USA > Washington DC > The chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., from 1751-1878 > Part 7
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BANKS.
several hundred thousand dollars in response to its call; that by her funds the southwestern army which won such bright trophies at New Orleans, were mainly sustained; that, at that period, this institution was but a private association of individuals without a charter ; that, consequently, for all engagements those individ- uals stood personally responsible ; lovers of their coun- try, they saw their country in need, and patriotism prompted them to her relief. For these facts we ap- peal not only to the records of the institution, but to the official documents of your Government of that day."
The charter of the bank was renewed by Congress from time to time, and the business of the bank pros- pered so much that the stock which was selling in 1838 for fifty cents on the dollar, rose in a short time to seventy-five, and before 1870, went above par value. When the bank was converted into one of the national banks, under the name and style of the "Farmers and Mechanics' National Bank of Georgetown," coming under the act of Congress of June 3d, 1864, the divi- dends declared by the bank have been four per cent. every six months, which is most gratifying to the stock- holders, and shows that the bank affairs are well managed and in good hands. We now give a list of the presidents and cashiers of the bank from the chronicler's recollection : Clement Smith, president to 1844; John Kurtz, president to 1850 ; Robert Reed, president to 1862; George Shoemaker, president to 1865; Henry M. Sweeney, president from 1865 to the present time.
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BANKS.
LIST OF CASHIERS.
John I. Stull, to 1844; Alexander Suter, to 1848; William Lang, to 1851; William Laird, cashier from 1851 to the present time.
This bank is the only bank in town ; and, having a good set of officers, its business is prosperous. The bank suspended specie payment in 1834, when all the banks of the country suspended, also in 1837, and again in 1857, but it suspended at the request of the business community, so that the bank might continue to discount paper, and not for the want of specie.
CHAPTER IV.
POST-OFFICE AND CUSTOM-HOUSE-LIST OF POSTMASTERS-COL- LECTORS OF CUSTOMS-MARKET HOUSE-FIRE COMPANIES-DE- STRUCTION BY THE FLAMES-METROPOLITAN RAILROAD-LIST OF NEWSPAPERS-LITERATI.
A town without a post-office is not known in our country. It was a great invention of the Government for the transmission of news from one end of the na- tion to the other. In the far West, every town that has its name blazed upon a tree has a post-office, and the postmaster carries the contents of the office in his hat. Our town has been blessed with a post-office from a remote period. The chronicler remembers when the post-office was kept on Congress Street, in a small office, the size of a lawyer's office of the pres- ent day, whence it was removed to the basement of a two-story brick house on the same street, when it was transferred to Foxall's Row on Bridge Street, and after- wards to the Union Hotel, when it was again pushed back to Foxall's Row. It never had a permanent lo- cation until Congress purchased a lot of ground on Congress Street, for five thousand dollars, by deed dated October 23d, 1856, and erected thereon a granite building for a post-office and custom-house at a cost of fifty-five thousand three hundred and sixty-eight dollars, under the superintendence of R. R. Sheckells, master builder. The building is two stories high and fronts
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POST-OFFICE AND CUSTOM HOUSE.
sixty feet on the street, and in altitude is forty-five feet. The first story is used exclusively as a post-office, being fitted up with boxes to the number of nine hun- dred and fifty-six, with locks and keys; also two spa- cious rooms for the superintendent and clerks. The second story is used for the custom-house, consisting of two rooms for the use of the collector and clerks. The basement of the building is used for the storage of foreign goods until the duties are paid.
In 1790, there were only seventy-five post-offices in the United States, and Georgetown was one of them; but it has been ascertained that the office was in operation on the 5th January, 1776, under the man- agement of Benjamin Franklin, who was the first Postmaster General, and who had an assistant here to manage the office. The rates of postage at that day were high compared with the present. Single let- ter, sixty miles or less, seven cents ; one hundred miles and over sixty, eleven cents; two hundred miles and over one hundred, fifteen cents; three hundred miles and over two hundred, nineteen cents; four hundred miles and over three hundred, twenty-four cents; five hundred miles and over four hundred, twenty-eight cents; six hundred miles and over five hundred, thirty-three cents. At the present time there are over thirty-nine thousand post-offices in the whole country.
We here insert the names of the postmasters, and the date of their appointment, for the Georgetown post- office :
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POSTMASTERS-COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS.
