USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > Centennial history of the city of Washington, D. C. With full outline of the natural advantages, accounts of the Indian tribes, selection of the site, founding of the city to the present time > Part 55
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Molly Elliott Seawell is the author of a number of popular novels. Among them is "Hale Weston, a Novel"; "Little Jarvis"; "Mid- shipman Paulding," and others.
IIenry Adams, grandson of John Quincy Adams, is an historical and biographical writer, among his works being " Historical Essays," " History of the United States of America," "John Randolph," "The Life of Albert Gallatin," and other works.
Major J. W. Powell, Director of the Geological Survey, is one of the most voluminous of Washington writers. His public reports, as well as his private writings, are so numerous that not even a complete list of them can be presented. Some of the more important of his public works are: "Report of Special Commissioners, J. W. Powell and G. W. Ingalls, on the Condition of the Ute Indians in Utah, and Other Tribes"; "Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and its Tributaries"; "Report on the Geology of the Uinta Mountains"; "Introduction to the Study of Indian Languages"; "Report on the Lands of the Arid Regions of the United States"; "Report on the Method of Surveying the Public Domain"; Annual Reports, 1 to 12, inclusive, of the Bureau of Ethnology, the seventh annual report con- taining one of this author's most important papers, entitled, "Indian Linguistic Families of America North of Mexico," being a classifica- tion of these tribes on a linguistic basis; Annual Reports, 2 to 12, in- clusive, of the United States Geological Survey, 10, 11, and 12 in two parts, the second parts of each relating to irrigation. No attempt is made to present a partial list even of his private publications, for the reason that justice could not be done him in such an attempt. In addition to his many books, he has written many articles which have been published in the principal periodicals of the day, and now has in press a most interesting work called "The Canons of the Colorado."
Professor W. J. MeGee is also a voluminous writer of scientific works. Those that are mentioned here pertain either directly or indi- reetly to the geology of the District of Columbia: "Geologic Forma-
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tions of the District of Columbia," " The Columbian Formation," "The Geology of the Head of Chesapeake Bay," "Three Formations of the Middle Atlantic Slope," "Paleolithic Man in America," "The Geologic Antecedents of Man in the Potomac Valley," and numerous other works of a similar nature, some of which have been quoted from in former chapters of this work.
Alexander D. Anderson is the author of numerous important works, the principal one being entitled "The Silver Country of the Great Southwest," published in 1877. It is a review of the mineral and other wealth, the attractions and material development, of the former kingdom of New Spain, comprising Mexico and the Mexican cessions to the United States in 1848 and 1853. He is also the author of "Tehuantepec Inter-Ocean Railroad," 1881; "Mexico from the Material Standpoint," 1884; "The Tehuantepec Ship Railway," 1884; "Our Foreign Commerce of the Second Century," 1884; "The Mis- sissippi River and its Forty-four Navigable Tributaries," published by resolution of the United States Senate, 1890. It is, however, only proper to state that Mr. Anderson's literary work has all been per- formed with some ulterior objeet in view other than literature; his main object having been to promote the success and closer union of the Three Americas.
Richard P. Jackson, in 1878, published "The Chronicles of George- town, District of Columbia," a book of three hundred and fifty 12mo pages, divided into nine chapters, on various features of the history of the city of Georgetown. It is a valuable work, containing much information about Georgetown not to be found in other works.
James Wood Davidson is the author of "The Living Writers of the South"; "School Ilistory of South Carolina"; "The Correspondent"; "The Poetry of the Future," in which is advanced a new theory of beauty, and the poetical; and "The Florida of To-day," pronounced by the New York Sun the best book on Florida that has ever appeared.
George E. Harris, formerly of Mississippi, has written and pub- lished the following works: "Chronological Register of Decisions, with Abbreviations, of English, American, and Scotch-Irish Law Books"; "Contracts by Married Women"; "Law of Subrogation"; " Damages by Corporations"; "Law of Certiorari," and other books upon different features of the law.
