davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1944-07-30
Swimming in Old Rock Creek

first street to be macadamized. and
nearly every driver in town with
speedy horse took advantage OF this
excellent stretch of road to try out his
noble steed.
"A policeman's lot is not a happy
one" as the old song went that they
used to sing on the stage. and they had
their troubles with the drivers of horses
years ago, just as they have with the
automobile drivers now. But, after all.
we do miss today the beautiful and
thrilling sight of a runaway horse,
which even the automobile cannot COM
pete with for spectacular excitement. If
there is anything more stirring and
wonderful than four or six horse
farm outfit dashing down the road out
of control, 1t would be hard to imagine
just what 1t would be-.
Roads to Rock Creek
There were few roads running from
Columbia road toward Rock Creek, ac-
cording to the early maps. Woodley
road. which, on the eastern side of
the creek, is now, in part, Belmont road,
Is no doubt one of the oldetst roads.
The Million-Dollar Bridge now spans
the ravine at this point where two
Evening star., 1944-07-30

erected about 1883 by the celebrated
Poet OF the Sierras." Miller. whose
real name was Cincinnatus Heine. was
living here and writing for Wash-
ington newspaper when he built this
log house, and here he was visited by
many prominent persons.
IN 1884 Eugene Field wrote an in
teresting account Of visit he made
to the poet and his log cabin on
Meridian Hill. The building then stood
on Crescent street. somewhat to the rear
Of the Meridian Mansions It was sold
In 1887 to Richard G. Dubois for $500.
and rented in June Of that year to
A. A. Adee, Assistant Secretary OF State,
who resided there for some time after
ward
John Burroughs, who resided from
1867 to 1873 at 1892 v street NV,
and who is well known as q writer of
nature essays, loved to roam in the
woods, and no doubt he took advantage
of the forests and farmlands not far
distant to the north from his home, and
frequented as well the nearby water
courses, including Rock Greek, Slash
Run and Reedy Branch, the first men,
toned of which is the only one remain
Evening star., 1944-07-30

Thirty minutes in these gadgets and
the laundry is ready to iron.
The center is believed to be the only
one of its kind in the country so con-
veniently located adjacent to a railroad
station. It's sponsors claim its services
ado up to more than are available to
servicemen anywhere else under one
roof.
In the eight months since 1t opened
more than 662, 900 service members have
entered the center. Last month l02 1856
were counted-more than three times
the number served during the first full
month Of operation.
Purchased by the Federal Works
Agency with Lanham Act funds, the
center was set up to pay It's own way.
According to ofiicials, 1t is operating in
the black. The $4,000 put up by the
FWA and the $4,000 contributed by the
Community War Fund are held as a re-
serve.
Week ends at the center are terrific.
Evening star., 1944-07-30
BY Robert J. Lewis

tropical sun had bleached the
sailors hair to platinum blond. He'd
been somewhere in the Pacific nearly
two years and now was back. nervous,
overwrought, filled with foreboding.
He walked up to the desk of Wash
ington's seven-story United Nations
Service Center, world largest COM
munity hotel headquarters for GIs.
I've been plenty lucky up to now" he
told the girl behind the desk. I've been
just about everywhere and seen about
everything there is to see. Then they
tell me have to come back home and
make . speech for morale. I've been
In five major landings. man. but God
knows I'd rather be in another than
make this speech"
The jittery sailors immediate problem,
he confided, was to find a quiet place
in which to practice his talk. The girl
at the desk hustled him into a deserted
office. swung the door shut and the prob
lem was solved.
Looking for a Bit of Home"
But most of the thousands of GIs
who land in Washington every day for
a few hours or a few days are just
looking for a room, shower, a nap,
some fellowship or merely a spot thatll
seem like home. They come from all
over the world to this Capital City OF
the United Nations. And lots Of these
men and women know where to head
before they step of the train in Union
Station.
Just back from Hawaii. a sailor said
he heard of the hotel center from a
buddy In the islands. Another said he
was told In London not to miss it If he
reached Washington. A Niesen-hut con-
versation in Greenland promoted q SOL
dier's visit. One boy arrived via tip
from the Army Transport Command
Before he had gone he left 3 inches of
Italys mud" on the shower room floor,
according to his own account.
Thousands Come In
opened October 27. last year, the GEN.
ter is the former Capitol Park Hotel
Right across from Union Station and
overlooking the Capitol, it has 225 beds
for servicemen and servicewomen and
their husbands and wives. plus 345 cots
in an annex around the corner.
Showplace OF Washingtons more than
so service centers, 80 of which provide
sleeping accommodations for $500
Yanks and their allies on weekdays and
more than 1900 on week ends, the
United Nations Service Center is OPP
Grated under direction of the District
War Hospitality Committee
More than 500 volunteers and IA paid
hotel employees keep it running "a hours
a day. There is seldom a night when
all its rooms aren't occupied Six per
cent OF its guests are women in the
services; 8 per cent fighting men of our
Allies.
Twenty children a day are admitted
to its nursery. Scores of hometown
Evening star., 1944-07-30

