Evening star., 1938-06-30
THIS AND THAT
By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Not trees alone are disappearing from
the Washington scene, but iron, too,
in its many former uses.
Iron fences, iron steps and "stoops.
iron door scrapers, iron building fronts
and balconies, iron grilles-
They are going, where not already
gone.
A few iron drinking fountains, for
the few remaining horses, may be seen
at long, very long, intervals, but the
iron age is plainly over.
The steps and railings of ornamental
iron work still may be seen in many
of the older sections of the city. They
are substantially asS they were when
erected, from 30 70 so years ago.
Many a local memory hinges on the
long fight of steps of iron which led
up to the iron balcony and thence to
the front door.
They were as traditional. in the gay
'90s, as the typical wood back yard fence.
the latter of which found its way into
a popular stage setting.
In the many row developments in
downtown Washington the small iror
"stoop" was a favorite sitting place,
since many of the front yards were
so small that 1t would have been inn
possible to use them for chairs. And,
in many instances, the yards were COM
pletely fenced with the typical picket
fencing, but of iron, q favorite material
of the times.
Our word, stoop, comes squarely from
the Dutch stoep, or step. It was intro
duced into New York by the Dutch, to
whom it meant an entrance set of
steps and covered way to door. Usually
the steps ranged from to IA in num-
ber. In later years the term came to
mean almost any set Of steps leading
up the outside of a building, but still
within the stipulated number. As far
as we know, the long covered flights of
steps, SO common on outsides of two
story buildings from the Civil War days
to about 1890, were not called stoops.
The Washington stoop Of the old days
was a picture, after supper. as the
young ladies and their beaux ranged
themselves on the top step. or platform,
and on the various descending stairs.
They were porches. in miniature; II
they did not quite reach the magnifi-
cence of the veranda, the porch. the
piazza. at least they gave the folks
some place to sit in the open air on hot
evenings.
The gas lamps lit up small patches
of light in the oncoming gloom beneath
the great trees, Of which even the poor
est street had magnificent specimens.
Often the family was out front when
the lamplighter. with his little stick.
came along on his rounds, always made
at a dog trot.
1t is possible at this hour to wonder
why he was always in such q hurry.
although no one seemed to give his gait
a thought then.
Sometimes small boys hurled un-
favorable comments at him. but he
seldom noticed, evidently being in too
great hurry.
In some sections of the city all the
gas street lamps were lit with matches.
The only way this could be achieved
was by the lamplighter climbing the
post like a monkey, and bodily lighting
the burner.
Progress was on the move. even then.
There came day when Welsbach
mantles made their appearance in street
lights. s-c
A tiny fame was left burning All
the iamplighter had to do, when he
came trotting by, was to reach up with
his stick, somewhat longer than an
orchestra conductors baton. and give
q turn to q little hook. The flow of