New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-08
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
improvements in the Great Capital-A
Visit to Mount Vernon-Relic Hunters
Barnum and his Great show - The
Louisiana Question about Closed.
WASHINGTON, October 4, 1873.

| ton, and everybody is looking forward.
The houses smell of paint and varnish, and
the streets of gas and tar. Workmen are
| here, there and everywhere, and the rub
blsh OF repair pays for present discomfort
by promises Of future elegance. One can
not go far in any direction without encoun'
tering streets torn up. barricadee. heaps OF
sand and gravel. the chaos ont OF which
is gradually forming one of the grandest
cities in the world. Such Washington is
| destined to be. and toward that destiny she
is rapidly marching. Her magnificent pub
lie buildings. her broad streets and avenues,
her many open squares, traversed by wide
tagged walks, and cooled by the spray Of
ever playing fountains-all contribute to
the prevailing expression of the place.
which is spaciousness. grandeur. And this
ing, expanding nation like ours, Of giant
like proportions even in its youth. is fifty
represented by such capital as this. and
the local gov eminent now intrusted with
the management of it's concerns seems to
fully appreciate their duties and RESPONSE
bilities.
The new pavement which they are sradu-
ally substituting for the defective Nicoson
is called Neufchatel rock, and seems to have
many advantages over any heretofore :ried.
1t is composed Of a bed Of coarse gravel,
eight inches thick. saturated with tar. and
finished off with q layer OF smaller gravel.
finished with concrete. A roller weighing
thirty six tons is then passed over its sur
face several times, thus fully testing its ca
pacity. When completed it makes the
smoothest. strongest. cleanest pavement
have ever seen. Would that poor New Or.
q similar enc on that forsaken rOad-no
longer thoroughfare-St. Charles avenue.
Among the new public buildings going up
is one to be used by the State. Navy and
War Departments. 1t is q beautiful struct-
ure Of light granite, very ornate in style.
The architect, Mr.. Mullett, is an enthusiast
in his art, and, having carte blanche, he
produces results Of which the nation may
we'll be proud.
There are also many elegant private resi-
dences erecting. conspicuous among which
is that Of Senator Stewart, of palatial style
and proportions.
Notwithstanding all the discomforts oc-
casioned by making the improvements men
toned above. and the fact that Congress is
not in session, there is Of course much 70
Interest and delight visitors. whether
strangers or those who have been here be.
fore. In fact, it takes some time to see all
that is worth seeing. and those who are
here only during the session Of the ma.
tionaI legislature are apt to be so en-
crossed by its proceedings as to overlook
or neglect other sources OF interest. For
instance, the pilgrimage to Mount Vernon.
combining pleasure and duty tfor what
patriotic American could feel satisfied with
himself after having neglected the oppor-
tunity of making itD is often postponed
during the active season until something
happens to defer it to some future occa-
sion, or prevent it entirely. The writer
of this, with few pleasant companions.
availed himself one day last week Of that
agreeable combination of circumstances.
leisure and fine weather. to revisit this "a.
cred spot. The house and its surroundings,
which some years since wore for1orn and
neglected aspect. are now under the care OF
the Mount Vernon Association kept in ad.
mirable order. and the superintendent
obligingIy accompanies visitors to the tomb
and throughout the house, pointing out OBJ
jects Of moment, and giving needed explain
atoms. The house, a long, low white build
ing, of plain and ancient style. is situated
on the summit Of tho hill, commanding a
beautiful prospect of tho Potomac and the
surrounding country. 1t is reached by
gradual ascent, passing the tomb. Near this
we fingered some time, engaged i'll thoughts
solemn yet not sad. Some of our party
not our party proper. but some OF the
crowd who had came up by the same
boat-were evidently relic hunters, and
peered anxiously through the iron bars
inclo.ing the vault. to see if anything was
lying around loose that might be appro-
priated. They seemed disappointed, and
passed on slowly behind the rest; but after.
ward, when there was no one near, as they
thought, they returned to the tomb. and
one of them, stretching her hand through
the bars. picked up something-I know
not vhat-and after displaying it TO her
companions. dropped it into one OF the
numerous receptacles which the female
garments supply. This desire for relics
springs from a natural and commendable
sentiment, and when it can be innocently
gratifed, is entitled to respect. Accord
81 10 Job d,,o
measures TO protect the property from the
utter destr action which tho unscrupulous
ness of many relic hunters would lnfict
upon it, have continued to satisfy it by
simple and beautiful expedient. There is
to the left of the back entrance, near the
kitchen, magnolia granditlora tree, such
as abound ip Louisiana, which was planted
in 1899, the very year OF his death, by
Washin stons own hand. Leaves from this
tree are freely given to all who wish for
them, thus atfording relic imbued with a
deeper sentiment than could possibly at
tach to portion Of a marble mantel. chip
of chair, or any other shaving surrepti-
tiously obtained.
The Capitol having been thoroughly Wis
tied on former occasions. q visit to the
Treasury building was suggested by one
familiar with all points of interest in the
national capital. Accordingly under his
escort we walked over and were introduced
to Secretary Richardson, after which cere-
mony we went through the building and
saw greenbacks in every stage OF their
existence, from their incipiency as wet
paper prepared for printing, through that