Checkout hour Saturday Is pm, and
around that time the rush for rooms be-
gins. When the center and its annex
are sold out, lodging dispatch service
steers servicemen to the 80 other lodg-
ing centers. In addition, a room dis
patch service places about 500 persons
In rooming houses and private homes on
Saturday nights.
Two thousand additional beds have
been made available for servicemen at
centers throughout war-crowded Wash
ington in the last six months. Even
schools have been opened to take care
of the overflow. Fourteen downtown in
formation desks help incoming men
Evening star., 1944-07-30
BY John Clagett Proctor.

Backward, turn backward, O Time
In your flight" is certainly suggesting
very big order. And yet when our
mind does wander back to our youth it
does not stop until it reaches the old
mill stream, or some other place along
Rock Greek. That Is, of course, If you
happen to have been reared in the upper
northwest section of Washington, though
65 or more years ago there were many
other streams around the District that
tempted the youth of the city during the
warm days of June, July, August and
September
But the place the writer knows most
of is Big Rock in Rock Creek. now in
the Geological Park and which still
stands about a thousand feet south of
the old stone quarry, after leaving the
old Quarry road. This large fiat rock
which measures about 4 by 6 feet
on the surface, then protruded from
] to 3 feet out of the water ordi-
narily. AS there were no distractions
in front of the stone, and as the water
once was around to feet in depth
places to which the boys were priv
ileged to go. However, as it usually
stood little too high out of the water
to grasp it and raise ones self up, re-
course for this purpose was made to
smaller rock only few feet north of
the larger stone, which no doubt many
of the boys of a half-century age will
also gladly recall.
To get to Big Rock was not then an
easy thing, but on the contrary it was
difficult, and especially so for the
smaller boys. The path leading to this
famous swimming hole-where, every
one wore the same kind of bathing suit
was around series of steep hills,
separated by little valleys, over which
1t was difficult to climb, usually requir-
ing the grasping of heavy vines or tree
roots for assistance in gaining the other
side.
Reaching Big Rock
There we're two ways of getting to Big
Rock. One was by way OF Quarry road
and the other through Milk House
lane, which originally was probably the
road leading from Taylors lane. now
Columbia road. to what was once the
home of Mrs. P. R. Hobbie Indeed, it
Is possible that Ontario road, which
runs from Columbia road to near the
creek, is on the line of this old lane.
It's name, Milk House lane" no doubt,
had its origin from the fact that in the
Evening star., 1944-07-30
New G1 Service Center Here W. orlds Largest

papers are available in the library.
When Joe picks up book to read he
may either borrow 1t or take it along
for keeps.
They've Thought of Everything
A soldier who wants chevrons sewed
on can get the job done free. At the
beck and, call of q WAVE with sore feet
or tough top sergeant, too. for that
matter-are chiropodists who charge no
fees. Two canteens serve meals and
drinks at below-average cost. Showers
are free; 50 is legal advice. and the GI
who wants to wash his clothes has a
battery OF dryers available without cost.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

