Evening Star Newspaper, April 20, 1930, Page 81

George F. Bowerman, librarian of the Public Library of Washington, represent these two in- stitutions. 2 “From the Navy have come Woodhull, Walker, Evans, Schroeder, Wainwright, Taussig, Deer- ing. Hanscom, Cutter, Canaga, Pook, Bright and Flint; from the Army, Saxton, Smith, - Greeley, Wood, Baxter, Pelouze, Tanner and ‘Woodruff. h “The scientific world has been most ably represented by Asaph Hall, William Ferrel, Spencer F. Baird and Charles V. Riley, while liing representatives are Henry S. Pritchett (during his residence here), Dr. Robert S. Woodward, Dr. William H. Dall and Prof. F. W. Clarke. Indeed, the list of scientific names worthy of mention is too long to be given in entirety “Moncure D. Conway has mentioned as one of hi- hearers Helen Hunt, wife of Lieut. Hunt, and has spoken of her as a bright, vivacious woman, inclined to ridicule any one with a mission. Being led by great sorrow to a more serious view of life, she became the apostie of justice to the American Indian. Later she married Mr. Jackson, and was well known un- der the nom de plume of H. H. “While in Congress Horace Greeley was an attendant of the First Church. He was present when Mr. Conway preached his decisive ser- mon on slavery, and reported it to the New York Tribune.” The Unitarian Church at Sixteenth and Harvard streets, from which former President and former Chief Justice Taft was recently buried, is the successor of the First Church, at Sixth and D streets, as well as All Souls’ Church, at Fourteenth and L streets. The Har- vard street church stands not for from the source of Slash Run, quite a stream in the early days of Washington. ANOTHER use to which the old Police Court Building was put while it was still being used for church purposes, was that of a Civil ‘War hospital. It was used as such for about six months in 1862, being opened in July and closed in December of that year. Perhaps no site in the District has served a better purpose. As a church it ministered to the souls of men, as a hospital i’ cared for the maimed and wounded soldiers who fought, and in some cases died, that their country might live, and as a court it rendered—and is still rendering—a necessary service for the dis- couragement of crime. The present court building covers more than the original site and includes en tke D street side a part of what was once known as the Webster Law Building, a part of which was once the home of Daniel Webster. It was built in the latter part of 1831 by the father of W. W. Birth for Robert Burdine, and is described as having been a two-story and attic dwelling, adjoining which was later erected to the west a one-story addition, and the main entrance placed in the center of the two structures. Nearly 30 years ago Douglass Zevely in writ- ing of this house said: “After Mr. Webster vacated the house it was leased by Mr. Heilen, who had become the owner, to Mr. Hamilton G. Fant, whose wife was the daughter of Mr. Hellen, and while he oc- cupied it an addition of another story was made to the entire building. As so changed it still remains and bears the name of the Web- ster Building, given it by Mr. Fant when it be- came an office building, about 30 years ago. “A night or two after the nomination of Gen, Scott, in 1852, there was a Whig ratification meeting held in this city and a large proces- sion was formed which called upon Gen. Scott, who was then residing "1 the ‘Chain Building,’ as it was called, on H street, near Thirteenth. After congratulatory speeches had been made. to which the general responded, the procession called upon Mr. Webster, though the move was commented on as being in very bad taste. Mr. Webster responded to the cheers of the large crowd, ‘and appeared on the porch of this house. His short speech as reporfed in the Na- tional Intelligencer was as follows: “‘You, my feliow citizens, with many others, have been engaged in the performance of an arduous and protracted duty at Baltimore in making a selection of a fit person to be the candidate for the office of President of the United States. It so happened that my name was used before that assembly, and the con- vention, I dare say, did its best, exercised its wisest and s>undest discretion, and for my part I have no personal feeling in the matter. I re- main the same in opinions, in principle and in position that I have always been. You may be assured that there is not one among you who will sleep better tonight than I shall. I tender to you my thanks for this call of friendly re- gard. I wish you well. Beneath these bril- liant stars and in the enjoyment of the beau- tiful evening I take my leave of you with hearty good wishes for your health and happiness.’ " Indeed, this is a historic neighborhood, which the writer may at some future time more fully refer to. TWO Colonial-looking residences at 311 and 315 C street northwest, not far to the south- east of the Police Court, are well worth refere ring to, not that they are very old buildings— for it is only their architecture that gives them this appearance—but because of the good work that has been carried on here for the past 35 years, at which time the property was pre- sented to the Young Woman’s Christian Home by Miss Bessie J. Kibbey, who has lived these many years to see the old residence of her parents serving as a domicile for young women —in many cases strangers in the city—who de- sire the atmosphere only to be found in & Christian home. How nice it would be if more people of means would give of their charity while they were still living and could have the pleasure of seeing its results and benefits. Just when 311 C street was built can only be assum=d to have been between the years 1846 and 1850, for it was during this time that Mr. Kibbey moved from the east side of John Marshall place, where the northern end of the National Hotel stands, to the C street residence, which would make the building about 80 years old. Mr. Kibbey, according to the City Direc- tory of 1846, kept a leather store on the south side of Pennsylvania avenue between Sixth and - Seventh streets, THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 20, P o 1930. . ¥ ressis? *0Old Police Court Building on site formerly occupied by All Souls’ Unitarian Church, at Fourteenth and L streets. These residences are in the area where will be placed, in a few years, the buildings for the municipal government, and consequently the Christian Home will have to find quarters else- where where it can continue its excellent public service. Recently, in speaking of these old buildings, the writer was told by Miss Susan Lawrence THE Young Woman's Christian Home had an unusual beginning, the idea b2ing first con- ceived by Mrs. Mary G. Wilkinson, who was prompted to make the effort to secure appro- priate surroundings for young girls just coming into the city, from the unfortunate experience of a young woman who came here 40 years ago, when conditions were just a little different 311 and 315 C street northwest, headquarters of the Yox‘mg Woman’s Christian Home, 311 being the old residence of William B. Kibbey. Davis that William Bradford Kibbey lived at 311 C street for many years and that when he died the property went to his daughter before mentioned, who turned it over to the home as rather a memorial to her parents and for fear that possibly it might some day fall into the hands of some unscrupulous person. from what they are now, and unfortunately made the mistake of getting into a house which did not bear a good reputation, which, of course, she soon found out, when she moved to other quarters. ‘The following Sunday after this incident hap- pened the young lady attended a church here Love’s Ancrent Oath. By Pauline Dillingham. When I am old, and can no more remember How water gleams bencath a golden moon; How coldly bluc are shadows in December, And how the bees hold carnival in Jume; When faintly sounds half-recollected thunder, And pale has grotwn the flame of sunset skies; I shall recall, with all my old-time wonder, The dark, breath-taking beauty of your eyes. When I am old, almost too old for sorrow, Too weary from the burdens of each day To dream of joy in some remote tomorrow, Or overmuch to care for work or play; When, chilled by age, I have forsworn all passiom, All anger, pity, rapture or desire, I still shall love you after my old fashion, Still burn for you with all my ancient fire. and made the acquaintance of Mrs. Wilkinson, whose habit it was to be friendly with visitors, and to whom she related her weird experience. The kindly lady took the girl to her home for the time being and later secured a suitable place for her to stay in the city where the contact with a Christian element would be assured. But thus it was that the seed was sown for the forming of this institution having for its object keeping pure the lives of the many girls who came here annually from small towns throughout the United States, some seeking employment, others to fill positions already secured. Of the many religious activities of the city, indeed none is more worth while, more elevating or more worthy. The first location of the home is said to have been somewhere on Sixth street northwest, and on the first board of trustees, as mentioned in the articles of incorporation, dated February 23, 1887, were such prominent Washingtonians as Mary G. Wilkinson, Benjamin