Evening Star Newspaper, May 21, 1933, Page 68

SUNDAY STAR, 'hSHlNGTON, e P. € MAY 21, 198 e ARCHITECTS AND THEIR DISTRICT WORK William T hornton, Who Designed the Capitol, and James Hoban, Who Plan- ned White House. Others W hose W ork Is Found in Old Buildings of the National Capital. BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR, LD buildings have a great fascina- tion for some people, especially if they happen to come Across an old mansion a hundred or more years old, or an early inn or tav- ern where some of the great men of our country stopped when America was still in its experimental stage. Indeed, to the retrospective mind, that lives in the days be- vond recall, there is a certain amount of al- Jurement and enchantment in everything of an antique character, and perticularly is this so when the object is associated with those who have gone before, but who, while here on earth, so endeared themselves to mankind as to perptuate their names on history’s pages. There is also another class of people whose minds do not run in this channel—who only live for today. and whose pleasures consist mainly in seeing others work while they play and loiter along life’s way, bringing nothing into the world, taking out with them nothing, and leaving nothing behind. They fail to see the happiness and mental profit of stand- ing before some old house of Colonial style, and of dreaming, as it were, of those who once lived within and who daily went in and out of its portals; where perhaps the new-born babe of some early family first saw the light of day; where kings, queens and potentates were lavishly entertained, and where our own American gentry were frequently cordially wel- comed. And then, the reverse of the picture, the sad and pathetic phase of life, when the head of the house and other members of the family were silently and mournfully carried hence, to the little God's acre nearby, never to return again, Though Washington is not a very old place as cities go, yet there are homes here, erected many years ago, which tell life’s story through several generations, embodying all the pleas- ures and sorrows, successes and disappoint- ments as in the historic mansion and early residences of much older places elsewhere. As we look at some attractive old building, which still retains the mud scraper on the step and the old-fashioned knocker on the door—and which has not been modernized with up-to-date shutters and a brand-new roof—seldom do we ever inquire who the architect of this beautiful structure was, and yet, it is to him that we are under everlasting gratitude for the present and past artistic beauty of the city—for those old shrines ove: which we dream tcday. N many instances shere is considerable doubt as to just who were the designers of some of our early homes, and a conclusion is only drawn through the uncertain process of comparison and deduction. In other instances the design is claimed for more than cne per- son, as, for Instance, the Capitol. But it is pretty well definitely settled that the plans of Dr. William Thornton were selected and used in constructing the original part of this won- derful piece ©f architecture, just as it has been conclusively determined that L’Enfant designed the Capital City itself. But although this is the most famous building in Washing- ton to Dr. Thornton’s credit, yet, fortunately, we have other well known examples to per- petuate his name. Tudor place in Georgetown, a beautiful old mansion occupying a whole block at Thirty- first and Q streets, is one of his outstanding tributes to Georgetown, althcugh he quite likely also designed his early Georgetown home, 3221 M sreet. Tudor place, the ground of whch was bought by Prancis Lowndes in 1794 from Thomas Beall, and sold by Lowndes in 1805 to Thomas Peter, was probably begun before the transfer of the property to Mr. Peter, who had married Martha Parke Custis, granddaughter of Mrs. Washington. Indeed, it is said that the wings were built first and that the building was completed with funds left Mrs. Peter through the bequest of her step- father, Gen. Washington. It is now owned by Dr. Armstead Peter, jr. This building is one of the show places of Washington. Gen. Lafayelte was entertained there shortly after he came fo the city in 1824, and we are told that the Confederate chieftain, Robert E. Lee, visited his relatives there on his last visit to Washington, prior to his death in 1870, Robert Peter, the father of Thomas, was one of Georgetown's early merchants. He was born o 8cotland in 1726, and came to this country Front view of the District Court House. Erected from plans by George Hadfidd.. and opened a store in the West End about 1752, and must have become wealthy, for he erected & home for each of his sons (Thomas, Robert, David, George, Sandy and James—as Hines puts it) on K street northwest. They were built in groups of two, Thomas Peter and his wife