old Hobbie home later resided a family
who kept COWS, dogs and other animals.
In order to get to Big Rock by this
road it was necessary to pass close to
the house and dairy buildings. and be-
cause the cattle and dogs always looked
sort of offended at intruders the boys
ordinarily avoided this route and only
Used 1t when there was quite q number
Of lads in the party. Before and dur
ing the early '80s there was no other
house on Milk House lane and but one
on Quarry road
The only house then on Quarry road
stood at the entrance of the lane on the
south side and afterWard about $50 feet
back from Columbia road on the north
side, to which place it was later moved.
1t was early occupied by a family
named Haho, and subsequently by the
Widow Mulligan and her interesting
family.
Early Residences
Beginning about 1887 other houses
were built facing Quarry road. Duane
c. Turner erected a cottage on the
spring lot, where he formed lake with
the water from the spring stocking it
with fish and pond lilies. Many a man
will recall having quenched his thirst
with the pure nectar coming from this
old spring, in the days when he wore
knee breeches and when rheumatism
and gout and similar ailments were to
him unknown. Indeed, it was for
while depended upon by the early set
tiers OF this neighborhood as their only
supply for drinking water. The home of
William A, Fry, civil engineer, later
also faced this road, as did the home
of family named Buckingham
Among the early residents of Lanier
Heights, which is bounded by Columbia
road, Quarry road and Adams Mill road
was the family of Archibald M. Nc
Lachlen, who. I believe, laid out this
subdivision and whose residence oc-
cupied the site where the Ontario
Apartments now stands.
The home of DR.. G. Brown Goode. an
early assistant secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution, stood near the ton
of the stone quarry and overlooked the
Geological Park.
The residents here also included sew
eral other Smithsonian employees, among
them being Randolph l. Geare, Dr.
Fred P. Dewey and DR.. J. B. Smith.
There were also living in this group of
scientific people Otto Heideman and
his wife, Mrs. Mica Heideman, the
artist; Richard u Goode of the Geolog-
ical Survey, De Lancey Gill and a Mr.
Hayden. Frank Faust built the first
house facing Columbia road, in Lanier
Heights, except possibly two houses
down toward the Eighteenth street end
of the subdivision.
Quarry Road
AS to the origin of Quarry road, it
does not appear on the map of 1870 and
was probably not made thoroughfare
until the District, under the old Board
Of Public Works which functioned from
ae71 to 1874, began to work the stone
euarries for constructing macadam roads
IN the District Blasting was common
here at this period as was the sight of
massive machinery employed in crushing
The stone into the different sizes needed
Boundary street--now Florida ave-
0ue-was one Of the first, II not the
Evening star., 1944-07-30

the place of what is now Mount Pleas
ant street. was Browns road Llnnaean
Hill road, later the Pierce Mill road,
and now Park road, led to Linnaean
Hill, the nurseries of Joshua Pierce, and
to the home and mill OF his father and
brother, Isaac Pierce and Abner Cloud
Pierce.
A large majority Of the boys who
went bathing in Rock Greek came from
the upper northwestern part of the city,
many by way Of Sixteenth street and
larger number over Meridian Hill by
way of Staughton street, now Belmont.
or Chaplin street.
Meridian Hill
OF course threescore years and more
ago Meridian Hill was certainly not a
fascinating sight, and crossing of and
getting to Rock Creek for a swim meant
long trudge for a barefoot kid, manv
of whom undoubtedly still recall the hot
pebbles over which they had to walk
and the delight it gave them to throw
stones against the iron sides Of the old
standpipe which stood for many years
at the head of Sixteenth street hill,
about on line with Euclid street
The only building that then stood on
the tract now known as Meridian Hill
Evening star., 1944-07-30

machine costs 10 cents-and the high
speed dryers services are thrown in free.
Use of an electric iron costs cents.
When the Capitol Park Hotel was in
private hands, rooms were IS and up.
Today man can get cot in the
center's annex for so cents. Beds with
three in room are dollar apiece. A
single room with bath for an enlisted
man costs SITS to 50 per person.
Onicers pay $3.50 to s3 each for q room
with bath. The same rates apply to
wives OF officers and enlisted men, and
women In the armed forces.
Lots Of amusing things happen at the
Evening star., 1944-07-30

