Mysterious Tunnel On Old Estate Is Freight Entrance, Says Rambler
Citizens Told Weird Stories About Passage for Wood, Coal and Groceries

There stood at the southeast corner of New Jersey avenue and C street southeast a large frame house in a big garden. Heads of the family which kept house there answered the last call and junior members of the family took up homes in other parts of the city. Neglect bears hard on a house, and this old house took on a sad look. The fence around the garden gave way to age, and heedless boys hastened its disappearance. Many flowers in the old garden, seeing that their masters had passed on, said: “It’s no use to keep on blooming here,” and they, too, died. Old trees in the garden put on dejection, but said to one another “This lot belongs to us and while we have sap and fiber in us we will stick to our post.”

The old trees are there today—not very prosperous, but loyal and tenacious. They grow on the south side of C street across the way from the South face of the House Office Building. On the New Jersey avenue side of the old house lot is a bank that rises about six feet above the sidewalk and up which wooden steps used to lead to the porch of the house. In other days this bank was pierced by a short tunnel from the street to the cellar of the house and the iron door at the street mouth of the tunnel agitated the fancy of many persons. “It was a place in which slaves were kept: “It was a place in which Americans stored gunpowder when the British came,” and it had other apochryphal uses. Is main purpose and, so far as the Rambler knows, its only purpose was to make easier the transfer of coal, wood and groceries from the street to the cellar of the house.

If the Rambler knew when the ruin of this house was taken from the lot he would tell you, but there are some things which even the Rambler does not know, and, unlike some persons you have met, he will not pretend to know what he does not. He will not even practice that mild form of deception by saying he “does not exactly know,” or that he did know but does not remember.

He thinks the house was taken apart and carted off three or four years ago. It seems to him it was about that long ago when he made a photograph of the house, and it was put away so securely that he could not find it when he needed it.

Many men will understand how such a thing may happen. There are occasions when a man’s quarters become so “messed up” or “untidy” that another and the only important member of the family “straightens things out,” or “puts things to rights,” and, of course, after a man’s things have been put in order in that way he can never find anything again.

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You were told last Sunday that Return Jonathan Meigs lived in the house which we have in mind. You were given all the facts about Return J. Meigs, sr. which the Rambler could secure. You were promised facts showing at least part of the history of the property at the southeast corner of New Jersey avenue and C street southeast.

Among the records of the District is a deed dated May 28, 1866, from the Corporation of Washington to Return J. Meigs, jr., conveying such interest as the corporation had to lots Nos. 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in square No. 692. The deed, signed by Richard Wallach, mayor, by authority of the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council, shows that these lots were assessed in the name of William T. Phillips, and were sold for taxes. Among the records is a deed to Meigs from David K. Cartter, recorded June 23, 1866, conveying Cartter’s interest in these lots for $6,000, $4,000 cash and the balance in notes. Cartter’s deed described these lots as “being the same lots which were conveyed to me by Ward H. Lemon, marshal of the District, by deed of February 24, 1864.” David K. Cartter’s deed is signed by his wife, Nancy H. Cartter.

There is also a release recorded June 23, 1866, from William A. Bradley, trustee, to Return J. Meigs, jr. Thomas Law made and executed a deed of trust January 26, 1824, and conveyed lots 3 and 9 in square 692 unto the said William A. Bradley in trust to secure payment of a certain indebtedness,” and “the said indebtedness hath long been paid, said party of the second part (Meigs) is entitled to a reconveyance of the said premises.”

Ward H. Lemon’s deed to Cartter was recorded March 21, 1864, and shows that on January 11, 1864, a writ of the United States of fieri facias (a write of execution issued on a judgment by which the sheriff is ordered to levy the amount of the judgment on goods of one party for the benefit of another) “did issue from the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia commanding him, the marshal, that of the goods, chattels, lands and tenements of William F. Phillips, lots 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9, square 692, should cause to be made the sum of $300 with interest from December 28, 1858, and the further sum of $419.34 for cost, which George Poe, jr., of this court recovered from William F. Phillips.”

David Cartter was the highest bidder for the land of marshal’s sale, February 24, 1864. The Rambler begs your pardon for not going back to the court records for a review of the Phillips case, but if he is shown that there is popular enthusiasm for reading the facts in that case, he will get them.