The architects of the Capitol have been mentioned in connection with the history of that building. Stephen L. Hallett appears to have been the architect of no building in Washington, except so far as he was the architect of the Capitol. George Hadfield was the successor
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of Hallett, and besides his work on the Capitol, has left evidences of his ability and genius in the City Hall. James Hoban came next as the architect of the Capitol. He was also the architect of the Presi- dent's House, and of the first post office in Washington, as well as of many other good buildings. After its destruction by fire, in 1814, he rebuilt the President's House. Succeeding James Hoban, came Benjamin H. Latrobe, who was undoubtedly a man of genius. He was the builder of the wings of the old Capitol. After the destruction of the Capitol by the British, he returned to Washington and took charge of its reconstruction. He designed what Madison named the American order of architecture. Besides his work on the Capitol, he erected St. John's Church, and the Van Ness and Brentwood mansions, remaining in the city until 1817, when he removed to Baltimore. He was the preceptor of Strickland, as Strickland was of Walter, and Walter of Clark, the present architect of the Capitol.
Charles Bulfinch came next after Latrobe, in 1817. He had erected numerous buildings in New England, and was architect of the Capitol thirteen years. He also built in Washington the church for the Unitarians, and the old penitentiary at Greenleaf's Point, in which the conspirators and assassins were imprisoned, tried, and hanged in 1865. Robert Mills succeeded Bulfinch, but had very little to do with the Capitol. He designed the Washington Monument, the center building of the Treasury Department, with its colonnade, and the First Presbyterian Church. He was also architect of the Patent Office until 1852, when he was succeeded by Thomas U. Walter. After Mr. Mills came perhaps the greatest genius of all the archi- tects of the Capitol, Thomas U. Walter, of Philadelphia, mentioned above as the pupil of Strickland. He was architect of the wings of the Capitol from 1851 to 1865, and designed the great dome. During this time he assisted in the erection of the Treasury building, the Patent Office and the General Post Office extensions. In 1865, he was succeeded by the present architect, Edward Clark, his pupil, who, besides his work at the Capitol, has designed numerous houses in Washington.
Besides these architects of the Capitol, there have been many meritorious artists in this line in Washington, especially since 1871, when the era of improvement began. Mr. Adolph Cluss is a German, whose designs are peculiarly his own. He designed the Center Market House and several of the public schoolhouses, among them the Wallach, the Franklin, and the Jefferson; private residences too numerous to mention; the National Museum, and the Army Medical
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Museum. Paul Schulze has been his partner for many years. Walter S. West came from Virginia, and evidences of his skill are visible in the changes made in the old Crawford property on Highland Place, and in several private residences. On the Treasury building the architect next succeeding Robert Mills was A. B. Young, who superintended the work for several years. Following him was Supervising Architect A. B. Mullett, who, up to the time of his death, was at the head of the firm of A. B. Mullett & Sons. He was the architect of the noble pile known as the State, War, and Navy Departments building, and of many buildings erected by the Government in various parts of the country. Mr. Mullett also designed the new National Theater. and the Sun building, on F Street, the first of the high buildings erected in Washington.
James G. Hill succeeded Mr. Mullett as Supervising Architect of the Treasury. His principal works in Washington are the National Bank of Washington and the Washington Loan and Trust Company's building. Harvey L. Page was the architect of Albaugh's Theater and of many private buildings. William M. Poindexter has designed many private residences, but his principal work is the new Columbia University building. Charles E. Frazier is the architect of the Blaine mansion and the Cameron mansion, besides numerous other buildings. There are, of course, many other meritorious architects in Washing- ton, but further detail would doubtless be tedious to the general reader.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, including ground, building, its con- tents, and endowment fund, is the gift of William Wilson Corcoran1 to the public. The building stands on Pennsylvania Avenue, opposite the
1 William Wilson Corcoran was the fifth child and third son of Thomas Corcoran, a native of Limerick, Ireland, who came to Baltimore in 1754. He was born December 27, 1798, and commenced his school days in 1803, and in 1805 he entered a school kept by Thomas Kirk, a highly educated Irish gentleman, remaining therein until 1810. He then studied the languages one year with Rev. William Allen, a graduate of Aberdeen. In 1811, he entered Georgetown College, remaining there one year, and then studied with Rev. Addison Belt, a graduate of Princeton. In 1815, contrary to the desires of his father that he should have a classical education, he entered the dry-goods store of his brothers, James and Thomas, and in 1817 they established him in business under the firm name of W. W. Corcoran & Company. In 1819, this firm purchased the two-story brick building at the corner of Bridge and Congress streets, to which they added a third story, and commenced the wholesale auction and commission business, carrying on a very extensive and prosperous business until 1823, when, on account of the finan- cial crisis of that year, they were compelled to suspend, being only able to pay their confidential debts, consisting of endorsements, commission accounts, and borrowed money, compromising all other debts at fifty per centum. Then for some years, Mr.
