Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-10-17
PRESIDENT GIANT AND THE DISTRICT.
Improvement of the National Capital.

THREE THINGS THAT THE PRESIDENT HOPES
TO sEE-HIs VIEWS on THE SUBJECT OF
IhPRcvEMkNTs-wHAT TEE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD DO.
A special telegram to the PHILADELPHIA Prsss
from this city, says A striking feature of
President Grants administration has been his
efforts for the Improvement of the ma iJnal
capital In nearly all his annual mess yes to
Congress he has called attention to this Subject
and during hIs term OF Office larger appropria-
tons have been made for public buildings and
for the benefit of the parks and reservations
owned 10y the government than at anv other
period in the history OF the capital. The amount
of work accom- "lisned can only be realized by
those who visit Washington. The President has
been remarkably fortunate in having for his
commissioner OF public buildings aud grounds
50 capable aU officer General .. +. BaOcOck
In addition tSlis duties as private secretary to
the President, General BabcOck has inauyu-
rated and partially carried out system of
IMPROVEMENTS OF THE PUBLIC GROUNDS
which, when completed, will contribute largely
to the beauty OF the capital. He has made the
most of the comparatively small appropriations
made by Congress. Some of the parks, like
Lafayette Square, which were almost unit for
use, ewing to dampness, have been thoroughly
underdralned. The grounds surrounding the
Executive Mansion would scarcely be recog-
mZed by those who have not visited Washing
ton for the last two or three years. The un-
slightly iron ratings, which always convened to
the mind a painful impression o. a jail. have
been taken away. Where the bronze statue of
Thomas jefferson stood, directly in front of the
White House-by-the-by, this same statue has
been greatly criticised As a work of art-Gen-
eral BabcOck has erected a magnificent foun-
tain. All the grounds have been laid out with
graveled walks, so that they are now of some
service to the sovereign people" The statue
of jefferson has been removed to the east side
of the White House. Perhaps the greatest
achievement of General BabcOck is the con-
stIuctiOn of fine drive from the south front
of the White House to the Capitol, passing
through the grounds of the Agricultural de-
partment, the Smithsonian Institute, and the
Botanical Gardens This is net yet completed.
When finished, it will make, with the grounds
surrounding it, magnificent park. The drive
runs along the old line of the famous, or rather
infamous, washington canal" the eyesOre of
the city for all the wears back within the menu
DRY of the oldest inhabitant. 1t Is hardly neces-
saTy TO add that in all this General Babcock has
had the sanction and support of the President.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT HOPES TO SEE.
The era of improvement, however, has only
commenced. In conversation the other day the
President stated that there were three things he
hoped to see at least "inaugurated' before he
retired from Office. '1n the first place." said
he, 81 want the government to erect suitable
buildings for all its officers entitled to quarters
We are now paying for rented quarters about
one hundred and scventy-hye thousand dollars
year. This money and the interest on it would
| in a few years make sum sufficient To pay for
the buildings required" The President added,
that besides, IT was due to a great government
like ours that it should own the building occu-
ped by its officers for the transaction OF its
business. He continued: "AnOther thing |
want to see inaugurated before I retire from
Office is the erection of suitable houses, priya.e
residences for the members of the Cabinet.
They are expected to entertain great deal,
and must live in comparatively good houses. II
they have not private fortunes, il requires
nearly all their salary to pay rent, aud they
have little left to live on" The Presidents
idea is that these houses should not only be built
but generally furnished by the government. He
hopes, too, to see a movement inaugurated by
the several states TO build residences for their
Senators. This, of course, would be followed
by the erection of tine residences by members
of the House of Representatives who have large
fortunes and eau afford it. These views of the
President althOuph autirplv
about the residences for Senators having been
agitated several years ago, cannot fail To make
= favorable Impression, backed as theX viii be
by his influence. 1t is not improbable that
before the expiration of this term the President
will call the attention of Congress 70 this sub
iect in one Of his annual messages.
THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD OF PUBLIC
WORKS.
The President is the warm friend AMI advO-
cate of the Improvements made here by the
Board of Public Works. Those who have read
bis letter accepting the resignation of Governor
Henry u: Cooke need hardly be told that he in
dorses all that has been done, and that he will
stand by the board I'm all its measures for the
improvement of the city. He has taken par
ticular pains to give the work done under the
orders of the board his personal supervision,
and he will no doubt be able to give Congress a
satisfactory reason for his support of these meas
uTes. On this question the President is quite
enthusiastic He cannot understand the object
OF those who are disposed to denounce the Board
of Public Works for what has been done. do
not propose to go into details, but in converse
ton the President is prepared to show that the
improvements made by the board are beneficial,
not only to the national capital, but TO the
property holders of Washington. 1t is evident
that he indorses fully the course Of Governor
Shepherd, and those who attempt to fight that
gentleman, in or out OF Congress, will lind that
IN the President he has powerful and earnest
supporter.
There is one inference which I think NAV
justly be drawn from the Presidents converse
tons on the subject Of the improvements OF the
national capital-that is, that he has no idea of
a"third term" and that
THE GHOST OF "CRsARIsM'
has no existence anywhere outside the Office of
sensational newspaper OF New York. In speak
ing of the three improvements already alluded
to-the erection of public buildings for the use
of the government, of residences for the ~ en-
bers of the Cabinet and for Senators OF the Uni
| ted States-the language of the President was
guarded He did not say he expected to see
these projects carried out before his term of Of
he expired, but he chopped to see them inauyu-
rated" There is now a building in progress of
erection for the of the State, War, and Navy
departments, but it will take five six years TO
complete it. There are other public buildings
required which have not yet been designed, but
which will be called for within the next two OF
three years. One of the proudest monuments
of President Grants administr alton will be the
Improvement of the national capital, much of
which VIII be due to his efforts.
NEW FIELD FOR CARL SCHURZ.-The New
York Times has the following special from Chi
sEIt ia said thar II S,.b Of