Evening star., 1952-06-29
The Old Brick CopitoI
By John CIaoett Proctor

gett Proctor
the public treasury. The fent was
fixed on q basis Of 6 per cent of
the cost Of the building. with an
allowance for insurance, so that
the annual payment was $780,"
The Stockholders
Stock at 500 a share was issued
to the following persons: Daniel
Carroll Of 'Duddington held 20
shares: Thomas Law, Is; Griffith
Coombe and William Brent. 10;
William Emack. Robert Ingle and
Benjamin Burns, 5 each; James D.
Barry. Az; John c. Dixon. 4; B. G.
Orr. Alexander Mccormick and
Frederick May. 3 each; Daniel
Brent. Daniel Rapine, Gilbert
Decker and Samuel Eliot, 2 each;
James Young, Thomas Claxton,
Benjamin Burch. Nicholas l.
Queen, Francis Pic, I. S. Middle
ton, Henry Burford, John Coyle
Adams Lindsay, Thomas Foyles
Samuel N Smallwood. Kane and
Love and John earns, each;
Charles Glover and Overton Carr
"a share each. ...
These, in addition to the three
owners Of the old tavern property
were the original stockholders"
The owners of the old tavern
property, which stood just to the
rear Of this old building on the A
street side. who were Moses
Young, Henry Ingle and E. B
Caldwell, accepted for their hold
ings stock to the extent of $4,612
After it was vacated by Con-
gress, it was used for various pur-
poses until it was taken over by
the Government toward the be-
ginning Of the Civil War and
used as a prison for political Of
tenders.
A house in the neighborhood OF
the Capitol which had more than
usual interest attached to it was
located at As B street Sc, where
is now the House Office Annex
This was the home for many years
Of Mrs. Jean Margaret Davenport
Lander. whose husband, Frederick
w. Lander, was appointed a brig
adler general by President Lin
coin. May II. 1861, and was killed
in battle March 2. 1862.
Eost Copitol Street
East Capitol street has devel-
oped considerably since Civil War
days, and the outlook from the
Capitol in an easterly direction
has been greatly improved since
squares 687 and 688 were pur-
chased by the Government in 1872
and 1873 and made a part of the
Capitol Grounds.
i These squares were to the east
OF the Capitol, square 687 being
between Delaware avenue and
First street and north A and E
streets, while square 688 was in
the southeast part of the grounds
and was bounded by New Jersey
avenue and First street and A and
B streets. After this ground was
bought and the structures on IL
were removed, the streets within
the area were obliterated.
When the grounds were plottet
the north line east of North Capi.
tol street was on an 80-foot stree
known as A street, and westward
B street marked the boundary
Consequently the two squares cas-
of the Capitol Plaza, which were
absorbed under the act of May
1872, were building squares, ant
that north was well settled on tn,
south front in the early days O.
the last century. While on papel
the original lines were as above
all north and south of A street
and outside q semicircular fence
erected about 1916, extended abou
halfway from the center Of TIN
building to First street on tn,
open commons.
An Historic Squore
). This square 6S7 played an i'm
portant part in the history Of tina
section. The title Of the lots wa
left in Mr.. Carroll, the origina
proprietor in 1891. Three year
after, James Greenleaf was asso
) ciated with the square, and abou
1900 there were $4,000 worth O
improvements on A street in tn
!, southwest portion of the square
, These were a row of three -storiet
and attic brick buildings, whicl
shortly after were in the posses
sion Of A. r. Dowson, who use'
| them in boarding members O
. Congress, and in the directorie
OF early years the homes of mem
bers here were described as "Mr
+ Dowson'S, No. 1, 2, 3 or f."
For nearly so years Dowsor,'
row was a veritable congressional
annex. D. D. Tompkins. Vic,
President under Mr.. Monroe
Senator Macon Of Georgia, Sen
ator Benton Of Missouri, before h