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War and Navy Departments building. It has a front of one hundred and six feet, and a depth of one hundred and twenty-five feet. It is of brick, with brown-stone facings and ornaments, mansard roof, and large central pavilion, with two smaller ones at the corners, and it is in the Renaissance style of architecture. The cost of the building and ground was $250,000, and the original collection of pictures and statuary was worth $100,000. The institution is maintained by an endowment fund of $900,000, the income of which is managed by a board of trustees consisting of nine members, who are empowered to fill vacancies in their number by election.
The first story in the building is devoted mainly to statuary, the second to paintings and to selections from the choicest sculpture, includ- ing the Greek Slave and other fine works. The first story is twenty feet high and the second twenty-four, with an arched ceiling thirty- eight feet high in the center. In the second story are displayed many of the choice works of art of American and European painters, which form one of the most valuable collections on the continent.
The building was designed by Mr. James Renwick, architeet, and was begun in 1859; but before completion, it was taken possession of by the Quartermaster-General's Department, and occupied from early in 1861 to 1869. May 10, 1869, Mr. Corcoran placed it in the hands of nine trustees for the purposes already named, and the institution was incorporated by Congress May 24, 1870. By the act of incorporation, the building and its contents were declared free from all taxation. After the incorporation, the work of reconstruction and adaptation of the building to its original design was begun, and carried to comple-
Corcoran devoted himself to the interests of his father, collecting his rents and super- intending his property. In 1828, he took charge of the real estate and suspended debt of the Bank of the United States, with which and with the affairs of the Bank of Col- umbia he was occupied until 1836.
In 1824, Mr. Corcoran was appointed a first lieutenant of volunteers by President Monroe, and in 1825 he was appointed to a captainey by President John Quincy Adams; and in 1827 he was appointed a captain of artillery by the same President. In 1830, he was appointed a lieutenant-colonel by President Jackson, and a colonel in 1832.
December 23, 1835, he was married to Louise Amory Morris, daughter of Commo- dore Charles Morris, and by her he had the following children: Harriet Louise, born September 22, 1836, died September 5, 1837; Louise Morris, born March 20, 1838, died December 4, 1867; and Charles Morris, born July 16, 1840, died August 11, 1841.
In 1837, Mr. Corcoran commenced the brokerage business in Washington, in a small store ten by sixteen feet, on Pennsylvania Avenue, near Fifteenth Street. Here his business was eminently successful, and in 1839 he removed to the old Bank of the Metropolis building, at the corner of Fifteenth and F streets. Having taken into part- nership George W. Riggs, under the firm name of Coreoran & Riggs, this firm, in
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tion in 1871. The gentlemen named in the act of incorporation were James M. Carlisle, James C. Hall, George W. Riggs, Anthony Ilyde, James G. Berrett, James C. Kennedy, Henry D. Cooke, and James C. MeGuire, of the city of Washington and of Georgetown, District of Columbia, and William T. Walters, of Baltimore, Maryland. They were styled "The Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art."
On the 22d of February, 1871, Mr. Corcoran gave a grand ball and reception in the building in honor of the day, the proceeds of which he presented to the fund of the Washington Monument Society. In 1873, a trustee went to Europe, empowered to purchase works of art for the gallery, and Mr. Corcoran's private collection of paintings and statuary was placed in it. November 6, 1873, the board of trustees completed the organization of the institution. January 19, 1874, the picture galleries, the octagon room, and the hall of bronzes were thrown open for private exhibition by day and night, Mr. Corcoran receiving the congratulations of his friends on the occasion. April 29, 1874, the halls of sculpture and of bronzes were opened to the public, and in December, 1874, the two side galleries of sculpture adjoining the main hall; so that all the rooms of the institution for exhibition purposes were then opened to the public.
