Evening star., 1944-09-10


Grant praised him at the time, and
we can very justly do so today, though
he has long since passed into the
Great Beyond His statue stands today
near the District Building, at Four
teenth and E streets, placed there as
mute evidence of the friendship and
loyalty of his fellow citizens.
Seventy-Three Years Ago
1t is really hard to describe Wash
ington as it was in 1871, when Mr..
Shepherd came into office. The popu-
lation was then given as 131,700, of
which 88,278 people were white, 43'404
colored. Chinese and Is Indians. And,
although this was 73 years ago. vet
there were 52,34O natives residing here
then.
To convey slight impression to
those who cannot look back so far, three
wears before that date the National
Baseball Club was playing on its new
grounds at Fifteenth and L streets, and
shacks and two-story frame dwellings,
predominated as a part Of the land
scape.
1t was in 1869 that the philanthropist,
w. w Corcoran built the Arlington
Hotel which occupied the site OF the
Veterans Administration Building. AS
manv recall, it was one of Washington'S
famous hostelries, for here stopped
many of the worlds most noted people,
such as Dom Pedro, President Diaz,
King Kalakana, Lii Hung-chang and
other foreigners equally distinguished
Some of our own notables who stopped
there were Charles Sumner William l..
Marcy, Secretary of State; Louis Cass,
Secretary of State; Presidents Buchanan
and BENJAMIN Harrison and Gen. Jo-
seph Wheeler. Prince Albert of Bel
gium, who visited this country as King
Albert following the World War, and
who then stopped with Breckenridge
Long at 2829 Sixteenth street NV,
was a guest at the Arlington in 1893.
First Pavement Lald
It was in the square in front OF the
Arlington Hotel, in 1870, that the hrst
esnhalt pavement was laid in Washing
pavement of its kind ever laid here
A cube section sawed to about II inches
is on exhibition in the old building OF
the National Museum. In 1879 Vermont
avenue was resurfaced, and the section
displayed was taken from the roadway
In 1914. The people of Washington
highly regarded and respected Mr.. Cor
corn and his name was frequently usee
with a view to showing him honor. The
steamboat w. w. Corcoran, which wa
named for him, and which for many
years piled the Potomac to Mount Yer
non. Marshall Hall and other places ant
resorts. will be remembered by many.
Mr.. Corcoran was beneiactor II
many ways. The Louise Home, Whlcf
perpetuates the name Louise, borne b,
both his wife and his daughter, wa
erected shortly after the close OF tn
Civil War 1t is situated on the soutl
sdie of Massachusetts avenue, betWeel
Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets NV
and the building and grounds cost $500,
OOO which the donor endowed with
further gift of S250,000. The home
for women of refinement and cultur
who have become reduced in clrcum
stances in their old age. As stated, 1t
named after Mr.. Corcorans wife an
daughter, and is a testimonial Ito thel
devoted concern for the poor and unfor
tunate."
Famous Old Residence
Quite an old residence which ono
stood on the northeast corner OF Twen
tv-fifth and L streets, and which forme
the nucleus of the Columbia Hospital fo
Women at this site, was the old Ringgol
property, where once lived Tench Rine
gold. an early United States marsh
for the District of Columbia. 1t VIZ
erected by Mr.. Ringgold in 1872, an
was his home for a number of years, ar
was later the residence of Sir Frederic
Bruce and other foreign diplomats il
cluding Mr.. Baggott, the British Mil
lister. John Mason, jr and other pc
sons also resided here.
In 1872 the mansion and 10000 feet
ground was purchased by the Cover
ment for S25,0OO, with an allowance
$1,000 in addition for altering and r
pairing the building, and the followil
year Congress provided $4,000 to con
plete the alterations and for refitting Il
hospital and S28500 for it's maintenant
This hospital had its beginning in 1St
mainly through the efforts of DR..
Harry Thompson, who was surgeon
charge from 1866 to 1878, when he r
moved to Rome, Italy, where he die
Originally the home of the hospital "