that this plan
was consummated, and we began our second Washington life in a house
which we bought on Corcoran Street, near Fourteenth Street. It was one
of a row of dwellings built as an investment by the late George W.
Riggs, the distinguished banker, and was in a portion of the city which
still abounded in vacant lots. Houses in our vicinity were so widely
scattered that we had an almost uninterrupted view of that part of the
District boundary which is now Florida Avenue. As these were the days of
horse cars, it was my habit to stand in my vestibule and wait for a car,
as I could see it approaching a long distance off, although we lived
half a block from the route, which was on Fourteenth Street. The entire
northwestern section of the city, which is now a semi-palatial region,
was also, at that time, largely a sea of vacant lots. The only house on
Dupont Circle was "Stewart Castle," and the fashionable part of the city
was still that portion below Pennsylvania Avenue, bounded on the east by
Seventeenth Street, although the general trend in the erection of fine
residences was towards the northwest. Many of the streets were not
paved, but the _regime_ of Alexander R. Shepherd, familiarly called
"Boss Shepherd," changed all of this, and the work of grading commenced.
It was a trying ordeal for property owners, as it left many houses high
in the air and others below the customary grade, while many from the
ranks of the poorer classes, unable to meet the necessary assessments,
were forced to part with their homes. In the course of several years,
however, the situation righted itself. Cellars were dug and English
basements became prevalent, and it is only occasionally that one now
sees a house far above the level of the street. We sometimes hear the
praises of Mr. Shepherd sung, and without a doubt he made Washington
the beautiful city it is to-day, but he accomplished it only at a
tremendous cost--the sacrifice of many homes. Next followed the paving
of the streets with wooden blocks; and I was much surprised when they
were being laid on Fourteenth Street, as I recalled the time during my
earlier days in New York when they were used in paving Broadway, and I
also well remember how speedily they degenerated and decayed. I was
told, however, that this form of block was an improvement upon the old
style, and was induced to believe it until I saw Fourteenth Street and
Pennsylvania Avenue masses of holes and ruts!

After we we