Evening star., 1939-12-10

running the theatrical scenery. Ap-
parently, the expenses were greater
than the profits, for the promoters
closed the theater in less than a
month.
This building also was notable as
having been the meeting place OF
the third session Of the Thirteenth
Congress, September 10, 1914, to
March 3, 1915, following the burning
of the public buildings by the British.
This particular building had been
saved from destruction through the
efforts of DR.. William Thornton, who
told the British officers that 1t
housed patent models of interest to
the entire civilized world, and not
of interest alone to this country.
BY 1929 or 1880, it became neces-
sary to enlarge the building and an
addition was built to the original
structure, facing Seventh street, and
to this side the entrance to the
Patent Office and the City Post Of
flee was moved.
On December IS, 1886, this build
ing was destroyed by fire, together
with all the accumulated mail and
all the early patent models and
specifications. So far as the Patent
Office was concerned, 1t was an
irreparable calamity. Following the
fire the business of the Office was
transacted in the City Hall, now
the Courthouse, and remained there
until it was removed to the building
at Ninth and F streets.
Street Dispute.
It is difficult for us to visualize
the horrible condition of some of
our downtown streets at this period.
Congress felt that the streets should
be put in condition by the people
of the District; the people Of the
District felt that since the streets,
alleys, reservations and parking be-
longed to the United States, Uncle
Samuel should either do the work
himself or at least bear a part Of
the expense, especially since the Dis
trict had no representation In Con-
gress then, any more than 1t has
today, and taxation without repre-
sentation was just as tyrannical
then as it is today.
However, it takes more than argu-
ments to improve streets, and so, by
1886, the year the Blodgett Building
burned, conditions along E street
were in very bad shape. Indeed,
in front of this building the con-
ditions seem to have been especially
attractive for the city's swine, which
were permitted to run at large, and
hog accidents were almost as fire.
quent then as automobile accidents
are now, some equally as disastrous.
One, which occurred right in front
Of the post Office, is recorded IN
the Metropolitan of April, 1886, as
follows:
"A dangerous accident happened
yesterday to one Of our respectable
citizens, from cause which is a
reproach to our police, or rather
to our laws, for we believe it is
only very lately that sufficient legal
authority has been given to abate
the nuisance. The gentleman re-
ferred to, descending the steps from
one OF the doors of the post Office,
was encountered on the midpave-
ment by a full-grown hog, which,
running against him, threw him
down. His head striking the pave
ment, or curbstone, he received in
juries on his head and face SO
serious that 1t is still doubtful
whether the injury may have been
mortal"
On April 81 the press records the
result of the accident, saying:
THE ill-fated man who was
thrown down by a hog, opposite
the general post Office, on Thursday,
as mentioned in our last, died on
Saturday from the severe injury he
sustained, his skull being fractured
by that infamous accident"
After the burning of the Blodgett