Evening star., 1947-06-15
'ACK in the spring of 1880,
the writer in speaking OF
the neighborhood along
pennSvjyania aven1e be-

IL the writer in speaking OF
the neighborhood along
- Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets had this to say:
This summer. We are told, square
226, which is between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth streets, E street and
Pennsylvania avenue, in which
Polls Theater stands, is to be razed
and the area turned into a park, SO
that there will be nothing to mar
the view from the north of the new
Department of Commerce Building
And, of course, as we all know this
= was done, in part, and the disman-
tling of what was originally AL
baugh,s Grand Opera House and the
Washington Light Infantry Armory,
was begun on November 80, 1890,
and other buildings in this block
soon disappeared, though what was
intended to be a beautiful park be-
came an eyesore until the present
temporary" CD building made its
appearance during the recent World
War.
Beside the theater and armory
building, some of the other struc-
lures removed included the Corn
we'll Building, noted as the meeting
place of the local Grand Army of
the Republic, where many an old
Civil War veteran spent his declin-
ing evenings recalling the battles
between the North and the South.
Indeed, few of us will ever forget
the Grand Army reunion of 1892,
when, on the Goth of September,
10000 sturdy veterans marched up
Pennsylvania avenue and were re-
viewed by President Benjamin Har-
rison, himself an officer in the war
between the States. That was near
ly SIS years ago, but the writer re-
members it well, for it was the long
est parade he ever saw
Long Parade.
His seat upon this occasion was a
camp stool, which he purchased and
placed next to the ropes on the
north side of Pennsylvania avenue
between Twelfth and Thirteenth
streets, and here he remained nearly
all day, from am. until late in the
afternoon, seeing nothing but vet
Grams and more veterans; and when
he left at S pm. they were still
marching by.
Today the ranks of the Blue and
the Gray are but mere shadow,
nearly all since then having Joined
the ranks on high.
The Cornwells occupied the lower
floors ofsthe Grand Army headquar-
ters as a grocery establishment.
AS to the site upon which stood
Albaugh'st Theater-later Chase'S,
Keith's. and still later Poli's-the
ground for the building was broken
on April 10, 1884, the cornerstone
laid IL days later. and the thsater
was opened for the first time on
November 10, 1884, with Emma Alb
bott in "Semiramide, before an
unusually large and distinguished
audience Naturally, the idea of the
infantry was to provide itself with
suitable quarters for its meetings
and its drills, and. of course. the
theaber was added to help bear the
heavy expense.
The people Of Washington were
mighty proud of the light infantry,
especially for the part it played
during the Civil War period, and
especially; at the time of the first
Inauguration of President Lincoln,
when, under the command of Col.
Davis. it not only took part in the
procession at that time but carried
that day 40 rounds of ammunition
the muskets loaded with ball and
buckshot. They were fully prepared
for an emergency should it have
arisen.