H. Warder, Octavius Knight, Thomas P. Morgan, Eliza N. Blair, Emma E. Dorsey, Nathaniel Wilson, Francis H. Smith, A. J. Falls, R. D. Mussey, E. D. Powell, Caroline M. Lawrence, Francis E. Childs, H. A. Hall, Elphonzo Youngs and Addi- son M. Smith. Some years ago, as a result of the demand for further room to accommodate the guests, house 315 C street was purchased, and this, together with 311 C street, now provides ample room for the nearly 75 girls who are privileged to live here at a nominal cost in an atmosphere equal to any religious home in the city. Of course, the real management of the home is left to Miss Jennie Roberts, the superin- tendent, who has as her able assistants Mrs. Emma Potz and Miss Jessie Stillwell. Miss Roberts has held her position for 25 years, which in itself indicates the valuable service she must have rendered. ‘The present officers of the home are: Presi- dent, Miss Dumbell; first vice president, Mrs. George W. White; second vice president, Miss A. D. Kelly; third vice president, Mrs. J. H. Young; fourth vice president, Miss Alys Down- ing; treasurer, George W. White, and secretary, Miss Mary P. Godding, while Mrs. William B. Gurley is first honorary vice president for life. Great Soil Wasted, IP there had been two-ton trucks in Chris- topher Columbus’ day, and they could have passed along at the rate of, say, one every five seconds, the end of the line necessary to trans- port the amount of soil washed into the ocean by the rivers of this country in one year would be somewhere in sight about now. It is estimated that 513,000,000 tons of earth are washed away in this manner every year. Of this huge total Old Man River sweeps away 428,000,000 tons. This huge total does not in- clude the soil that goes to create sand bars and fill channels of rivers and otherwise harass river men. ‘The seriousness of this soil wastage may be seen in the fact that the soil contains 21 times as much plant food as the plants themselves use in the course of one year. The astounding figure of 126 billion pounds of plant food is set as the estimate of the loss through erosion. The task of battling this situation is the pitting of man against the almost irresistible forces of Nature herself. There are various means of preventing the erosion, and prevented it must be, for in the future a serious condition of famine might easily result through loss of soil fertility. The cost and labor entailed in the various means suggested are great, and it takes vision to bring the means about, but, nevertheless, sooner or later, many sections of the country must come to them. There is, for instance, the system of terrac- ing fields, contour ploughing and cultivation, proper forestry development which will provide the necessary restraint to flood waters, which might otherwise come rushing devastatingly down the hilisides, and the limiting of sharply sloping ground to grazing and forestry develop- ment. When little gullies develop their cause must be discovered and corrected, before they become big gullies. Especially is this true in the case of newly cultivated land. ‘The Department of Agriculture in undertaking this study and making the findings known, is not unduly alarmed about it, but, nevertheless, the future danger is seen, together with the means for preventing a situation of famine im this country like that of China, where the bar- ren hills have brought about famine and flood and drought in a succession of tragic loss of life to that nation. . E&emptiom From Jury Duty. HEN a court goes about selecting a jury i B New York State, it finds itself sevaimly cramped through the operation of the exemp- tion law. The problem of picking a jury out of a panel is difficult enough, but added to the task is the elimination of a vast array of some of the best qualified citizens of the State. The list of those who may claim exemption includes clergymen, officers and teachers in insane asylums and retreats for drunkards, war- dens and keepers in alms houses and prisons, physicians and surgeons, dentists, pharmacists and embalmers, lawyers, professors and teacie ers, editorial writers, reporters and writers on newspapers, persons employed in glass, cotton, linen, woolen or iron manufacturing plants who are employed on a yearly basis, superintendents, engineers and collectors of canals, railroad em- ployes, telegraphers, members of the National Guard or those who have been honorably dis- charged after seven years’ service, firemen or re« tired firemen who have served five years and licensed boiler engineers. After all these have been eliminated the field is considerably marrowed, and then the battle is just nicely bagun, what with challenges, peremptory snd e‘herwise.