The front of the building under the main and corner pavilions is divided by pilasters into recesses, and is ornamented with wreaths and with the monogram of the founder, and over the central pavilion is the inscription, "Dedicated to Art." On the front of the build- ing are four niches with statues seven feet high -of Phidias, Raphael, Michael Angelo, and Albert Dürer; and on the side are seven niches
1845, bought the old United States Bank building, at the corner of Fifteenth Street and New York Avenne, together with all its property and effects uncollected. In 1847, Mr. Corcoran settled with all his old creditors of 1823, paying them in the aggregate about $46,000, including principal and interest. In 1848, the firm of Corcoran & Riggs (Mr. George W. Riggs having been succeeded by his brother, Elisha Riggs), having on hand about twelve millions of the six per cent. loan of 1848, the demand for which had fallen off, and which was at a discount, Mr. Corcoran determined to try the European markets, and after a short time spent in negotiation, sold five millions to six of the most prominent houses of London, England. This success brought great relief
to the money market, and secured that amount of exchange for the United States. The stock then gradually advanced until it reached one hundred and nineteen and a half, enabling the firm to realize a handsome profit, instead of suffering a great loss, which would otherwise have been the result. April 1, 1854, Mr. Corcoran retired from the firm of Riggs & Company, and for the rest of his life devoted himself to Ins private interests, and in dispensing the immense wealth he had so honorably acquired. Ilis benefactions are very numerous, and his magnificent munificence is his proudest monu- ment. His death occurred February 24, 1888.
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containing statues of Titian, Da Vinci, Rubens, Rembrandt, Murillo, Canova, and Crawford. These were all executed by M. Ezekiel, a native artist. In the central pediment is a large bronze medalion profile portrait of Mr. Corcoran, with foliage decorations, and on the tops of the two columns are bronze groups of children holding gar- lands, and the emblems of architecture and music. These were also the work of M. Ezekiel.
On either side, resting on the stone coping of the steps at the entrance to the building, are a pair of colossal bronze lions. They were cast from molds made over the famous lions by Canova, at the tomb of Clement XIII., in St. Peter's, at Rome.
In the rear of the gallery, facing on Seventeenth Street, is a build- ing twenty-four feet wide, and extending back one hundred and six feet, erected during the summer of 1889 for the accommodation of the Corcoran School of Art. This building is one story high in front, this portion containing three class rooms, each lighted by an ample skylight. In the rear, on the first floor, is a room forty-four by twenty-four feet, communicating with the sculpture hall of the gallery, and containing the Tayloe collection, bequeathed to the gallery by Mrs. B. O. Tayloe, of Washington, District of Columbia. Over this is a room of the same size, for the life class of the school.
The chief interest attaching to this gallery of art is, of course, in the interior of the building. The main hall is ninety-five feet by twenty-four feet, is lighted by windows on the north side, and opens into two adjoining galleries of sculpture on the east side of the building, and into the room containing the Tayloe collection. On the west, it opens into the hall of bronzes, sixty-two feet by nineteen feet. The central portion of the ceiling of this hall is supported by four Corinthian columns with gilt capitals.
The picture galleries are in the second story. The main picture gallery is ninety-five feet by forty-four feet, twenty-four feet in height to the corner of the arched ceiling, and thirty-eight feet to the inner skylight. This room is handsomely decorated, by Mr. Vincenzo Stiepeviteh. On the east and west sides of the main hall are smaller galleries, which open into two corner ones in the front of the building. Between these corner galleries, and immediately opposite to the entrance to the main gallery, is the octagon room, containing the Greek Slave as the chief ornament.
The board of trustees at the present time is as follows: Charles M. Matthews, James C. Welling, Edward Clark, Samuel H. Kauffman, Frederick B. McGuire, Walter S. Cox, Charles C. Glover, Calderon
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Carlisle, and W. M. Galt. James C. Welling is president; Charles M. Matthews, vice-president, and secretary and treasurer. The curator is Dr. F. Sinclair Barbarin, and the teacher of the art school E. F. Andrews.
The artists in Washington, aside from architects, who have con- tributed to the fame of the city as an art center, are Harold McDon- ald, Robert C. Hinckley, Edmund C. Messer, Eleazer II. Miller, Richard Brooke, Max Weyl, S. J. Uhl, and E. F. Andrews, all painters in oil; William HI. Holmes and Delancy Gill, painters in water colors, and U. S. Dunbar and Clarke Mills, sculptors.
CHAPTER XVI.
CHURCH HISTORY.
