Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-18

| The grounds arouud the Presidents have
| been much improved. Those directly SOUTH
| between the canal and 18th and Eth streets
| should be at once improved. A new avenue,
| between the two last named streets, will soon
| be opened. The Treasury bu Id ng being nearly
| completed. all the workshops connected with it
| will soon be removed The several reser va
! tions heretofore referred to, comprise what is
! known as the Mall, stretching from the Capitol
| TO the left bank of the Potomac The whole
| space should be vast unit, lald ont in walks
| and carriage drives with lodges at the openings
of the streets, where gates could be erected, the
| keepers of which might be selected from the
! disabled and worthy soldiers and sailors.
| Lafayette Square has been very much i'm
| proved, but on account of the level nature OF
| the ground the drainage is defective. Under
! d1ainag- leading to the large sewer recently
| constructed along the western frcnt is recon-
| meuded,
| Franklin Square will IN few years become
1 one of the most beautiful squares in the city
| on account Of the undu lating character of It's
| surface. The grounds have Ceen underdTaIned
| paths constructed, and an appropriation is
| earne silly urged for the purpose of replacing
! the present wooden fence around the IN lloSure
| with a substantial iron railing.
| judiciary SIuare is under the control OF the
corporate authorities of the city ia part, aud tue
| other portion is occupied by the medical de-
| pdrtment of the army. Ii cannot be improved
until the frame building now filled with Cow
| ernment stores are removed; but 1t is recon-
| mended thai the portion of r street passing
| hronEh the square be paved with SOM im
| proved pavement, and that trees be planted
! along the walks
| Several of the triangular places formed bv
| the intersections of the avenues and streets.
| baNe been enclosed aud sOdded, and most OF
| them prettily ornamented. A great mauy are
| still unimproved, especially in the eastern Sec
| tion Of the city. The two triangular spaces
| IN Vermont avenue, betwe and Is streets,
have been united into one square and named
| "Wlnfieid Scott, aud 1t is proposed 20 max. a
| corresponding square on Connecticut avenue,
between the same streets. II has tp-n sug-
gested ny one of the evening journals of this
city tha' these triaDc cular reservations De named
| after dIsting guished poets and orators. bat II
4 might De probably more in taste to name each
after some Of the different species Of trees
| planted i'll them. The idea is an excellent one
| IL Is also proposed TO attach TO each Tree and
shrub throughout a label bearing the names
by which they are familIcTily known, as also
the botanical names. for the info -nltion OF
| the public. The citizens residing III the neigh
bornood OF New Jersey avenue, between IL aud
streets, are anxious that a reservation form
erly belonging Ia the Governm -nt should ba
Te-purchased. and square tnerr established
grand National Park is again called 10 the
attention OF Congress, and that portion of the
city known as the romantic valley Of Rock
! Creek, i admirably adapted II 'he purpose,
| from the character OF the ground and the ad-
Jac-ncY of q fine stream.
In all the coDteJnplated improvement Of the
public grounds, oae very ornamental as well
as sanitary feature should nOt BE- forgotten,
and that is the tree introduction OF wdt-r by
fountains, miniature lakes, and jts ,i'eau
which Will cool the heated atmos paera OF sum-
mer and preserve the shrubs and fraes ia their
natural beauty. The water from the Great
Falls. by means of the aqurduct, will b. an
unfailing source OF supply. Groups Of siatuary
shonid also be arranged throughout the
grounds.
AVENUES AND STREETS.
OWiEg 10 the small appropriations, the ave-
nues. twenty III mum Der, have nor been much
impr we'd Many have been entirely or par
TALLY opened, while many are sull lmpas able.
As they form the most direct lines OF comma
nication between distant sections of the CITY
the grades should be- established at once.