When Return Jonathan Meigs bought the lots in 1866 that at the southeast corner of New Jersey avenue and C street was improved with a frame dwelling and the Meigs family made that house their home for 50 years. There was a neighborhood tradition that a private school had been kept in the house and on a pane in a window of the parlor was scratched the name “Mary North.”

John B. North was a property owner in the square and he probably lived in that house, which would carry its age back perhaps to 1844. Of course it may have been built before North came to live in the square, but the Rambler was not well acquainted with the neighborhood at that time.

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The square mentioned, No. 692 is the square bounded by New Jersey avenue, First, C and D streets southeast. Under the District assessment of 1819 half of that square was owned by Thomas Law and half by Daniel Carroll of Duddington. In 1824 the owners in that square, which was not improved, were Thomas Law. Daniel Carroll and Charles Glover. In 1844 the lot owners were Frederick May, Thomas Law’s heirs, Charles Glover’s heirs and John B. North. In 1854 the owners were Frederick May, Julia M. McRae, William F. Phillips, L.N. Rogers, Joseph Saxton, J.B. North; W.H. English, John B. Magill and K.F. Page. In 1869 the owners were Return J. Meigs, jr., John F. May, L.N. Rogers, Joseph Saxton, Elisha G. English and John Roney.

This line of literature leads to a little neighborhood gossip. The square north of the square which we have just discussed is No. 690 and is that on which the House Office Building stands. It was well built with homes when the city was young and in 1819 the property owners in the square (the names being taken from the assessment books) were Frederick May, Thomas Law, Griffith Coombe, James Young, James Hockey, Henry Ingle, Gilbert Dockey’s heirs, Patrick Minchina, Henry Hill, George Burnes, Francis Pic, Thomas Claxton, Henry Tims, Buckner Thurston, Rev. Andrew T. McCormick, Daniel Carroll of Duddington and H. Crittenden. The square was divided into building lots and the land was assessed at from 5 to 20 cents a square foot.

In 1824 the land owners were H. Crittenden, John Duckworthy, C.R. Gardiner, George Burns’ heirs, Francis Pic’s heirs, Thomas Claxton’s heirs, Gilbert Dockey’s heirs, Henry Tims, Buckner Thruston, Rev. Andrew McCormick, Griffith Coombe, James Young, C.K. Gardiner and Henry Ingle’s heirs. C.K. Gardiner’s house was assessed at $2,300, Thomas Claxton’s at $2,000, Henry Tims’ at $2,500, Buckner Thruston’s at $2,000, Francis Pic’s at $1,900, James Young’s at $1,800 and the Rev. Andrew T. McCormick’s at $1,100. These were the “show places” of the square and among the substantial residences of Washington.

In 1844 the property owners in that square were Frederick May, Bank of Washington, Thomas Law’s heirs, Noble Young, Griffith Coombe, Mary Ingle, James Ingle, John Underwood, Joseph Ingle, Francis Iardella, V. Franzoni, Colly Ann Donohoo, Henry M. Morfit, C.K. Gardiner, Simon Brown, Mary E. Broom, N.C. Towle, Andrew T. McCormick’s heirs, John Kedglie, J.W. Hand, Francis F. Cook, F.B. Wheatley and Catharine Coyle. The owners in 1854 were William Marshall, who sold to Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt; T.P. Trott, Griffith Coombe, Joseph Ingle, John Underwood, S.A. Elliott, Francis Iardella, V. Franzoni, Cornalia Simonds, John P. Ingle, John H. Riley, in trust for Laura L. Buler; D.W. Middleton, C.K. Gardiner, Mary E. Broom, N.O. Towle, Catharine V. Offley, E.B. Stelle, James Frye, Buckner Thruston (later to Fanny C. Thruston), A.R. Corbin, George P. Howell, John Kedglie, Francis P. Cook, Peter T. Marcerou, V. Franzoni, F. Iardella and Catharine Coyle.

In 1869 the owners in that square were Richard Morgan, George F. Gulick, Joseph Holt, D.W. Middleton, Thomas P. Trott, Griffith Coombe (then spelled Coombe), Thomas Adams, in trust for J.H. Barry; Joseph Ingle, Selina C. Pendleton, S.A. Elliott, Rufus L.B. Clarke, J.H. Riley, in trust for Laura Boteler; Charles K. Gardiner, Mary E. Broom, Samuel Stalley, in trust for E.A. Stalley; A.G. Shanborn, James F. Frye, Buckner Thruston and C.H.W. Meehan.

