Evening star., 1944-09-17

On HARDWOOD avenue llVeQ Andrew
Langdon; Henry Gannett, chief geog-
rapher, United States Geological Sur
vey; Arthur A. Birney, at one time dis
trict attorney; Benjamin Butterworth,
member of Congress from Ohio and
afterward commissioner Of patents;
the plans for so many Of the houses In
the park; Staughton S. Doyle. who
taught music; Ezra B. Barnum, Penn
sylvania avenue clothier; N. M. Brush
and DR.. Joseph N. Rose. Rev. c. H. Fay
lived on Spruce street, as did J. j.
Albright, Charles w. Fisher, Capt.
Howard L. Prince, Abram L. Swartout,
George E. Sloat and William T. Horn
aday, who later and for many years, and
until his death, was director of the
Bronx Geological Park in New York.
Also Charles Ruoff of the firm Of Willet
& Ruof, Prof. Cassimer Ginesi and
Marie Ginesi Mrs. W. Norman Fleming
and Edmund Woog, chief Of the finan-
cial division, Indian Of1ce, resided on
Linden street.
Others who resided in the park in
the early days were Charles Darwin,
librarian of the Geological Survey; Col.
o. H. Irish of the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing, Brenton L. Baldwin,
Emma B. Smith, F. H. Ramey, w. E.
Williams, Ralph Baldwin Mrs. B. Pet
tingill, S. s. Gannett, r. j. Young,
Charles A. Hamilton. correspondent; o.
B. Brown, William H. Degges, w. r.
Hildebrand, James A. Marter, T. B.
Campbell, T. and w. Robertson, E. M.
Merrick, De Lancey Gill, H. B. Wyman,
M. Horstman, A. w. Conlee, C. R. Folin,
Mary Ragan, Oscar T. Towner. E. Wood
ruff, W. Hollingsworth, H. E. Cooper
and j. B. Thomas
OF course, there were many others
who lived in the park. but they cannot
be recalled at this time.
The Fence Controversy
For decade or more everything went
along smoothly with the Inhabitants Of
LIE Droit Park. Ali improvements were
made by those owning property there,
and all that the people then seemed to
desire was to be let alone. But there
arose cry on the part of certain persons
to have the high board fence skirting
the northern part Of the reservation re-
moved. The controversy this led to, as
published by the papers in 1888, when
the contention was at fever heat, clearly
indicated that it was few spectators
who sought its removal
Early on the morning of July 3, 1888,
according to press account, gang
Of laborers, under the command of
Charles E. Banes and directly controlled
by John Wilson, broke down part of the
fence to ALLOW ingress and egress to a
regiment marching company front "
The next day the following letter signed
by number of residents of the park,
was addressed to A. L. Barber:
Dear sir: The rights Of residents and
property holders of LIE Droit Park have
been again outraged by the tearing down
of the fences across Linden and Elm
streets which protect our property
against trespass. AS property owners
and residents, we ask that you author
ize the officers of the lie Droit Park
Association-W. Scott Smith, Henry
Garnett and H. L. Prince-or some one
of them, to represent you in the matter
of rebuilding and maintaining these
fences until some arrangement salts.
factory to yourself and to others ir
interest can be made with the proper
authorities as to the control of thu
streets"
Commissioners Take Charge !
Mr.. Barber Immediately placed tn,
matter in the hands of his lawyer, A. s
Worthington, who speedily drew up .
power of attorney, in which he CAV,
w. Scott Smith, president of the L,
Droit Park Association, authority t,
enter or defend suits at law wheneve
Mr.. Barber's interest in LIE Droit Parl
was concerned. On August barbed
wire fence, replacing the one removes
was erected, but this, Of course, in tn
end also came down, and the Commis
sioners thereafter took charge of looking
after improvements here and policing
the place.
To an old Washingtonian, this genera
neighborhood has an interesting back
ground. The LIE Droit Park area wa
the site Of Campbell Hospital durin
the Civil War. The buildings were o
wood and were opened December. 1856:
and closed july ~. 1865. At the clos