center Take, for example. the tall
paratrooper who criticized the hairdo of
checkroom volunteer He said sadly:
They gave it too much heat. What a
permanent" 1t turned out he knew
because he had operated beauty
parlor for Saks Fifth Avenue before
entering the Army.
Then there was the WAVE who yelled
from needle-shower:
IF you charged mo for what this
showers worth, I'd owe you a million"
Not long ago sailor came in and
wanted suggestion for something to
do. He didn't like movies, didn't Ike
dancing, didn't want a date. After
awhile this deep-water gent settled for
a canoe trip on the Potomac.
Husband of WAVE"
All civilians must receive a pass To
go beyond the reception desk at the
center. This led recently to q quiet
laugh or two at a notation on the re-
ceptionist's entry book. A civilian ius-
band, accompanying his service wife.
was referred to in the book as husband
of WAVE"
On a recent Sunday morning several
flyers from overseas were perfumed
heavily with Chanel No. S. They had
not counted on the altitude bursting the
bottles they were returning for the
gals at home
Some dramatic things happen, too. A
service wife had stopped in with her
baby, and a photographer was there
taking few pictures. She said she
didn't want to have her picture taken.
1t turned out she was on the way home
with the body Of her husband who had
been killed.
And here Is another:
pretty, l9-year-old mother, a riveter
IN war plant, recently arrived at the
center. tired after long trip with her
baby in = day coach. She was on her
way to an Army camp in the South to
visit her husband.
volunteer said she guessed the trim
would have been a lot easier If the baby
had been left at home.
yes said the girl, but nv husband
Is going to be shipped. He wanted to
see Donny and I'm the girl that can sec
to It,"
They Talked All Night
Then there is the story of the talk
that lasted all night. Two officers met
at the center for the first time. One
was in the Navy, the other in the Army
Air Forces. Both had been in the same
battle zone in the Pacific. Both had
been wounded. Both had recovered in
the same hospital. And both had fallen
In love with the same nurse. They
shared room at the center. Through.
out the night they talked about the
Pacific. mutual friends and thu nurse
with whom they were in love.
AS the center enters its 10th month,
everybody there seems to be trying to
do = good Job for men and women in
the service. One of the main rules is
to let the GIs alone unless they ask for
help. Fellows like the sailor who want.
ed some privacy to rehearse his speech
get double quick service when they re-
quest 1t. Sometimes the job is easy,
occasionally it's tough. One Of the worst
records chalked up was on the recent
hunt for . worried soldiers store teeth.
No matter how diligently they searched
they COULDN'T locate them anywhere. Z
Evening star., 1944-07-30

landmark on Meridian Hill,
removed about 1900.
Park, was Wayland Seminary. and this
occupied section OF the northeast cor
ner of these grounds. This institution
was founded in 1865 by the Baptist
Church, for the education of colored
preachers and teachers. 1t was con-
structed of brick, three stories hish,
with basement, mansard and lofty
towers, and cost $35,00o. It was built
entirely by colored labor, and in ap-
pearance was a creditable structure for
the mechanics. About 1900 it was taken
down, and new buildings were erected
to take its place. somewhere in the
South, quite likely at Richmond, Va.
The Miller Cottage
Another structure, then on Meridian
Hill, which was Of 80 much interest az
later to be removed to Rock Creek
Park. was the joaquin Miller cottage.
Evening star., 1944-07-30

find entertainment or bed for the
night.
Baby Ferry Command"
Recently the American Womens
Voluntary Services launched what they
call the Baby Ferry Command A
serviceman's wife arrives at Union Sta
tion and faces a several-hours' wait be-
tween trains. The AWVS station patrol
spots her, explains she can take the
baby across the street for bath and
a nap. AS result of this service, many
tired mothers have come to the center,
where nurses are on duty day and night
A non-proft charge is made for all
services not free. A bath, for instance,
is free II man has his own towel and
soap. If he doesn't, the charge is
dime.
Ra1ors and shaving brushes are loaned
without charge, but a man must pay a
nickel for g. blade. Use Of a washing
Evening star., 1944-07-30

bridges formerly stood; first wooden
structure and later an iron bridge, the
abutments of which are still discernable,
and which gave way for the present
magnificent structure Then there was
the Adams Mill road, which leo to the
old Adams Mill on the creek and to the
Holt House, now the headquarters of the
National Geological Park.
Farther to the north, probably taking
Imperial Valley press., 1944-05-08

:. The daylight raids followed strong
RAF night attacks on Nazi airfields
and ammunition dumps in France,
the chemical center of Leverkusen
in western Germany and Bucharest,
capital of Romania.
In the 48 hours since clearing
skies permitted resumption of full
scale air attacks from Britain,
American and Raj planes based
here and in Italy were believed to
have dropped more than 1900 tons
of explosives on Adolf Hitler's Shaky
fortress.
BATTER BERLIN
OF this, one third or the total,
1900 tons, has been cascaded on
Berlin in the two American raicS
Sunday and Monday.
Flying FortresseS made up the
bulk of the force that hit the Ger
man capital Monday while Liber-
ators went TO Brunswick. MeSSer-
schmitt aircraft center l20 miles
to the west. Lightnings, Mustangs
and Thunderbolts of the 9Th and
9th u. S. air forces provided the
escort
Berlin not only Is the seat OF the
government and the brain center.
of it's war direction, but also Is
probably the most important rail-
way junction in Europe and has
the largest concentration of indus
tries of any city on the continent.
The RAF pressed its night often
sive from both British and Italian
bases, with the northern Armada
attacking at least SIX targets in
France and the chemical center of
Leverkusen in Germany and the
Continued on Page 6, Col. ID
Imperial Valley press., 1944-05-08
British RepuIse
Jap Assaults
On India Sector

