, was surely hard
TO surpass. and probably never was.
OF II IN account states:
All Washington was brilliantly
Illuminated during the night and the
sky itself bla1ed many colored fire.
works. which caused the natural liRhx
OF the armament. for the time being,
to twinkle dimly in their spheres"
OF course, the Marine Band was at
the ball and the Germania Orchestra
OF Philadelphia, numbering 100 mem
bers. furnished the music for the
dancing. which consisted Of % num-
bers and which commenced at II
o'clock and lasted till nearly 3 in the
next morning.
Among the notable guests upon
this occasion who attracted more
than passing notice were Mrs. George
B. Mcclellan and the widow Of Presi-
dent John Tyler.
Remarklng on this notable event,
The Star of March said: The ILL
timed rain gave somewhat be-
draggled aspect to the parade of the
day, but whatever that lacked was
more than made up by the brilliance
OF the scene In the vast court OF the
Pension Building last night. 1t was
estimated that at the height of the
festivities there were fully $4,000
people In the hall. Crowds were
waiting to get admittance when the
doors were opened at 8 o'clock"
The ball was wineless. The only
thing that had even a slight suq-
gestion about it Of nti-prohibition
views was the Roman punch served
with the supper. As q result there
was no scene Of the character that
sometimes mars entertainments given
on such a scale where the attendance
Is not restricted. Quiet and solid
enjoyment prevailed everywhere.
There was no wine to drink, nothing
but water, and that became exceed
ingly scarce before the night had ad-
vanced far.
Gen. William T. Sherman, William
F. Cody Buffalo BilD and Frederick
Douglass are included among those
who attracted unusual attention.
In 1893 Mr.. Cleveland began q re-
turn engagement Of four years and
brought along as his running mate
Adlai E. Stevenson.
Incidentally. Cleveland had much
trouble during the early part Of his
first administration in vetoing private
pension bills. which he did with such
persistency and energy and to such an
extent that an apparent ruthless at
tempt to deplete the Treasury was
largely stopped. Indeed. Cleveland
believed as he preached that q public
ONCE Is public trust.
THE work Of erecting this building
began in the Autumn Of 1882,
when ground was first broken, and by
March, 1883, nearly all Of the founda-
tions were in and the bricklaying be-
gun. Because Congress had urged
haste In erecting the building IN order
to save rent, Gen. Montgomery G.
Meiss. the supervising architect, speed