Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-05

Washington Clty udS mdue sIedt strides In
the way Of improvement during the past year.
Whole streets Of new buildings have been erect
ed, of a character TO give the city a look Of
solidIty and symmetry IT lacked before Busi-
ness structures. churches, and public and pri
waite edifces have been built, of size and STYLE
40 do credit to any city in the country. Streets
have been opened. raw banks of earth cut
down, bitches, mud-holss and n1iasmatlc hoI-
lows filled up, sidewalks laid, and street i'm.
Provements generally carried out to an extent
unprecedented In the city's history.
But, unfortunately, most OF the improve
ments made are in parts of the city where they
do not meet the eye Of strangers, who PISS
Judgment upon us from what they see in
Irayersing the leading thoroughfare-or what
nsed TO be the the leading ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
sylyanIa avenue. The visitor enters the city
through the same raw fields, kept ungraded and
unimprOyed by the incubus of the railroad
track. Heis lolted up Pennsylvania avenue
over the same wretched cobbIe-stone pavement
sees the same miserable old market sheds, with
the same filthy canal as a background Nat
Hrally he thinks we are ''as we WERE"
The lnltiatory steps have been taken IN Con-
gress TO remedy the pavement nuisance; and
me very next thing in order is to abate the
market house nuisance. 1t is an eye-sore to
every citizen, but from familiarity we have no
Idea how much its appearance preJudices the
visitor against the city. Congress should at
once be asked fer requisite authority to deal
with the nuisance. Let Congress say whether
we may or may not occupy the present posi-.
ton for proper market building; and il not,
what site can be taken. Congress, we may tell
the stranger, is responsible for our shabby
market. We have some shabby things that the
city must father, but this shabby market house
is not one Of them. The Corporation procured
the plans. and gave out the contract for a
spacious, handsome market-house. The work
had been entered upon, indeed, when Congress
put It's strong paw upon the business, and to
this day has not taken il OF. The work
was stopped upon the representation of
parties that the building would occupy
mythical Eighth street, below the Avenue:
that il would interfere with the view down
Louisiana avenue; that 1t would shut out an
oolique view Of that remarkable cruit-shaped
structure, the Smithsonian Institution and
prevent the extension Of the Smithsonian
Grounds to Pennsylvania avenue Congress
stopped the work to consider whether these
objections were substantial, and has been con-
sidenng ever since-since Lea. Now We doubt
II handle extension of the Smithsonian
Grounds TO the Avenue would improve either
d.
lie Grounds from the Capitol to the river;
which are now symmetrical, opening out
eanister-shape from the Capitol, and then run
ming in parallel lines to the river. PsnnsvI-
yania avenue is ragged enough. with triangu.
lar spaces and intersections Of streets, whereby
It's continuity is destroyed, and this would
make another awkward dislocation of the
street III the Avenue is not TO retrograde "a a
business street it will need more buildings in
stead OF less, upon the south side, TO eounteract
tne tendency OF business to the streets north of
the Avenue. There is also the question whether
tnis ground, having been donated by Motley
Young TO be used as market-place, will not
revert 70 the heirs Of the donor when that use
ceases.
But whatever is settled upon should be SET
tied speedily. Undoubtedly the present site
accommodates the people of the city better
than any other that can be selected. 1t is al
the intersection of the two principal streets of
the city, and al point where the street rail.
ROADS radiate to every part of the city It's
position near the canal is also a favorable one
for the removal Of offal, and especially so for
the needs Of the fish market. The new market
building might be made decidedly ornamental
10 the Avenue. 1t need not have q vestige of
market business on the Avenue front. This
'front.' should be handsome stores and offices.
with a spacious hall overhead. The marker
entrances should be ON Seventh and Ninth
streets The cow-market, with its barn-yard
eoncomitants, should be sent 70 some less con.
spicuous locality; SO OF the straw market. and
the wood market. The curb stone deaIerx
WIN tneir soke-berries, sassafras bark and
sucn IKE wares, should be ordered TO the rear.
" itn all these Euisanees swept away and a
handsome building erected in place OF tue
present wretched sheds our market would be
a matter of pride. The handsome market.
Loases In Philadelphia, Boston and 81. Louis
cemonstrate that they can be made ornamental
10 any street.