Trinity Catholic Church -St. Patrick's Church -St. Peter's Church -St. Matthew's Church -St. Mary's Church -St. Dominic's Church-St. Aloysius' Church - Other Catholic Churches -St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Christ Church - St. John's Church, Georgetown -St. John's Church, Washington - Other Episcopal Churches-Dunbarton Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church," Georgetown -Fourth Street Church - Foundry Church - Wesley Chapel- - Ryland Chapel-Other Meth- odist Episcopal Churches - Methodist Protestant Churches -West Street Presby terian Church, Georgetown - First Church - F Street Church + Second Church -New York Avenue Church - Fourth Church -Other Presbyterian Churches - Congregational Churches - First Baptist Church -Second Church - E Street Church -Other Baptist Churches-German Evangelical Lutheran Church& St. Paul's English Lutheran Church -Trinity Church -St. John's (Johannes'), Church -Other Lutheran Churches-The Reformed Churches- United Brethren Church - Unitarian Churches - Vermont Avenue Christian Church -Ninth Streef Church -The Washington Hebrew Congregation -The Adams Israel Congregation - The Church of the Holy City.
TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH, of Georgetown, was established T prior to 1795; for on April 6 of that year, according to the church records, a marriage was solemnized, and on the 14th of May a baptism. These records were signed by Rev. Francis Neale, S. J., the first pastor. The lot had been purchased some years before by Bishop Carroll, and the church edifice was paid for by contributions from the people of the adjoining counties. It was erected at least no later than 1797, by Andrew Boyle, who contributed of his own means, -according to some, donating the lot. On this lot stood a blacksmith shop, in which mass was said until the means for the erection of the church could be collected. The donation of the lot appears to have been upon the condition that two of Mr. Boyle's sons should be educated in Georgetown College; for when the last son left that institution, there still remained an unexpired term of tuition due the estate, which was paid by the college in money.
Rev. Father Neale was succeeded in 1818 by Rev. C. de Thoux, a Belgian preacher, who conducted the first confession in the church. During his charge, accessions were numerons, rendering the enlargement
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of the church a necessity. Arches were opened through the side walls and sheds were erected, and galleries were reached from the outside by means of staircases. The next pastor was Rev. Stephen Duboison, formerly private treasurer to Napoleon. Ile was succeeded by Rev. James F. M. Lucas, the founder of St. Peter's Church. Next came Rev. Philip A. Sacchi, an exile from Russia on account of his religion. He was, in turn, succeeded by Rev. Peter P. Kroes, and he by Rev. Peter O'Flannagan, whose pastorate of eleven years closed with 1852. In 1852, Rev. Joseph Aschwanden became pastor, taking charge of the new church erected in 1849-50. The church was dedicated on Sunday, June 15, 1851.
The next pastor was Rev. Anthony Ciampi, who remained one year. He was followed by Rev. Thomas Mulledy, who remained until 1858. Rev. Aschwanden returned and remained until the time of his death, in 1868. In this year Hippolyte Gache, becoming pastor, erected a pastoral residence near the church. After two years, he was succeeded by Rev. Charles H. Stonestreet, who continued until 1874. Rev. John .S. De Wolf, the next pastor, made an addition to the alioreh for the benefit of the parochial school for boys, which for several years had occupied a building on the opposite side of the street In 1877, Rev. J. J. Murphy, S. J., became pastor again, but continued only one year, when Rev. Anthony Ciampi returned. Sub- sequent pastors have been Rev. Julius Maitrugrees, Rev. S. A. Kelley, Rev. Robert W. Brady, and Rev. William J. Scanlan, S. J., the present incumbent. The membership of the church is now about three thousand.
St. Patrick's Catholic Church was organized in 1797, some of the original members being . Thomas Carberry, Ennis Casenaves, and families by the name of Young and Clarke. The first pastor was Rev. Andrew Caffrayes, and the second the Rev. William Matthews, from 1800 to 1854, fifty-four years,-one of the longest pastorates in the history of this country.
The first church building erected by this congregation stood on F Street, near Tenth Street, and was erected in 1810. It was one hundred and twenty by eighty five feet in size, and was a plain brick building in the form of a Latin cross. It was furnished with a hand- some pulpit of rich foreign wood, presented to the church organiza- tion by Mr. Ribello, then representative in Washington of the Empire of Brazil. This church was used until near the beginning of the War of the Rebellion, when a new and much larger church was erected and completed. Its erection was provided for at a meeting
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