Evening star., 1938-10-16

and comfort at this season of the year,
are informed, that the subscriber has
a number of articles, such as Socks,
Ankle Socks, Night Caps, Gloves,
Stockings, Drawers and Shirts-all of
which he will sell cheap at the East
ern Branch Hotel
WILLIAM TUNNICLIFF."
Tunnicliff's Hotel is also referred to
as being situated within a few yards of
the Capitol from which there is a
view Of the whole city and the adjoin-
ing neighborhood Of Alexandria and
Georgetown" In the vicinity was the
first actual race course in the District,
and in published notice it was said:
The horses to be entered with Will
liam Tunnicliff at the Eastern Branch
Hotel, near the race grounds, October
81, 1897" Here also, Washingtons
most prominent residents gave their
dancing assemblies, in the days Of pow
dered wigs and small pants.
From this time on its history is frag-
mentary. In 1907 it was bought by
Josiah Fox for $1,000, and in 1921,
Capt. William Easily purchased it at
mortgage sale for ST 500.
Some 16 years ago Mrs. Wilhelmine
M. Easby-Smith gave her early reni-
niscences before the Association OF
Oldest Inhabitants, and in her talk
referred to this old building, purchased
by her father more than 100 years
before, and since what she related will
no doubt appeal to those interested in
old Washington, the writer will here
let Mrs Easby-Smith continue the
story of this old hotel and mansion:
Here my father lived before moving
to Easily Point for more than seven
years. beautifying the lot with flowers
and fruit trees. He was specially fond
Of the crabapple blossoms and of hya-
blossoms abound in the Cleveland
wales of Yorkshire, where he spent his
early childrood.
For some years during the residence
in the first ward the house was rented
to William Doughty, the naval con-
structor at the Navy Yard. After Mr..
Doughty left it became, for reasons
which will be seen, not easy to rent.
Being the first real estate my father
owned in Washington, he was very
much attracted to the place, and when
he turned over the shipyard business to
his sons in 1848, he returned TO the
old place, remodeled 1t inside, re-
deemed the old garden that had be-
come wilderness, and made 1t q COM
Portable and handsome residence and
a beautiful spot. From around the
chimneys on the first floor he had tons
OF brick removed. 1t may be that an
immense brick oven was demolished
During these intervening years the
house had acquired the reputation of
being haunted. The unaccountable
sounds were heard at intervals both
day and night. Neither my father
nor my mother was liable to fright,
and it was only after long investiga-
ton that the source OF the sounds
was discovered.
THE house was isolated for quite
a distance around, giving back echoes
from several directions. As vehicles
came down the avenue the sounds
began, increasing as they came nearer.
decreasing and dying away as Tenth
or Eleventh street was reached.
ut sounded as II some one, entering
the side door, tramped slowly up the
stairs across the second hall and up
the stairs again to one of the half-story
rooms, and was lost in one Of the
'cubbyholes' under the caves. In this
room was a deep spot on the floor
which could not be removed, where
they said man wounded by the
British in 1914 had bleed to death
There is no doubt that the noises
were but the echoes of passing vehicles.
With the cause of the sounds estabz
lished, Imagination no longer ran riot,
and the 'haunts' were forgotten.
The house, built long before the
laying out of the squares, found it.
self fronting on an alley between the
northern and southern lots of the
square, so the entrance was made on
Ninth street. Subsequently my father
became the owner Of the whole square
(s25); the lot upon which he erected
his own stables and carriage house
being that at the northwest corner
where the store of Ney e. Co. is now
situated. He bought in l84S from
Mike Sinner, a free Negro celebrated
in a way for being possessed of
remarkable memory.
There were three cherry trees In
front of the house, from two of which
whoever wished might pick the fruit,
but the one in front of the library
window must be left untouched solely
for the birds, of whom there were
myriads.
In this house, six weeks before my
fathers death, I was married to the
Hon. William R. Smith of Alabama,
and We lived there with my mother
until upon his retirement from Con-
gress in 1857 we returned to Alabama.
My two older children were born
in the old house. After that my
brother Horatio, to whom 1t was
bequeathed, came into possession, but,
not caring to live in that part Of
the city, he eventually sold it. It Is
in rather a dismal condition now and
makes ones heart ache to see it."
But, as before stated, it was removed
a few years ago.
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