residing in the one to the west of the group between Twenty-sixth and Twenty- seventh streets, and it was this house that Washington so frequently visited when he stopped in Washington, and it was from here— 2620 K street—that Thomas Peter went when he removed to Tudor place in 1805, and the British Minister, David Montague Erskine, rented the house from that time until 1809. R. THORNTON was a versatile sort of a man., He was in turn a doctor of medi- cine, an architect, a painter, a writer, an inventor and a philanthropist, and besides, was a diplomat and a good mixer. He held the friendship of many great men, not least among whom was the First President, for whom he designed two buildings which stood for many years on North Capitol street be- tween B and C streets, now a part of the Capitol Plaza. He superintended the construction of these buildings as well, and was the intermediary through whom all bills were paid to the con- Old Metropolitan Hotel, showing marble portico. they sat on the benches beneath the trees, swung in the hammock, walked about and Mrs. Thornton led the way through the kitchen to look at my milk house; she was so pleased that she called the Dr., and he so pleased called ali the rest, and so my milk house underwent the inspection of the secretary, the phylosopher and the good ladies. It was in nice order with about a dozen or 15 large pans of milk ranged around; Sukey, who was sitting on the steps cutting smoked beef, was quite proud of their praise. I, as a country woman ought to do, set cut my large table, with nice white cloth, plates, knives, homemade bread, etc., etc. My butter, which was as hard as in the middle of Winter, was highly praised when Mrs. Thornton observed my woman made excellent butter, I really felt a sensation of pride, which I do not often feel, in telling her it was my own making and that since the first of May, I had never missed churning but once. You cannot think what a right-down farmer's wife I am, but next Winter will, I hope, convince you, that at least I am a good dairy maid, as you will eat of the fine butter I pack away. I have méde about 60 pounds this Summer and have packed near 30 away. “I tell you these little nothings, dear Busan, to bring you amongst us in fancy at least; ah, (Photograph loaned by Waddy B. Wood:) ) tractors. During the early days of the city, he and Mrs. Thornton were always hospitable to new arrivals and made frequent calls upon them to make them feel at home when even the site of the Capitol was a forest, and only a farm house here and there dotted the area we are now pleased to call the City of Wash- ington. Upon one of these asions he called upon Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harrison at their country residence, called Sidney, a visit re- corded at the time by Mrs. Smith, who, under date of July 31, 1806, says: “Last Sunday while I had my little flock around me, the noise of carriages drew us to the door and Mr. and Mrs. Madison, Dr. and Mrs. Thornton and Mrs. Bordeaux came to spend the evening. Mrs. M. was all that was tender, effectionate and attractive as usual; Mr. M. was in one of his most sportive moods, the Dr. in his philosophical and the ladies disposed to be pleased. how I wish you were here in reality! Surely the country is as favorable to the health of the soul as to that of the body, for never do I feel the power of my mind so active, or the affections of my heart so warm as when sur- rounded by the works of nature.” THE early architect and cesigner of the Capi- tol was born on the Isle of Jost van Dyke, in the West Indies, on May 27, 1761. On October 13, 1790, Dr. Thornton, then 29 years of age, married Anna Maria Brodeau, a slip of a girl 15. But they had a long and a happy married life, he dying in 1828, while she lived until she was close to her 90th year. Dr. Thorn- ton is buried in Congressional Cemetery. Other structures designed by him, in addi- tion to those already mentioned, were Brent- wood, which stood just to the north of the Union Market at Pifth street and Florida aye~ nue northeast; Woodlawn, near Mount Ver- non; the University of Virginia, and, of course, the Octagon, at the northeast corner of New York avenue and Eighteenth street, which was completed about 1800 for John Tayloe, and which housed President Madison for awhile after the burning of Washington by the British in 1814, and here the treaty of Ghent was signed. It is now the headquarters of the American Institute of Architects. The White House was designed by James Hoban, and he superintended its constructiom, and after it was burned in the War of 1812-15, he superintended its reconstruction. He 1 buried in Mount Oflvet Cemetery, on the Biadensburg road, and the date of his death on the tombstone—December 30, 1830—should be December 30, 1831. The White House was mcdeled after the palace of the Duke of Leicester, at Dublin, Ireland, Hoban’s native country, and