William B. Magruder, appointed 16th of February, 1790; Richard Forrest, appointed 1st of April, 1797; Joseph Carlton, appointed 1st of February, 1799; Tristram Dalton, appointed 1st of January, 1803; James Armstrong, appointed 1st of September, 1817; James P. W. Kollock, appointed 20th of May, 1819; Whiteing Sanford, appointed 6th of January, 1820; William Huffington, appointed 18th of September, 1821; Thomas Corcoran, appointed 22d of October, 1823; James Corcoran, appointed 1st of February, 1830; Harriet H. Corcoran, appointed 18th of Decem- ber, 1834, and 9th of July, 1836; Henry W. Tilley, appointed 3d of June, 1840; 13th of June, 1844; 17th of June, 1848; 13th of August, 1852; 9th of August, 1856, and 3d of August, 1860 ; Henry Addi- son, appointed 6th of June, 1861; George Hill, Jr., appointed 12th of July, 1865 ; Charles H. Cragin, ap- pointed 17th of June, 1870; George Hill, Jr., appointed 6th of August, 1873.
The office was made a branch of the Washington post-office on the 24th of December, 1877.
COLLECTORS OF CUSTOMS.
James McCubbin Lingan, collector, appointed Octo- ber 1st, 1790, and before; John Oakley, appointed October 1st, 1801 ; John Barnes, appointed May 6th, 1806; Thomas Turner, appointed March 7th, 1826; Robert White, appointed July 20th, 1840 ; Henry Ad- dison, appointed July 9th, 1841; Robert White, ap- pointed July 2d, 1845; Henry Addison, appointed July 20th, 1849 ; Robert White, appointed April 6th, 1853; Henry C. Matthews, appointed April 20th, 14
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MARKET HOUSE.
. 1857; Judson Mitchell, appointed June 8th, 1861; James Magruder, appointed September 15th, 1864; Charles S. English, appointed July 27th, 1871; Fran- cis Dodge, appointed October 2d, 1877.
MARKET HOUSE.
A market house is an institution of great service and benefit to the citizens of a town, where the coun- try people, butchers, and hucksters can assemble every morning, with the productions of the soil and meats to sell to the hungry citizens. Such an institution congregates a large number of persons, to exchange money for something to eat and express their opinions about the size of a goose or turkey, or whether a chicken offered for sale is the one which crowed when Peter denied his Master.
Our old market house was erected about the year 1806, on lots of ground conveyed by Adam King and John Mitchell to the mayor, recorder, board of alder- men, and common council of Georgetown, for the pur- pose of building thereon a market house, as per deeds dated October 23d, and December 27th, 1802, as re- corded in liber No. 9, pages 129 and 130, one of the land records of the District of Columbia. The building was erected and used by the town up to 1864, when, be- coming so dilapidated, it was torn down and a new building erected in its place in 1865, at a cost of fifty thousand dollars. During the progress of the work the town authorities rented of the owners the old tobacco warehouses, situated between Bridge Street and the canal, to be used as a market house until the completion
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MARKET HOUSE.
of the new building. After the new market was ready, several butchers preferred remaining in the old tobacco warehouses, and purchased the same from the owners for thirty-six thousand five hundred dollars, and spent ten thousand dollars more for fitting up the same for conducting a market business under the name and style of the " Farmers and Butchers' Marketing Com- pany of Georgetown." Our corporate authorities re- fused to grant them a license to sell. The consequence was the Farmers and Butchers' Marketing Company applied to the supreme court of the District of Colum- bia for an injunction against the town authorities ; but the injunction was, after argument, denied. The Far- mers and Butchers' Marketing Company then went to Washington and opened a bazaar on the east side of Rock Creek, near the Aqueduct Bridge, where they re- mained until the District government was established, under an act of Congress passed February 21, 1871, when a license being granted to them by the District of Columbia they returned to Georgetown. It is rumored, at the time of penning these events, that the Farmers and Butchers' Marketing Company have sold to the Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company all their property, to establish thereon a depot, which sale, if consummated, will be of great benefit to our town, as the railroad company will erect a magnificent depot upon lots 46, 47, and 48 that will be an orna- ment to the town, and increase its business by adding a large stock of horses and a number of employes. It will make a market for the farmers to sell their oats, corn, and hay to the railroad company.
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FIRE COMPANIES.
The deeds of conveyance being executed, the Farmers and Butchers' Marketing Company have purchased a lot on the west side of High Street, near Gay, and erected thercon a spacious market house, eighty feet square and twenty-eight feet in altitude, containing forty-eight stalls in six rows of benches, with a basement for ice-house and cellars. This market will be a great convenience to the citizens liv- ing in the upper part of the town.
