Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-21
ALL ABOUT WASHINGTON CITY.
We find the following letter in the Troy New
York; Budpet

ALL ABOUT WASHINGTON CITY.
We find the following letter in the Troy New
York; Budget:
WASHINGTON, May IL, 1857
Editors of the Troy Budget: Spending a
few days in this city, and having no particular
| pressing business to occupy my time, wandered
over its entire boundaries and was agreeably
astonlshed In viewing the extensive improve
| ments that are In progress in the construction
| OF splendid editices in almost every direction,
| and what seemed to me strange, these buildings
are demanded by the rapid increase OF its pop
ulatiOn. Building lots are selling readily at
more than double the prices they can be pur-
chased in your city, and rents are in like pro-
| portion higher than with you.
! An instance l give as an illustration of the
| price Of building lots. A few years since cit
| lzen OF your State purchased block of lots for
screen hundred dollars that a few days since
were sold for thirty y-seuen MOusa,,d dollars
1t Is said that the city is increasing in popu-
| latlon at the rate Of from six to eight thousand
per annum, and what was once reproachfuly
termed by the eccentric orator of Roanoke the
city OF magnificent distances" is most rapidly
filling up with an enterprising and intelligent
! population. Indeed, so rapidly has been the
increase of its population of late that all the
church edihces in the city would not now scarce
ly contain half Its inhabitants; and in this est-
/ mate no reckoning is made of the many thousands
| Of strangers constantly resorting to the capital
for the purposes Of business or of pleasure.
The state OF things has awakened spirit of
Church extension among the various religious
denominations in the city. A Washington cor
respondent Of one of the secular papers of Rich
| mond, Virginia, very justly remarks:
almost all the Churches here are making
vigorous efforts to enlarge their borders; and,
surely, no place can need the renewing and
sanctlfying influences of the gospel more than
this same Federal City"
"No city in the Union,' says the Evening
Star, $ is making more advantageous advances
than the city Of Washington. There is no city
where the intrinsic value of property is more
permanent. For convenient of location, for
salubrity of climate, for facilities of social in
tercourse, for moral and intellectual culture
for opportunities to exercise a beneficial infiu-
ence on human progress, we know of no city in
our beloved Union that can compare with this
metropolis. We do not wonder that people of
taste, refinement, and leisure should consider
Washington very desirable place of resi-
dence."
On my arrival in this city, expected, under
the doctrine of rotation in Office" as il was
promulgated by the truthful Washington let
ter writer's, to find my old friends, the First As
sistant Postmaster General, Horatio King. ESQ d,
OF Maine, and the Chief Clerk in the appoint
Ing Otlce OF that department, General Skinner
OF your State, rotated out' and like Nebu-
chadnezZar turned out to grass, and at a season
OF the year, too, when the withering influence
OF the frosts of winter had left nothing but bar
rem commons to Craze upon; but L was most
i, agreeably disappointed to find them in their
old stations untouched by the bosom of reform,
and high in the confidence of the new head Of
that department. 1t would have been a pub
lie less, that these faithful and competent Off
GERS should have been dismissed to give place
to inexperienced and untrcd men, under the
theory OF rotation" This act alone is enough
70 establish the wisdom and sagacity Of Gov.
Brown, the new head of that department. if he
had given no other proof of his fitness and ca
paclIy Tor the responsible position assigned him
by the new President. The little acauaintancs
L have had with the Postmaster General has
impressed me most favorably. 1 shall be great
ly disappointed if he does not prove himself one
OF the best officers that has occu pied that place
for years. He is a clear headed, strong-minnded
sagaciOus, practical, business man open-heart-
ed and frank In his intercourse with men, pa
tlent to listen to the claims of ALL but firm and
decided In the expression of bis opinions and
views Of those claims. He studies no conceal
ments, resorts to no diplomacy what he thinks
he honestly expresses. and leaves you in no
doubt as to the impression you have made upon
him, In your business relations He is courte-
| Gus and gentlemanly to those who approach
| him, and you feel no embarrassment in his
presence. lie is a self-made man, and has
risen TO distinction by the force of his character
and his own intrinsic merits. He enjoys in an
eminent degree the confidence of the people of
his own State, and has been honored by them
| with the highest Offices in their gift
Horato hing Is an able, industrious and
faithful officer, deyoting his entire time and all
the energies of body and mind, to the discharge
OF his vexatious and troublesome duties 60
into his Office when you will, you are sure to
ma hlm at his post, ready and willing to attend
To the business you have with him Modest
good tempered, Obliging and courteous, he lis
tens patiently to your application, and if he is
convinced vi Its propriety, grants tiff not he
| denies II, giving his reasons and in a manner
that satisfies you that he has listened to all you
| nave said and understands the case, and leaves
not doubt on your mind Of the honesty of his
| ooectlons Ii you do not always assent to the
force Of his reasoning, you do to the purity and
honesty of the man. If you feel yexed for dis
| appointing your wishes, he sits in ouiet. diyni
ned composure, with good -nstu red smile play
ing upon his face, until you have exhausted
your impatience and worried yourself into good
nature, he Is just the man for the place. You
leave him, though disappointed, with a higher
! opinion OF the man than you would have of
many officials who with q childish, reluctant
spirit, grant your request. He possesses high
order OF business talent and is represented as a
| pungent and elegant writer.
Ten Skinner, of your State, in industry and
devotion to business, is the counterpart of Mr..
|
dewy eye," laboring with untiring patience in
the discharge of his onerous duties and always
ready TO greet you with hearty welcome
Like Mr: king, fault-fndins never disturbs the
| equanlmity OF his temper, or clouds the smile
tnat SlIs entnroned on his broad, good -natured
yisase. lie is as untiring and accurate as a
Dutch clock, and as methodicaI as your friend
Lane, who has place for everything and eyery-
thing in Its place. lie is an intelligent faith
| fnl, experienced and valuable oficer and il
would be q difficult matter to supply his pIace
He enjoys good joke, and if anything can
draw him from his duties it is that, and he
richly repays the joker by a hearty laugh that
shakes his rotundity from centre to circumfer-
ence. tie sometimes INDUCES in goo1-natured
pranks upon his friends; he kept me fuming
| like cask Of new-made beer for about week,
! (to procure q small matter Of business done for
some friends, who had written me, after it had
been done and the parties at home fully noti-
| ned Of it, This conspiracy against my peace,