The Rambler has taken the time to look up in the directory of 1869 some of the names give above. George F. Gulick and his brother James H. Gulick were grocers. George lived at 556 New Jersey avenue and James at 474 Second street southeast. Joseph Holt, Judge Advocate General of the Army, lived at 590 New Jersey avenue at the northeast corner of that avenue and C street. D.W. Middleton, who lived at 568 New Jersey avenue, was clerk of the Supreme Court, and his son, D.W. Middleton of the same address was a teller with Riggs & Co. Thomas H. Trott, a clerk in the second auditor’s office, lived at 586 New Jersey avenue, and Mrs. Susan G. Trott at the same address. Selina C. Pendleton, widow of Alexander Pendleton, lived at 580 New Jersey avenue; Rufus L.B. Clark, lawyer, lived at 570 New Jersey avenue; and Charles K. Gardiner, business no given, lived at No. 566. Joseph Saxton, who lived at 602 New Jersey avenue, was superintendent of weights and measures in the Coast Survey, and William A. Saxton, a clerk in the Treasury, lived at the same address. John Roney, one of the property owners in the square, kept a restaurant at C street and First southeast.

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The name Ingle appears in the assessment lists over a long number of years as a taxpayer in the square, and as you see above one of the lot owners in 1869 was Joseph Ingle. That name is not in the Washington directory of 1869, though there are several Ingles—Christopher Ingle, lawyer, 234 H street north, James A. Ingle, clerk in the second auditor’s office, 393 First street east, and Mrs. Henry Ingle, 393 Third street west, S.A. Elliott was a clerk in the Post Office Department, but his address is not in the directory of 1869. J.H. Riley, who appears among he square owners as trustee for Laura Butler, later spelled Laura Boteler, lived at 447 Thirteenth street.

Opposite the square on which the House Office Building stands and on the west side of New Jersey avenue, the square being bounded by that avenue, B and C and South Capitol, is square No. 689. The New Jersey avenue side of the square is faced by fine hotels. In 1844 the owners of that square were Thomas Law’s heirs, Daniel Carroll, Peter Brady, W.F. Ball’s heirs, and Thomas W. Broadhead.

In 1854 all the land in that square is assessed in the names of John Hedgelle or Kedgelle and D.A. Hall.

In 1869 the owners were Lloyd N. Rogers, Samuel H. Platt, John M. Brodhead, Maria W. Mattoon, James Admas, John H. Riley in trust for F.B. Riley, Eliza B. Mills and S.Z. Evans. In 1879 the owners were Lloyd N. Rogers, three lots, Elizabeth S. Howland one lot, John M. Brodhead seven lots, Maria V. Mattoon two lots, Alfred and T. Richards eight lots and Benjamin F. Butler four lots. John M. Brodhead was second controller of the Treasury and lived a 583 New Jersey avenue. C.S. Mattoon was a clerk in the Government and lived at 577 New Jersey avenue. Samuel H. Platt lived at 380 Ninth street west and Sherman Platt lived at the same number. James Admas was cashier of the Bank of Washington and lived at 21 Four-and-a-half street. Alfred and Thomas Richards were among the prominent South Washington brick manufacturers, Alfred living in 1869 at 734 New Jersey avenue, and Thomas at 765 New Jersey avenue.

The Rambler has many more names and numbers, but will spare you and hopes you forgive him for what he has done. When the Rambler goes into the woods of the Eastern Branch and writes of meeting bears, Indians and ghosts, some subscribers say, “Pshaw! Why does not the old man give us some facts!” And now, when he takes the trouble to lug in an armful of facts out of the land records, tax lists and old directories, there are perhaps subscribers who will kick against the facts. Well, friends, there are murders, divorces, funny pictures, and a variety of diverting matter in The Star suitable to all grades of understanding, and the Rambler cannot hope to satisfy all tastes. He writes as much and as good stuff as he can, considering that he has to see all the foot ball games, work out cross-word puzzles, log the air all night for waves from far-off stations, play five hundred with the neighbors, and see all the motion pictures that come to town.