Evening star., 1952-06-29

by John Sle
The Old Brick Capitol, which
stood facing the Capitol Grounds
from 1915 was removed prior to
the laying Of the cornerstone of
the Supreme Court Building, Oc-
tober IL. 1882. Many years pre-
1t had been converted into
three dwelling houses, numbered
81. % and Is First street.
The story of Belle Boyd's incar-
ceration in the old brick structure
during the Civil War days has been
told many times, and the execu-
ton Of Capt. Wirz of Anderson
vile Prison fame is also an event
often noted, but the most historic
background of this building had
its origin long before the War
Between the States.
The reader is, of course, familiar
with the fact that this building
was erected for the purpose of
housing Congress right after the
British burned the Capitol and
other buildings on August "a, 1914.
Congress had been called to meet
here on September 10. following
the invasion, and there was but
one public building left by the
enemy large enough in which to
meet. That was the old Blodgett
Hotel building, on E street near
Seventh, where now stands the
old Land Office.
Hardly had Congress convened
there when its members were
urged to remove the Government
elsewhere by those who saw the
psychology Of the situation. In
deed. the matter went so far that
a record vote was taken in the
House, and, according to the Ma
tlonal 1ntelligencer Of September
21. 1914, it was decided not to
remove the Government, the vote
being 81 for and 80 against. After
a lapse Of three months the Sem
ate concurred.
ReoI Estote InvoIvements
To the student Of local history
1t is easy to see the underlying
cause that brought about this
decision. George Washington
the President Of the United
States. had urged the capitalists
OF the country to invest thei,
fortunes in Washington real es-
tate and, supported by Congress
the most glowing inducements hao
been set forth in direct appeal
and in advertisements. They did
so, and by the time Washington
was burned out nearly all hao
gone broke while those who had
not were fighting with their backs
against the wall to save what
little still remained. If the Cap
ltal were removed, complete bank.
ruptcy stared them in the face.
Under these circumstances Con.
gress should not for one moment
even have considered removing
the Federal Capital elsewhere
However. as Grover Cleveland
might have reasoned, it was q
condition and not q theory that
confronted the people of Wash
ington at that time. In this pre-
dicament they realized that there
were just two things that must
be done and one was Immediately
to provide adequate quarters fol
Congress, the other to lend il
sufficient funds to begin restoring
the public buildings. Both o1
these were done.
Congress accepted the offer oi
the banks to lend the Government
half a million dollars, and a STOCK
company erected forthwith ths
Old Brick Capitol. where Con.
gress met for four years, from
1915 to 1919, until the origina
Capitol was sufficiently restored
to receive it again. During thu
while President James Monroe
was inaugurated here in 1917, de.
livering the first public Inaugural
address on the outside Of thu
Capitol. and here John c. Cal.
houn died in 1850, when it wa.
Henry Hills boarding house.
Biggest Privote Building
AS originally constructed. thi
building cost the owners SIS, 900
and was the largest structure bull
here by private enterprise up tt
that time, the cornerstone being
laid on July 4, 1877 years ago.
ut was three stories in height,
according to w. B. Bryan, with .
high-pitched roof. The principa
entrance was through a wide
arched door from First street ant
above was large window opening
The Senate chamber on the frs
floor was As feet long and Is fee
wide, while the room occupied b.
the House was on the second floor
and its dimensions were IS by 4!
feet, with q gallery. Brick was tn
material used in the walls and tn