What are the four lock boxes outside the grocery store?

[They're for deliveries of bread and other baked goods. - Dave]

The lack of wires seems to indicate an equine system of propulsion. The 1928 silent film "Speedy" is based around a horse drawn trolley in NYC and the evil electric traction company forces that attempt to seize the route from Harold Lloyd.

[These tracks are for electric streetcars. Power supply underground, accessed through the center slot. A subject covered ad nauseam here on Shorpy. - Dave]

Washington Post, Nov 7, 1909

The Retail Grocers' Protective Association

A Brief History of Its Accomplishments,
Its Aims, and Objects

The necessity for the organizing of the retail grocers of Washington D.C., was first realized in April, 1902, and Mr. J.F. Schneider, of Ninth and R streets northwest, invited a number of the grocers to meet at his house on April 17, 1902, and about 35 grocers responded to his invitation. ...

---

Washington Post, Apr 6, 1933

John F. Schneider, Grocer,
Dies at 74

John F. Schneider, 74, Washington grocer for many years, who founded the Retail Grocers Protective Association, died yesterday at his home, 723 Webster street northwest.

Mr. Schneider was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, where he was educated. He came to Washington immediately after leaving his native country and established himself in the grocery business. He was interested in welfare activities and was especially active with the work of the German Orphan Asylum Association.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow, followed by burial at Prospect Hill Cemetery.

Bummer. Another block of beautiful row houses demolished to make way for some ugly boxy piece-o-crap apartment complex.

I was looking at the row of houses on R street across from what was 1701 at the intersection of 9th and R. I stand corrected.

[Has anyone else noticed the little cross in the top right of Google Street View frame? Click it and the view blows up to fill your entire screen. The full-screen view used to be sort of blurry but now it's incredibly sharp and detailed, if you stay on Ninth Street. - Dave]

OK, ma'am - you'll have a pound of ground beef, milk, and a loaf of bread - and a calculus book and some legal forms. Paper or plastic?

How unusual for DC - this cool-looking building is still around, and in pretty decent shape as an apartment building.

[There are some similar-looking buildings across the street on the even-numbered side. But this one is long gone. - Dave]

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"Edward Thompson Cementing Plastering" on the sign next door at 823. Can't make out the last word on the sign.

["A Specialty." And over to the left we have Chin Sam's First Class Laundry. - Dave]

Great stonework lintels, a lost art. Thanks.

The hydrant is unusual, but another item that has pretty much disappeared is still seen here -- a mailbox on a post, in the olden-days green color.

The good news: He had a lot of lawyers as customers.
The bad News: They were still in High School.