though remodeled several times, remains cxterlorly the same. George Hadfield, another of the architects employ to develop the Thornton design for the Capitol, has displayed his art in the City Hall building at the head of John Marshall place at D street. This building, as you per- haps know, was partly erected through a lot= tery scheme, a mode of gambling in full swing when the corner stone was laid August 23, 1820, yet it was many years before it was come= pleted, and then only a section or two at & time. Indeed, Sessford tells us, 19 years laters “The City Hall, that has stood so long in & rough state, is mow nearly completed on the south front according to its original design, and has a grand appearance; an extension of the two wings is much wanted for city and United States purposes.” Again, in 1850, Sessford records: “The en= trance of the east and west fronts, agreeable to the plan, would afford ample room for i uses; to the west and on the east, rooms be made for the Criminal Court or other offices, separating the court end from. the city officesy; and I am informed that $15,000 would be suffis cient for the west wing, and the east wing, from the nature of the ground, would require somewhat more. The rotunda portion need not be touched for some time.” N Mr. Sessford’s annals for the year 1859 he also makes reference to the City Hall, indle cating that it was not completed at that time, That the District government moved into it at an early date is quite evident, for we find an early statement to the effect that, “In the Weightman buildings” (which were located on the east side of Sixth street between Pennsyl- vania avenue and C street, probably covered by the National Hotel), “for two vears prior @ August 15, 1820, the mayor and the register had offices; then they moved to the new CHy Hall.” Another item that shows the District’s early sccupancy reads: “At the City Hall, upon the mayor's call, was & town meeting, July 8, 1826, to arrange a memorial in honor of Mr. Jeffer+ son; another, July 11, for like arrangement t0 Mr. Adams. William Wirt, then Attorney Gen= eral, was designated to deliver an oration em Jefferson and Adams.” In 1825, a year before this meeting, the Orphans’ Court and the office of the register of wills were moved to the City Hall, and in 1827 we find that * * * “the great western room of the hall was furnished and occupied by the Common Council.” One of the things that have always appealed to mankind is the idea of getting rich quick, Today we have the bucket shop, the race track and a number of other places, legal and illegal, where at least one out of 10,000 can make money—and that is usually the man who runs the business. Fifty years ago the Louislana State lottery sold its tickets openly in Wash- ington, and 25 years before that Pennsylvania avenue at certain points was almost lined with lottery offices, where tickets in almost all sorts of schemes were sold 3 If this old City Hall—or the Court House, as - it is now called—could speak it could tell many interesting stories of the criminal and civil trials which have taken place within its walls—for instance, the Star Route trial, the trial’ of Guiteau for the murder of Presiden{ Garfield and the civil suit of Madaline V, Pollard against Col. Breckenridge. A very in- teresting case has now been heard, in whi Gaston B. Means is the principal defendant and which, like many others that preceded i, will find a place in court history. HARLES BULFINCH, who, as an architeet, participated in the early construction of the Capitol, left many architectural mon- umentis to his memory elsewhere, but only oné building in the city, and that one no Jonger standing, was known to have been designed by him. It was the old Unitarian Church which stood from 1822 to 1904 on the site of the present Police Court, at the northeast corner of Sixth and D streets. This old church is well within the mem- ory of many who may still be considered as being not over middle-aged, and during the 80-odd . years it existed underwent but slight change. It was of brick, with smooth plaster- finish exterior, with steeple, in which was placed the first bell erected in the city, except the one used at the Capitol to announce the hour for starting and ceasing work on the building. At the time of the execution of John Brown at Charles Town, W. Va., in 1859, it was the only bell In the city to toll its mournful sympathy, which, however, was re- sented by the city government to such an extent that from that time on its use for fficial announcements was discontinued, When the new church was built, at Four- teenth and L streets northwest, the bell was removed there, and after this church was crowded out to be replaced by a business block it was probably taken to the new church at Sixteenth and Harvard streets. But where=- ever it may be, it is & valuable relic, not enly,, for its association with this church, but also