Virginia avenue has been graded and gray-
eied iOr several squares, hut work was sus-
PENDED when the Appropriation therefor was
exhaU sted. The large amount of marketing
brought over the Navy Yard bridge fl ads more
direct access TO IGe emporiums of trade oy thus
avenue than through the long 1requented thor
oughfare OF Pennsy lVanla avenue. II new
bridg" Is built across the Eastern Branch the
terminus OF tnIs avenue may be selected tor the
new site, and it consequently should be I'm
ished throughout as soon as possible.
New Jersey avenue has been improved by
me removal OF the workshops used in the
extension OF the Capitol.
Maryland avenue, leading northeasterIv in
the direction Of Benning's Bridge. has been
graded and eraveled IN the vicinity of ta.
CapItOl, but large amount Of work Is required
10 place it in good repair as far as the cIty
lmits. In that portion towards the Long
Bridge II constantly needs repairs.
Delaware avenue cannot be used at pres ant
the impossiblity of DONG which has already
been noticed.
Vermont aven ue should be opened its ent!r.
leneib, It's position making 1t one OF the grand
est streets in the city.
Connecticut avenue, leading TO the beautiful
grounds along Rock Creek which have been
selected lCr a National Park, when opened and
prepared throughO out, will D. one Of the finest
drives IN the direction OF that proposed i'm
proyemnnt.
New York avenup. TO the west of the Navv
department, has been partially opened and
the grading and payIng of north i stree; by
the Cor pOration of Washington materially I'M
proves ID at part OF the city.
Ma assaChGsetts avenue should ba made one
the most magnificent onts N the metropolis IL
being one OF the most direct lines OF cnTn,nuuI-
cation between large section OF Washington
and Il great part of Georgetown. Their. are
many other avenues that require q, teutioa on
the part OF the Government.
Boundary street, towards which many OF
them lead, forms n connecting Eak between
them, and -kirts the en- yirols uI the city. Els
capable Of great embellishments by increasing
the width and planting along 1t rows of shade
trees. The labor for Il great amount of the
work pllshed was paid out VI the appro.
priatIon made by Congress 10 aid in support
succeeded IL ost admira bly,. Instead of appro-
priating money lor n 'Ir immediate care. il
would perhaps be better policy TO inaugurate
Improvements so as 70 enable them TO oo;ain
labor aud gain their own support
PegRSyIrG1id Grsaue General Michler rec.
ommends that some most marked improve
ments should be inaugurated TO render it As
great aud Deautliul In appearance as IL has
proved TO be necessary aud accessible The
seat of government of a nation should be able
70 boast of one magnificent avenue at least and
present pavement of The avenue be removed
and it be paved with either one or the other
improved pavements now coming into general
use. If stone is to be used, the Belgian pave
ment possesses the greatest advantage, but
should one Of wood be preferred, either the
Nicholson, Ream, Fayette, Stafford or Stowe
will prove to be as near perfection as 1t is pos
sible to construct them. The expense OF paving
might be equitaby propor'ioned between the
municipal and general governments.
General Michler calls attention TO the i'm.
provements suggested by the completion of the
north wing Of the Treasury Department Its
to be regretted that the site OF that building is
low, and that in consequence the fine enect
Of the elegant front on the north is considerably
impaired. He refers to the recommendation of
Mr.. Mullett to condemn a strip of land
sixty -one feet wide on 18th street and
remove the street a corresponding distance
frem the building, or that the grades
OF 18th street and that portion Of the
avenue on the north, between 18th street an d
The centre Of the Presidents House, he re-
duced, as the surroundings Of this magn ificent
building should be extensive and beantifnI
possible. Similar remarks are applicants 10
the streets encompasslng the Patent (lGics
Building and the Post Office Department
Seventh street should receive 4 gradual and
easy grade betw cen the northeast angle ar tLs
iirst. named building and Penn sy lyapia venna
and tie grade OF y street, lying between rhe
two, be made TO correspond between 9th and
9th stree ts, and also that part Of sth street h..
tNet u K stree and the avenue.