The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-12-12
WHAT WASHINGTON OUGHT TO BE.


serving the convenience Of the people fol
the purpose Of government, ought To be tc
ur,people something like what Paris has
long been to the French, splendid and
beautiful city; to be loved and admired
where holiday may be enjoyed by Wis
itors from every part Of the country; q
center Of art, literature and learning, from
which every visitor would carry away
with him and diffuSe refining atmosphere
whose eleyating influence is still needed
In many parts Of the great Yankee ma
ton. ..-
NOT YET A PARIS BY A GOOD DEAL.
Washington Is o long ways yet from
such an ideal, yet the groundwork has
been laid and In the last few years ener-
getic steps have been taken towards it.
My recollection Of Washington does
not 60 back to very remote period, but
those who can 60 back even fifteen years
ago will remember 1t as great strag-
CLING village, sprawled over an immense
expanse OF swampy territory, the mere
skeleton ol city, with wretched streets,
and even Pennsylvania avenue lined with
miserable shanties, some oil which have
only disappeared within the' past three
years. Els = e
WARRINGTON AS IT Is.
The Washington Of to-day is q very
different affair; not perfectly developed
city yet, to be sure; but the skeleton is
filling up; the city has spread and EXTEND
ed In all directions; Thousands Of elegant
and costly dwellings, hotels, church.
s, and stores have taken the place
Of tumble.dow shanties or filled up drear
open spaces. The Capitol has been fin
ished and likewise the Post Office and
the Treasury buildings. A new Depart
ment building TO accommodate the War
and Navy, to be as large as the Treasury
building, is 10 process Of erection, on the
square now occupied by these depart
ments, west OF the President's House.
Several squares Of small unsightly struc.
lures In the neighborhood Of the Capitol
have been removed; the Capitol square Is
being correspondingly enlarged and plant.
ed In trees. This will add greatly TO the
approaches TO the Capitol and by remoy.
ing the squalid tenements that always
constituted an eyesore in It's neighborhood,
will give dignity TO the surroundings oi
that magnificent structure that will great
ly enhance the impression 1t makes on the
beholder.
THE MOST STRIKING IMPROVEMENTS.
But the most striking improvements
made here within like period are those
made by the District government within
the past three years. I don't know how
much corruption there may have been In
the management OF these improvements
how many millions may have been stolen
In the process-but the filling up OF that
venerable and formidable nuisance, the
canal, the arohiDg over of the Tiber, the
resewering of the whole city. the regrad-
ing and wholesale paving Of the streets,
the terracing OF those cut down, the plant
ing Of trees by thousands along the streets
and avenues-this Ia all splendid work,
commenced on scale and plan adequate
to the future extent and magnifcence Of
the city. The pity oi 1t Is that whether
mismanagement or corruption
the money gave out before these leading
lines Of improvements had been COM
pleted. The District Board Of Public
Works, created by the act Of Congress In
the Spring of 1871, recite In their report
sent to the President q few days before
the meeting oi Congress some OF the re-
suits oil their administration.
FACTS AND FIGURES.
They say 1893 miles of sewers, varying
In size from 80 feet to Q inches have been
constructed; 20S miles Of sidewalks and
157 miles OF improved roadway wooden
and asphaltum) have been laid, while
the grading has amounted 10 3d.
$4,000 cubic yards; thirty.six miles
of water mains have been put down and
8 miles lowered and relaid 10 suit new
grades since October 1871; during the
past year 80 miles Of gas mains were laid
and the number Of public lamps increased
TO 1854; 1913 buildings were erected
under inspection Of the Board, ,236 trees
set out, and 23,240 prepared for next
season. The improvement that most
strikes the stranger Is that made In the
streets, The principal streets and ave-
nues have all been laid with Nicholson
or asphalt pavements. The latter appear,
10 stand well and they are all smooth,
solid and beautiful Considering the
great worth OF the streets here and the
magnificent distances traversed by them
they afford probably the finest views oi
any city in the country. Where streets
have been cut down in grading, very
pretty effect is produced by devoting hall
the very wide sidewalk TO terrace, nice
" sodded over, which 10 assembled by
flights OF stone steps TO the entrances.
This treatment Of the streets has almost
rid the city Of its chronic affection in the
shape oi dust.
+ ~ Mu4IoNs OF MONEY.
The improvements made by this Board
have costs, It appears, between seventeen
and eighteen million dollars. OF course
an outsider can form no opinion as TO
whether Ithey cost too much. II Is not
likely, however, that any Of the contract
ore lost money.
WARRINGTON AND wHRRLIAd AS DEBTORS.
Now, Mr.. Editor, you may not take
much account Of this city, It's recent
growth and improvement, and Its splen.
did promises and possibilities In the future,
as the metropolis Of politics, learning,
lhbnluu, u \, bCienSo huu htciasuAs 70 euA W
some things possibly not 80 admirable as
these these things may not be ol much
account In your eyes, but you must admit
that debt Of nearly twenty millions oi
dollars is something that even Wheeling
editor cannot treat with utter contempt.
That Ia not 0 "one.horse" debt, whatever
you may think Of The town. Wheeling
has had pretty fair luck In the matter Of
getting into debt-though her forte evil
deutly lies In building railroads-but she
cannot soon hope TO boast that abe owes
anybody twenty millions Of dollars. The
current opinion here 10 that this debt will
never be paid by the District, but that It
will be guaranteed by Congress and ulti-
mately taken care Of by the Government,
At present the District securities which