ADVANCED ALLIED HEAD
QUARTERS, HANDY, Ceylon,
May 8. tUP)-Japanese troops, dis
regarding heavy losses, have opened
a general counter-offensive along
the Kohima front in a desperate
attempt to retake the positions cap
tured by British forces last week, it
was announced Monday.
Heavy japanese attacks were re-
ported in the hills north Of Ko-
hima, which Allied armored forces
penetrated several days ago, cap
turing several enemy strongpcints
in drive to clear the invaders from
the area before the monsoon rains
begin.
The japanese assaults, which were
said to be costing them diSpropor-
tionate losses, came as Allied troops
attempted to mop up the enemy
pockets in an effort to consolidate
the recent gains.
Large numbers of enemy troops
were killed as the British forces
braced themselves against the drives
and out-gunned the japanese.
Fighting also continued around
Kohima itself, communique said
but he heaviest engagements were
reported in the northern hills, where
the japanese artillery was en-.
trenched firmly.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-05-08
Train Wreckers
FoiIed at s. D.

SAN DIEGO, May g. CUP)-
Police today where Investigating
what may have been an attempt
TO derail the Santa F'e Streamliner
due in San Diego from Los Angeles
at 6:15 Sunday night.
Detective Inspectors George Orr
and Wesley Sharp reported they
removed two 50-pound steel over
head trucks from the Santa Fe
tracks about a mile north of the
depot.
An engineer operating a Diesel
electric switch engine discovered
the steel trucks 40 minutes before
the streamliner was due in San Di-
ego and called police. The trucks
are customarily used to run on
overhead beams in carrying heavy
freight in warehouses.
Detectives said they could not
have fallen from a vehicle and
evidently were placed there. Had
the Streamliner struck the trucks,
it would have been derailed, police
said.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-05-08
Pickpocket Gets
$500. Haul in
SinqIe Evening

Seven Ell Centrans were victims
OF a pickpocket who piled his trade
in unique manner along Main
street Saturday night.
Staggering up to men on the
street the man would appear to be
in the last stages of intoxication
and definitely in familiar mood.
While his victims warded him off
or held him from falling he frisked
their pockets and managed to OBJ
tain more than $500 in his evening" S
performance.
Victims listed by the Ell Centre
police were Heinie Rose, butcher,
who lost his billfold containing $85;
j. H. Rhodes, 1855 Adams, who was
short, $50; c. H. CasebOlt, Balboa
hotel reported s45 gone; E. Butch
er, Route Q, Box 24l, 81; c. j.
DeClar, $50 or $50; Byron Hurst
and Elmer Greed lost 50 and $11,
respectively.
Several victims claimed their poe
kets were friskeo while they edged
through crowds in local cafes.
Several billfOlds were found on
the streets emptied Of their cur
rency early Sunday morning, po-
lice said.
Due 10 conflicting descriptions
the police said they were unable to
make an arrest. 7aS' ''.''' - '''-'''a 4. d
Imperial Valley press., 1944-05-08
Bombers Slash
Rabaul Base
HEADQUARTERS

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
Southwest Pacific, May 8. OUP)-
Medium and light bombers of the
18th Army air force attacked the
isolated japanese base of Rabaul
New Britain, four times on Friday
it was disclosed Monday, to round
out IL consecutive weeks of an
offensive to neutralize the enemy's
former key bastion in the Bismarck
archipelago.
Flying from bases in the Sol
onions, the planes dropped So tons
of bombs in sweeps over Tobera and
Lakunai airdromeS and bivouacS to
bring the weight of explosives
dumped on the Rabaul area since
February 3 to more than 7,737 tons
Allied bombers also penetrated
Dutch New Guinea and the East
Indies above Australia. Mokmer
airdrOme on Biak island In Geelvink
Bay. $50 miles west of Hollandia,
was attacked again Saturday, and
the communique revealed that an
Allied bomber was lost the previous
day In combat with enemy fighters
Heavy and medium bombers drop
ped more than 30 tons of bombs on
Koepang and Penfoei airdromes on
Timor island and destroyed two
grounded enemy planes.
A 5,OOO-ton merchant vessel was
damaged by medium bombers which
hit an enemy convoy at Mangole
island, and attacked Nanlea town.
ship on Bocroe island, west of
Ceram