Evening Star Newspaper, March 9, 1930, Page 93

James S. Topham, and his son, George H. B, was for 35 years cashier of the National Metro- politan Bank, of which Mr. White's son, George W. White, is now president. LAMBERT TREE, another of the early Washington printers, has left behind a very interesting story of-his arrival here on Novem- ber 2, 1820, which he read before the Associa- tion of Oldest Inhabitants 60 years later, and which gives an idea of conditions in this city at the earlier date. Upon this occasion he said: “I departed from Philadelphia at 1 o’clock p.m., November 1, 1820, by steamer to New Castle, Del.; thence by stage to Frenchtown, and from there to Baltimore by steamer, ar- riving at the latter place at 7 am., on the morning of the 2d November. I left Baltimore by stage at 8 am., arriving in Washingion at 7 p.m., of the same day. Thus, 59 years ago, I traveled 30 hours to make a distance which I have often since made in between four and five, The city, as seen at this time from the parapet of the Capitol, presented to the eye a view of open fields, with here and there a house or small cluster of houses. “The Capitol itself was in a most dilapidated condition, the result of the occupation of the city by the British in 1814. The streets were mere country roads, and sidewalks almost un- known. “On the north side of Pennsyivania avenue from Pirst to Sixth street was a gravel foot walk. Tiber Creek was crossed by a small bridge, protected by a hand-rail to keep pedes- trians from falling in. The south side of the Avenue from Sixth to Third street, now cov- ered with hotels and business houses, was then occupied by the canal, which at Third street emptied into Tiber Creek. The sidewalk of the north side of the Avenue, from Sixth to Seventh street was paved with brick; from Seventh to Ninth street, on the north side, a gravel walk, and from Ninth to Tenth street a brick pave- ment; from Tenth to Fourteenth street a gravel walk, and from Fourteenth to Fifteenth a pavement; from there to Georgetown a gravel walk, F street northwest was then deemed the boundary of the city, as almost all the ground beyond that point was occupied by fields of corn or wheat, or, when not under cultivation, overgrown with scrub oak and briar bushes. “The sland, or South Washington, had but few residences, the portion of the land larger being under cultivation; and I have often heard engaged in shucking corn or stripping tobacco. Capitol Hill was almost as sparsely settled as the Island. Carroll's Row, Law's Row, and a few houses on the east side of New Jersey avenue, one of which was occupied by the late Dr. Pred May, father of the present Dr. May, constituted the bulk of the improvements in this section of the city.” vammhnammwm- ton have later beecome celebrated in the professions and in other pursuits. AN cannot be mentioned in this article, and for this rea- son it is probable the writer will find it neces- sary to add to the list in another story. But one celebrated character, weu known to the theatergoer of many years ago, will be briefly referred to. His name was Stuart Robson, and for years he was one of the most popular THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 9, 1930. B T P L e 27T S T U ewB= actors on the American stage. His character- ization of Bertie the Lamb in “The Henrletta,” is recalled even today as a superb piece of acting. This noted actor was born in Annapolis, Md., and after serving as a page in the Capitol, learned the printing business at the Govern- ment Printing Office, later becoming a com- positor on The Star, which position he gave up for the stage. His greatest success was “The Henrietta,” of which The Star said at the time of his death, April 29, 1903: “How much ‘The Henrietta’ has netted, merely to judge its success by financial standards, it is impossible to estimate, but it is said to be more than $2,000,000.” It is quite likely that the District of Columbia can boast of having today the oldest ex-printer in the United State, Maj. Willard 8. Sax- ton, who on the 13th of next August, if he is still with us then—and indications say that he will be—will celebrate the 10ist an- niversary of his birth. Maj. Saxton, a Civil War veteran, and a 15 years of age, went to Greenfield, Mass,, adjoining town to his home town, Deer- to learn the trade of a printer, in the of the Franklin Democrat. “In April, 1845, he was admitted to the Brook Association, and remained in West Rox- , Mass., until 1848, when the Brook Farm- ers disbanded. Father worked as a printer on the Harbinger, the organ of the association, under Mr. Ripley, Mr. Charles A. Dana, Mr. George Willizm Curtis and other bright minds of the day, who gathered at Brook Farm for that social experiment. “The following five years were spent in Bos- ton at his trade. Later he did printing in Cin- cinnati, and then became foreman of a daily paper, the Eagle and Enquirer, in Memphis, Tenn. In '56 father returned to Boston, where ing. “That seems to terminate the printing ex- periences in his long, busy and life.” ‘The major resides at 1347 Harvard strcet, and unfortunately, just a few days ago, suffered the loss of his life’s companion, who was well up in her nineties. Auomvehennwlnur,'ho'mhew next November, and of whom the craft and the Oldest Inhabitants can well be proud, is “Bill” Maloney—or in full-Willlam W. Ma- loney, who in his time heiped to get out many an edition of The Star, and who is the only living apprentice of Oornelius Wendell, at what is now the Government Printing Office before that establishment was turned over to the Gov- The writer asked friend “Bill” to tell him something about himself, and he did it so well ' that it is going to be given you without change. If the réader can do as well when he is push- ing 90, he will be deserving of being congrat- ulated: as we do “Bill.” Stuart Robson as Bertie the Lamb in “The Henrittta,” a celebrated ‘actor who once worked as a printer on The Evening Star. Typographical Temple, Home of Columbia Ty 3 corner stone of which was laid Hmklr.mlmersapeflenceun printer: “My first introduction into the art of print- ing was in having to await the completion of a building on E between Eleventh and Twelfth 1894, when Mr. Benedict succeeded Mr. Palmer, Mr, Benedict feeling it incumbent, with about 600 other empiloyes of the office, to with our services, it being the only I ever receilved. September 11, 1899, I again went in the G. O. P, in the graphical Union No. 101, the ecember 3, 1891. was of the well known family of Towers, father was chief clerk at the G. P. O. at the i gkit being won by a Mr. Spencer Bennerman of Chronicle office, R. A. McLean The being in the contest. the class, winning the prize of a silver stick. record for one hour and a half pariel was 2,240 ems. It would calculation to determine the number of one’s arm and fingers had to meve to reach figure. There were 12 or 15 competitors. Fred Detweiler of the firm of Judd & Detweiler and E. W. Marcoe, formerly of the Intelligencer, were the proofreaders. “Two fires occurred at the present location while I was on the force, and, while destructive, never lost an issue, Mr. McElroy of the National Tribune offering his office; the second by Judd & Detweller, next-door neighbors. ’ “My first seeing Theodore W. Noyes g 115 A