Evening star., 1944-06-04
BY John Clagett Proctor,

The rat-eXterminating campaign now
under way in Washington brings to mind
conditions that existed here in the
horse-and-buggy days of more than so
years ago.
According to records of 1879, there were
81 livery stables here and in Georgetown
some of which accommodated more than
800 horses. In addition to these there
were innumerable private stables scat
tered throughout the city. In all of
them rats ran rampant.
Horse-drawn streetcar lines doing bus
iness in Washington at that time in
cluded the Columbia Railway Co. which
ran along H street and New York avenue
and from Bladensburg road NE. to
Fifteenth street NV, the car barns
being near Fifteenth street NE, the
Anacostia and Potomac River line;
the Capitol, North o Street and
South Washington Railway Co. (prob-
ably what we used to call the Belt Line !;
the Metropolitan Railroad Co., which
then included the r and Ninth streets
lines; the Washington &, Georgetown
Railroad Co., which included the pres
ent Pennsylvania avenue, Seventh and
Fourteenth street lines, the Brightwood
line and all other existing lines later
becoming a part of what is now the
Capital Transit Co.
In 1872, and subsequently, the Seventh
street car line had it's barn and stables
on the triangular shaped block bounded
by T street and Florida avenue and from
Seventh street east to where the block
comes TO a point.
Gateway to the City
Florida avenue at this point and at
this time was the gateway to the city.
and in the office of the railroad COM
pany at the southeast corner OF Seventh
street and Florida avenue was the first
place prisoners were taken prior to the
second precinct station being located a
block farther north an Seventh street
and on the opposite side of the street.
On the northwest corner OF Seventh
street and Florida avenue stood the
Cross Keys Tavern. which existed dur
ing the '40s and sos and in front Of
which was sign attached to tele-
graph pole to attract the attention OF
the farmers on their way to and from
the city, and the creaking noise from
which, on windy nights, could be heard
for long distance.
The Avenue horse stables and car
barns were near the Capitol and on M
street, in Georgetown, little west of
Wisconsin avenue, and the Fourteenth
street line had its barn and stables at
Fourteenth street and Florida avenue.
The Epizootic Epidemic
BY this time 1t can be seen that there
. must have been considerable number
of horses in the city when the epizootic
made its appearance In 1872, and that
horse disease then so prevalent had the
veterinarians about as much stumped as
doctors were over the influenza epi-
demic that took SO many human lives
to the old horse disease, which the
writer particularly remembers because
1t was during his hobbyhorse days. One
of the treatments given the affected
horses was to wrap q wide band of red
flannel around their necks Indeed the
disease was so general that there were
very few horses In town not so treated,
and, perhaps to keep up with the times,
the writer at that tender ago also put
red flannel around the necks of his
wooden horses. This was also q populuar
treatment in those days for any one who
deemed particularly effective, but it
probably did the humans as much good
as it did the wooden horses.
However, If such an epizootic should
occur again it probably would not attract
nearly as much attention as it did years
ago, as we have comparatively few
horses nowadays. The electric car and
the automobile has taken their places
In the cities, and the tractor has sup
planted them on the farm. Neverthe-
less, according to the animal census, it
will be some time before we will have
to depend upon circuses and zoolosical
parks for glimpse Of old dobbin
When the Horse Had His Day
The horse has performed his special
part In the worlds history and most of
the notable characters who have come
down to us, and whose light will always
shine-such as Joan of Arc, George
Washington and others-are generally
and sometimes almost entirely pictured
astr1de some beautiful animal. No mat
ter how scarce the horse may some day
become, as time goes on, the part he
played in battle, in pioneer work and
In other ways leading to world progress,
Will always prove topics of interesting
and instructive reading.
Even today good Wild West show on
the screen attracts big house, and the
rooeos are not lacking in patronage,
though the daring riders may not be as
skilled in controlling the fractions ami
mails as a certain Mr. Rarey was just
before the Civil War.
Before coming to this country and eX-
hibiting his skill in nearly all the large
cities, this Mr.. Rarey had travelled all
over Europe, creating a sensation with
his marvellous exploits of horsemanship
Early in 1861 he was demonstrating his
power to control unruly horses in Nj
bios Garden Here the stage was board
ed securely on three sides, the front
being protected with strong ropes.
Introducing Cruiser
Mr. Rarey's first exhibit was a LARGE