FIRE COMPANIES.
The first fire company formed in Georgetown was in the year 1803, when a fire-engine was purchased by subscription and taken charge of by the corpora- tion; and a by-law was passed, compelling every owner of a house to have as many leather fire-buckets kept in his house as there were stories, to be numbered and the name of the owner painted on them, to be used in time of fire, and to contain not less than two and one-half gallons of water.
In the year 1817, a new fire-engine was purchased by the corporation of John Agnue, of Philadelphia, and named the Vigilant, when a company was formed by electing John Kurtz, president; Arnold Boone, vice-president; James Moore, secretary, and James Corcoran, treasurer; with a list of engine-men and others connected with the company. Other fire com- panics were formed on the 15th day of May, 1819, called the Columbian, and the Mechanical; and at a later day the Western Star and Eagle companies came into existence. These engines had long iron levers
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FIRE COMPANIES.
with wooden arms, to be worked by the strength of the men in throwing water from the engines-the first set of men being exhausted, a fresh set would have to take their places. This was the old method of extinguishing fires.
After the Treasury Department was burnt in May, 1833, and the Patent Office in December, 1836, Con- gress made liberal appropriations for the purchase of fire apparatus for Washington City. The Franklin, Union, Columbia, Perseverance, Northern Liberty, and Anacostia fire companies were furnished with new engines and apparatus. To show their strength a great parade was had on the 24th day of October, 1837. Being a very warm day, many persons were dressed in summer clothing. The Vigilant and West- ern Star companies united in the procession. The route of march was through Washington and George- town. We had no hydrant water from the Potomac at that day, and the wells were pumped dry to supply the thirsty multitude who came from the surrounding country to witness the grand pageant.
On the 26th of June, 1866, the Corporation of Georgetown purchased a steam fire-engine and new apparatus for seven thousand five hundred dollars, and appointed fire commissioners to select suitable officers for the management of the same. The engine can throw two streams, and in a horizontal direction can throw a stream two hundred and thirty-eight feet, and a perpendicular stream over the flag-staff of the Ar- lington Hotel. The reel has fourteen hundred feet of hose, two and one half inches in diameter. There are
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DESTRUCTION BY THE FLAMES.
two horses to each piece of apparatus. The whole is managed by ten men, who sleep at the engine house, each having a separate bed and wardrobe.
DESTRUCTION BY THE FLAMES.
Our town has been more fortunate than some others in not suffering much by the devouring element. I chronicle the number of fires from my recollection : In 1830, a row of brick houses on the south side of First Street, belonging to the late Bank of the United States, were destroyed by fire; afterwards rebuilt. In 1831, December 1st, a large fire on west side of High Street, originated in the bakehouse of White & Mumby, destroying the brick dwelling and store con- nected with the same, also the warehouse of White & Mumby, with their stock of groceries, also dwelling occupied by Matthew McLeod, also two frame build- ings. The fire was checked in its course by the fire- proof warehouse of John Kurtz, now occupied by John M. May, but from that north to First Street all the buildings were destroyed. The next fire was in January, 1832; the brick warehouse on High Street oc- cupied by William Love. The next was the fine old Union Hotel on Bridge Street, burned in August, 1832, being the property of William Crawford's heirs. The next was John Lawrence's skin dressing estab- lishment on Fayette Street; burnt three times; the last time in 1838. Hick's cabinet store and shop burnt three times; the last time in 1843. The " Cedars," the residence of Col. Cox, burnt on Sunday, in January, 1847. A large brick warehouse situated
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DESTRUCTION BY THE FLAMES.
