Evening star., 1939-10-22

ther, also, indicating that each side
way with shops. conveniently and
agreeably located.
OF course, there is quite a diff
ference between bazaar and mu-
scum. but undoubtedly the thought
LEnfant wanted to convey was that
East Capitol street should be made
an unusual thoroughfare, and surely
the placing of exhibition buildings
here-added to the already beautiful
Supreme Court Building, the Con-
gressional Library and its annex and
the Folger Library-would make this
street all that LEnfant might have
had in mind.
Outlook Improved.
East Capitol street has developed
considerably since Civil War days,
and the outlook from the Capitol in
an easterly direction has been
greatly improved since squares 687
and 688 were purchased by the Gov
eminent in 1872 and 1873 and made
part of the Capitol Grounds.
These squares were to the east Of
the Capitol, square 687 being be-
tween Delaware avenue and First
street and north A and B streets,
while square 688 was in the SOUTH
east part of the grounds and was
bounded by New Jersey avenue mad
First street. and A and B streets.
After this ground was bought and
the structures on it were removed,
the streets within the area pur-
chased were obliterated.
However, there are many persons
living today who not only recall
these old squares, but the people who
once resided there as well. James
Croggon not only recalled this area,
but he put his thoughts into print
SO that others could profit by his
knowledge in days to come. In 1911,
Mr.. Croggon had the following to
say about this section:
When the grounds were plated
the north line east of North Capitol
street was on an 80-foot street
known as A street, and westward B
street marked the boundary. Con-
sequently the two squares east of
the Capitol Plaza, which were alb
sorbed under the Act of May. 1872,
were building squares, and that
north was we'll settled on the south
front in the early days of the last
century. While on paper the orig
inal lines were as above, all north
and south of A street, and outside
a semi-circular fence. erected about
1916, extended about half way from
the center of the building to First
street on the open commons.
Place in History.
This square 687 played an i'm
portant part in the history of that
section. The title of the lots was
left in Mr.. Carroll, the original pro-
prietor in 1891. Three years after,
James Greenleaf was associated with
the square, and about 1900 there
were $4,000 worth of Improvements
on A street in the southwest portion
of the square. These were a row
of three-storied and attic brick
buildings, which shortly after were
in the possession of A. r. Dowson,
who used them in boarding men,
bers of Congress, and in the di-
rectories of early years the homes
of members here were described as
'Mr. Dowson's. No. l, 2, 3 or 4.
For nearly so years Dowson's row
was a veritable congressional annex.
D. d. Tompkins, Vice President un-
der Mr.. Monroe; Senator Macon OF
Georgia, Senator Benton OF Mis-
souri,, before he erected a home on
C street, and Senator Holmes OF
Maine were among the guests.
"West of the row, corner OF Dela-
ware avenue and A street, Sam A.
Elliot. jr., bought ground and erected
dwellings in keeping with the others
in 1877. The next year Benjamin
O. Tyler, engaged in the lottery
business. had one of these houses
and 10 years after this 1t was sold
to Yates g. Mcintyre. Later Jonn
Foy ran hotel here, which IN the
5os became Mrs. Whitney's, or the
yellow Tavern a place which t1g-
ures largely in the lives OF the
members.
DUOI hCCPCA
"Henrv Tins, doorkeeper OF the
Senate, conducted a congressional
boarding house on A street front,
and among his guests were senator
Dickerson of New Jersey and caesar
A. Rodney of Delaware, a son OF the
siener. Later. Charles Tins con-
Quoted the drug business here, but
It did not interfere with the patron
age of the house, which followed the
family for half a century or more.
Among the guests there were Sena-
tor Dixon H. Lewis of Alabama, the
heaviest member Of Congress, at
least in avoirdupois, and D. L. Yulee
of Florida, who served in Congress
under the name of Levy, and under
the former name was United States
Senator up to the Civil War. Late
in the '20s Mrs. Elizabeth Queen
kept a boarding house on A street,
and Mrs. Sewer was there 10 years
later.
I'm the '3os, Joseph Fcllansbee, a
messenger of the House, erected q
four-story dwelling on A street and
entertained number Of the MEM
bers. A three-story brick house
erected on First street in 1924 by j.
w. Beck was then known as 'Becks 8
Folly because it was disproportion-
ate to the size of his family. j. A.
Brightwell lived on A street In the
latter part of the 20s, and later
Robert Brown lived in the west end
of the square. In 1s4l, Thomas