Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-01-29

NV.
Georgetown and thence through
that town, a short distance north
of Water street parallel with the
Potomac to basin in Rock Creek
between L and M streets. Start
ing again on the opposite side of
that stream, about at the foot of
I street. the canal continued to
Twenty-seventh and G streets
(N.WD and following slightly to
the east of the line of Twenty
seventh street to upper Water
street and thence substantially
along the line of B street (now
Constitution avenue) to Seven
tenth street.
Toll House Still Stands.
The old channel parelleling the
Potomac in Georgetown is still to
be seen. The stone toll house still
stands at Constitution avenue and
Seventeenth street NV. next to
the Navy Department Building.
1t was there that the barges en-
tered the Washington City Canal
and continued on the line of Con-
stitution avenue to a point under
Capital Hill. where the channel
swung to the right to hook up with
the James Creek Canal, which fol-
lowed the line of Canal Street
down to the Anacostia. That IS
what made Southwest an "island."
Filling in the canals did not al
together do away with South
vests insular character. For a
long time the railroad tracks, the
north-south link of the eastern
seaboard States. crossed the
streets on grade and cut the sec.
ton off. 1t became the most neg
lected part of the city in the
matter of public improvements.
1t had the oldest schools and
the worst paved streets. 1t became
the butt of jokes. -Four and a
Half street" became a term to
suggest everything no self respect
ing community should put up with.
Section Gets a Champion.
Then the section found a
champion in young lawyer,
Harry Wender, who felt that his
turning to a professional career
was due to the reading he had
done in the branch library at
Barney Neighborhood House. Al
though he was living in Columbia
Heights he was asked to become
the delegate of the Southwest
Citizens Association to the Fede-
ration of Citizens Associations.
He made a civic career of demand
ing improvements for South
west, and his efforts led to his
election as president of the FEEDER
alton.
One of the things Mr.. Wender
takes pride in is the bill he wrote
changing the name Four and a
Half street to Fourth street. That
seems to have made a big differ
ence. He prevailed on the police
to raid the houses of prostitu-
toni n the area and accompanied
them on their raids.
The Southwest citizens then
carried on a fight for new build
ing for jefferson Junior High
School, and won it. The school has
a fine plant under the direction
of a remarkable school teacher.
Hugh Smith, a bachelor who de-
votes his entire day to the boys
and girls in his care.
Mr.. Wender moved back into a
Southwest apartment with his
bride to help in the school fight.
AS his law business increased, he
purchased Southwest properties
to show his confidence in the area.
Now due to an increase in pros
perity and family, he lives in
Barnaby Woods. Northwest, but he
still enters any civic fight for a
Southwest cause at the drop of
a hat.
improvements Gained.
Among the improvements the
association obtained for the area
are the Hoover playground, the
Municipal fish wharf, the widen
ing of Fourth and Seventh streets
and the new steamship docks
along Maine avenue.
At the same time the Govern
ment eliminated entire blocks of
Southwest residences with the
Social Security, the Railroad Re-
tirement and the Census buildings.
Jefferson Junior High School it
self displaced four blocks of resi-
dences and, although it serves the
rooming house section of North
west in the vicinity of Court House
Square, 1t is an underattended
school today.
Mr.. Wender is now expectantly
waiting for the change to come
that the new facilities make pos
sible: new houses aid new people
for Southwest. But among the
Governments plans is one to
make another Federal Triangle,
this one south of the Mall in the
area between independence and
Maryland avenues. That would