on Water Street east of Frederick, used as a tannery, was destroyed by fire in 1850. Brown's bakehouse, situated on Water Street, was burned in 1840, and once before in 1838. Nourse & Bomford's large flour mill burned in September, 1844. Bradley's warehouse, oc- cupied by Dawson as a soap and grease factory, situ- ated on Water Street just west of Frederick, was de- stroyed in 1863. Two brick houses on West Street, one owned by Mrs. Abbot, the other by Miss Magru- der, was destroyed by fire on the 15th day of April, 1857. One three-story brick dwelling on Jefferson Street in October, 1857. Also the fine residence of the late Commodore Cassin on Beall Street. "Carter Place," occupied by the French Minister, Count de Sartiges, and formerly by John F. Crampton, envoy from England, was burned in 1864. A large ware- house belonging to Gilbert Vanderwerken, situated on the lots formerly belonging to the Farmers and Butchers' Market Company, and formerly used by the Corporation of Georgetown for storing tobacco, was destroyed by fire on the 15th day of August, 1864, be- ing filled with bales of hay. William H. Hazel's livery stable was destroyed on the 3d August, 1859, and again in the year 1864. Three houses on Pros- pect Street was destroyed by fire in 1868. Rams- burg & Sons' sumac mill and skin dressing establish- ment, situated near the Alexandria Aqueduct, was burnt in 1871, and again in 1873. Lee's buildings (feed store, and dwelling), corner Bridge and Green Streets, was destroyed by fire in April, 1871. Three houses on Bridge Street, situated west of Market
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METROPOLITAN RAILROAD.
Street, was burned January 1st, 1877. A merchant mill of Mark Young was destroyed by fire on 3d July, 1877.
METROPOLITAN RAILROAD.
On the 3d day of May, 1853, an act was passed by the Legislature of Maryland incorporating the Metropoli- tan Railroad Company, to make a railroad from a point in connection with the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road, at or near the Point of Rocks, to Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, which act was ratified by Congress. Books of subscription to the stock of said company were opened by the commissioners named in said act, and, over ten thousand shares of the stock having been subscribed, amounting to upwards of five hundred thousand dollars, the necessary steps were taken to organize the said company by the election of president and directors. By an ordinance of the boards of aldermen and common council, passed June 11, 1853, and approved by the mayor, the mayor was au- thorized to subscribe in their name for five thousand shares of said stock, equal to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That subscription was made. By a subsequent ordinance David English, Evan Lyons, Robert P. Dodge, William H. Edos, and Walter S. Cox, or a majority of them, were appointed to vote the stock of the town at any meeting of the stock- holders of the said company. By an act of Congress, passed March 2d, 1855, the town was empowered to levy a tax to pay their subscription to the Metropoli- tan Railroad. After the election of a president and directors of said company, the first instalment of
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METROPOLITAN RAILROAD.
twenty-five thousand dollars upon the stock subscribed by the town was paid. On the 21st of June, 1856, the corporation passed an ordinance to pay the second instalment on their subscription to the stock of the railroad company, which was vetoed by the Mayor, Henry Addison, but the said ordinance was passed, notwithstanding the veto, by a two-thirds majority. The mayor then declared that he would not sign the bonds of the corporation to meet this second instal- ment.
By the 20th section of the charter, the road was to be commenced within two years and to be completed within five years, or the charter to be forfeited. The amount of stock subscribed was six thousand three hundred and thirty-four shares at fifty dollars per share, amounting to three hundred and sixteen thousand seven hundred dollars. The second instalment due by the town to the railroad company was not paid, because the mayor refused to sign the bonds. Neither was the second instalment paid by the individual stockholders. The consequence was, the road, although apparently begun within two years, but not being completed within five years, the charter became for- feited.
Now, let us see what benefits would have accrued to the town if an obstinate, perverse mayor had not refused to sign the bonds to pay the second instalment and all other instalments due the railroad company, and all subscribers had paid promptly their subscrip tion. We should have a railroad to-day, reaching from Georgetown to the Point of Rocks, which, if it
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LIST OF NEWSPATERS -- LITERATI.
paid no dividends to the stockholders, would have multiplied the business of the town and increased the value of real estate, and, in all probability, during the civil war the road would have paid for itself in trans- porting troops, munitions of war, freight, and other property of the United States, besides the thousands of passengers traveling over the road. The estimated cost of the road was one million eight hundred thou- sand dollars. The road would have shortened the distance between Georgetown and the Point of Rocks forty-seven miles.
LIST OF NEWSPAPERS.
Weekly Ledger, published in 1790; Sentinel of Lib- erty, by Green, English & Co., 1796; Federal Repub- lican, 1812; National Messenger, 1817; Georgetown Columbian and District, Advertiser, by Samuel J. Rind, 1826; Columbian Gazette, by Benjamin Homans, 1829 ; Metropolitan, by Langtree & O'Sullivan, from 1835 to 1837; Potomac Advocate, by Thomas Turner, 1840; National Whig Review, 1838; Georgetown Advocate, from 1841 to 1845; Georgetown Reporter, by Joseph Williamson, 1852; Georgetown Advocate, by Ezekiel Hughes, from 1845 to 1860; Georgetown Courier, by J. D. McGill, from 1865 to 1874; College Journal, by Rev. J. S. Sumner, from 1872 to the present time.
