National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-03-13
MAsHINGTON City.

The permanent prosperity Of the District Is
not aud cannot be assured By large appro-
priations or expenditures on avenues, public
cdilcCs, Or palatial mansions. Our city Is
at present 100 much like our attractive
watering places, with only short season Of
four months In the year during which visitors
assemble to OveTcrOwd our hotels and board
ing-houses, and then dispersc again. Yet
within few miles Of US VT lind thriving
manufacturing city, Baltimore, possessing
altogether Inferior natural advantages
to those We have, lively with the
hum Of machinery, the hammer Of the
artisan, the splashlng OF steamboat paddles,
the snorting aud claDgor Of locomotives and
cars, and crowned with the smoke Of fur
nace- aud rolllng-mills, Rll evidences Of COM
petence, comfort increasing wealth and pros.
perity. Washington Is remarkably situated,
being at the head of navigation and foot of
water power on one Of the finest rivers on
the continent, surrounded by cheap rich,
fertile though unoccupiod agricultural lands.
Half way between the North and the South,
1t may draw supplies Of raw material from
either section by cheap or rapid modes Of
communication, and distribute manufactured
articles either way with the same facilities,
being the terminus Of IN important canal,
leading to coal, ore and timber supplies also.
Here the artisaT may, therefore, lind cheap
houses and living, aud, with capital, profitable
employment.
To inaugurlte manufacturing in city so
fayorabiy situated, even on the largest scale,
Is not diIhcult. 1t is not cause for discour-
agement that the labor, skill and capital are
not already here. The iuitiatory steps only
have to be taken by u few Of our most encr-
gctic and euterprislng citizens on a compre-
heuslye plan, 10 which somo public improve
ments to Le hereafter referred to must be In
cluded. We must organize manufacturing
companies on a liberal estimate, and subscribe
TO their capital Us faTas our means Will extend,
and rely on foreign subscriptions for the re-
maiuder. We must encourage Ekilllul, in-
genious and industrious mechanics TO make
Washington their homes and last, but not least,
wemusI encourage European farmers and mar
ket gardeners to occupy the waste lands now
lying unoccuplcd and uncultivated In every
direction around the city. 1t Is well known,
for Instance, that the soil Of these lands pro-
duces tho hnUst celery In the world, and
therefore the. e.world should be supplied with
Gallery frOm the District OF Columbia. A
large part Ui all the products OF the farm
and garden now consumed In our city comes |
at present from other sections. Washington
Is equally well or better situated than Baltl- |
more for the oyster trade. This bolng true, |
a committee Of Jealous citizens of our city
could easily Induce men skillful In the busl- |
nesa 10 locase here by the tender Of special
privilege or advantages. OHly concert Of
action ia necessary to bring about the most
desirable results. And shp-yards, rolling
mills, fUundries, machine shops, Gour mills |
iorges, carriage factories, agricultural lmplc.
meuL factories, &c, could also be encour. |
9ged to locate here by the came means, II no |
better could be devised. As 10 the public |
improvements which may bo deemed neccs.
sary, the Improvement OF our river front Is
1rst In Importance. This measure has al |
r0aiy had attention from OursiliEcns, UHltrd |
Stalcs cugIuCcrs aud IonTress. The chauuCl |
Of the Potomac should also bo made deep |
enough Tor tue largest ships, II II be .
not 50 already Nature, acting by the
cuIIeul Ui tho water, directed Alright by
''wiuk dlms, may ye made to perform the
improvement at small expense II II be neccs-
sary. The same agency may possibly be en-