The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-02
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.

LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
The sumner sOIstioe-Prsvau,n DuuI-
ness-Traal OF Surratt-What IG VIII
COst-Building I'm prOvsments tn wash
tngton-Large Number OF Houses Being
EreCted - Improving the Capitol
Grounds - What the baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company Are Dotun-
Starting Line OF Steamers between
Baltimore and Bremen, Etc.
lBVENING TELEGRAPH SPECIAL ooRREsPoHDENCE.
WAsHIN GToN CRY, July 81
The summer season in Washington is usually
very dull, and the present is no exception to
former years. the proverbial dullness being In
tensihed from the absence of Congress and the
thousands who are attracted here while IL is in
session. The only sensation we have had
this summer has been the Surratt trial. and
that has dragged its slow length along
till 1t has become insufferable bore.
The crowds which at the beginning filled the
courtroom to get q glimpse of the prisoner
having gratihed their curiosity, there are now
but few persons in attendance at the Court
House, beyond the few idlers always lounging
about, and who appear TO have no settled en-
ployment, and loiter around the Court House
to kill time
The trial will be over in few days, and
everybody feels thankful for its conclusion, for
II has developed more hard swearing than per-
haps any other case in the criminal history of
the country. The general impression is that
the jury will not agree, and will be discharged
but If they should disagree, Judge Fisher will
probably keep them together some time in the
hope that verdict will be finally agreed upon
and save the Government the expense and
trouble of another trial 1 have no means OF
knowing the figures. but have no doubt this
trial will cost the Government not less than
$50, 900.
NEW BUILDINGS
There has been more building going on here
this summer than any previous season. Many
flrstaclass residences and stores have been
erected and in almost every street the sound of
the bricklayer's trowel and the carpenters saw
are heard working merrily in the erection of
new buildings. During the war there was not
much building done, except for Government
purposes; but the issue being settled that Wash.
tngton Is henceforth to be the seat of govern
ment of our whole country, capitalists have
now become sensible of the advantages of in
vesting their money in permanent improve
ments, and the hundreds of fine buildings now
going up in every direction are the result of
this confidence. The Washington builders do
not follow the example of those of Philadel-
phia. who erect whole rows of houses at a time;
but here they build separate houses, and very
rarely do you see two buildings going up side
by side with each other But q change will soon
take place, for the demand for dwellings in
creases The neat, convenient style so much in
vogue in Philadelphia will come into fashion
here and become very popular. The "Phila-
delphia Row." as it is called. erected east of the
Capitol, on the plan of houses in your city, was
great Improvement but the location being at
great distance from the centre of business IL
has not attracted the attention it really de-
serves But the houses have been in great de-
mand, Notwithstanding this disadvantage, and
will prove a mede to Washington.
The Capitol grounds have also been greatly
tion of the hill on the north side of the Capitol
A street, affording fine view of the building as
you approach it from the north or northwest,
! count OF the hill, which obstructed the view,
but which has now been cut away, and the
Capitol stands forth in all its grandeur and
beauty as the visitor approaches it from this
direction,
BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD IMPROVE
MENTS.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
| are making some fine improvements on the line
the strengthening of the curve a snort distance e
outside OF Baltimore, which will shorten the
one and half miles, and when completed will
enable express trains to run between the two
| points in one hour This will be great saving
| 10 the travelling public and shorten the time
half an hour between Washington and the
Northern cities as the Railroad Company in
tend increasing the speed of their trains as we'll
| as shortening the distance.
This Company have now three steamers run
| ming regularly between Baltimore and Liver
pool which they own, and each vessel makes
q trip a month between the two points They
| have been SO well supported, and the trade has
| been so prontable, that the Company some
time since contracted for the building of two
| hrst-class iron steamers on the Clyde, expressly
| to run between Baltimore and Bremen The
| work upon the first steamer, the Baltimore, has
| progressed SO much more rapidly than was ex-
| pected that 1t is thought she will be able TO
| make her first trip during the present year,
instead of in the spring of 1868, was first ex.
| pected. The work upon the second steamer,
the Berlin, is also advancing rapidly, and she
| will make her first trip next spring.
! To stimulate travel from the West the Balti-
| more and Ohio Railroad Company now sell
| tickets to passengers from the West, with the
| privilege of visiting Washington without extra
| charge, on the route to Baltimore. They display
! great enterprise, particularly In extending
| their steamship lines to Europe, which has
largely increased the business of the road, pas
| sengers and freight being transported directly
/ through to Cincinnati, and all points West and
| South.
! The summer resorts on the line of this road
at Oakland, and Berkeley Springs, in West
| Virginia, have been we'll patronized this season.