LITERATI.
As this book is intended to chronicle the events of the town, and not to contain a biography of the citi- zens, the chronicler cannot refrain from mentioning several of the literati who have resided among us.
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LITERATI.
John J. Piatt, the editor of The Capital, whose pro- ductions are indentified with the scenery of the Poto- mac River, formerly resided here. Mrs. Emma D. E. N. Southworth, the author of the "Lost Heiress," " Deserted Wife," " Missing Bride," " Wife's Victory," and other works of fiction, has her residence on Pros- pect Hill. Professor Samuel Tyler, the author of a discourse on " Baconian Philosophy," "Progress of Philosophy," " Memoir of R. B. Taney," "Treatise on Pleading in Maryland Courts of Law," and other works, departed this life on the 15th of December, 1877, at his residence on Washington Street. Charles Lanman, the author of " Essays for Summer Hours," " A Summer in the Wilderness," "Life of Daniel Webster," " Dictionary of Congress," and other pro- ductions, resides at his cosy dwelling on West Street. Wm. L. Shoemaker, M. D., whose lyrics and sonnets have been read with pleasure for many years by his fellow citizens, and whose muse deserves a much wider recognition than they have hitherto enjoyed, is a native and resident of the town.
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CHAPTER V.
POOR-HOUSE, WILL OF JOHN BARNES, AND DONATION OF W. W. CORCORAN-COMMERCE-ALEXANDRIA AQUEDUCT-WASHINGTON AQUEDUCT.
A town without a poor-house is no town at all. As the misfortunes in this life are numerous, no man knows how suddenly he may fall into them. We have had an alms-house for nearly half a century, and to it have gone many citizens who had baffled the waves and billows of this life, until, overcome by adversity, they were compelled to seek the shelter and charity of the town. The chronicler has seen men, who, when he was a child, were living in com- fortable mansions, but, before he grew to manhood, they had fallen into adversity, and were living at the expense of the people. Old age and poverty are two hard things, therefore it becomes men, when young and strong, to lay up something for the future period of life, so that, if they should live to become old, they will not have to depend upon others for a support.
The incipiency of a poor-house was first conceived by the mind of John Barnes, who was collector of the port of Georgetown. He died on the 12th of Febru- ary, 1826, leaving a will, in which he says:
"It has often occurred to me that the time was not far distant (indeed it has already become urgently nee- essary), when a poor-house or bettering house for this
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WILL OF JOHN BARNES.
county or town (it matters not by what name denomi- nated) should be established, and if proposed through the honorable and respectable Corporation of George- town, I doubt not that it would be ultimately suc- cessful, and, thereby, a good foundation would be laid towards perfecting a useful and meritorious work wor- thy the enlightened, benevolent, and opulent inhabi- tants of the District and its vicinity, and the humane at large, of contributing to the comfort and improve- ment of the suffering objects of such institutions. Whenever any progressive proceedings towards such an end becomes certain and conclusive, a sum not ex- ceeding one thousand dollars, as occasionally wanted and demanded, I freely bequeath towards its estab- lishment, and I do direct my executors, having a re- gard to the bequeaths heretofore contained, to pay the same to the authorities having power and right to re- ceive the same for such a purpose. And as the estab- lishment of a poor-house, hospital, or bettering house for this county or town, is an object very near my heart, I do direct that if my executors or trustees, for the time being, shall, in the exercise of the discretion hereby vested in them, suffer the surplus, the annual proceeds, to accumulate, then I give another one thousand dollars out of such accumulation, in addition to what I have herein before directed to be applied to that purpose, as aforesaid, in further aid of the estab)- lishment and maintenance of sueli poor-house, hos- pital, or bettering house, but neither of such bequests is to be applied until my executors or trustees for the time being, shall perceive that such proceedings have
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THE POOR-HOUSE.
been begun, as will render the final accomplishment and completion of said poor-house or hospital reasona- bly certain."
These devises of Barnes' will was contested by his heirs, but the matter was afterwards compromised, and on the 27th of October, 1827, the corporation pur- chased a piece of land, being lot No. 276, in Beatty & Hawkins' addition to Georgetown, paying one hund- red dollars per acre for the same; and on the 6th of November, 1830, the town authorities appropriated five thousand dollars to build and erect a suitable building for a poor-house upon said lot.
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