The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-05
WASHINGTON EVACUATED.
The Summer stagnation Setting In
The New District Provisional Govern.
ment-The City 1t Was and Is--
Doubtful improvements of the Capitol
Grounds Proposed.

Doubtful improvements OF the Capitol
Grounds Proposed.
WASHINGTON. June 20, 1874.
Within few days we have had an evacuation Of
washington like the stampede from Long Branch
under the pressure OF heavy three days. nor easter
In the last week OF August. The glory OF Israel
has departed and the summer stagDation OF the
national metropolis has fairly set in. Silence
reigns IN the legislative chambers, the Hobbies and
committee rooms OF the Capitol; the President and
most OF his Cabinet and OF the Corps Diplomatque
have disappeared; the dashin9 equipages OF the
West End have been Withdrawn from Pennsylvania
avenue; the members OF the third house, the lobby,
have gone by hundreds from the hotels and board.
ing houses leaving their "banquet halls de-
serted;" the omnibuses ana carriages since Tues
day evening last have been going packed to the
railway depOts and steamboat landings and re-
turning empty the melancholy hackmen sit lazily
doing upon their boxes under the shade trees
and the black bootblacks, even at "nve cents a
shine," glut the market. In O word, Washington
Is deserted though not over 10000 OF its pODula-
ton OF week ago are missing, while 100 600 OF Its
people-so,ooo whites and 10000 blacks more or
less-have resigned themselves to the situation
and three months yet OF the heat OF Calcutta.
Worst OF all, the District OF Columbia has been
robbed OF Its magnificent Territorial government,
and its magnificent Baron Haussmann mas been laid
/
dirt. wood, asphalt brick, stone, earthen and lead
piping, big pipe and small pipe men, and OF his
workers In sodding and shade trees and sewers
and parks and iron ratings, only here and there
stragger remains. The "B0ssn and his Ter
ritorial establishment have been swept away as
by Partisan revolution and triumvirate OF
outsiders, sort OF provisional government OF
national defence" has taken It's place, charged
with the tremendous task of beginning the work
oF win tla riot I'm ln1n Wo; OrtO
and Georgetown) from its heavy financial en-
barrassments. To this end our new governing
committee OF three, ad interim, Is author
lied to collect taxes to the amount or
three per cent on real estate, including
church property, In addition to the two per cent
already In force on private property, OF which, for
the immediate assistance OF che city, Congress has
advanced $l,300,000, and has made something
more than the annual average sum OF appropra-
tons OF the last ten years for improvements on
| public buildings parks, reservations, &c.
| N THU DEBT ON THE DISTRICT,
which, with the creation OF its Territorial govern
ment, three years ago, 1t was ordained by act Of
Congress- should not be increased beyond the
limit OF 49, 0O0O 900, has been enlarged to the sum
OF $2l, 100000. But ask Ex-Governor Cook and his
energetic successor, Governor shepherd what has
they are responsible, ana they win answer:-
LOOK %as at oeN washington Remembering what was
!
Of shabby Villages; it is now the most beautiful
CANT parks ana It's rows upon rows OF new and
handsome private houses In the East the Centre
ana the e, West End the cy IN every as ths
years ago, in the summer a desert OF dust and in
the winter and early spring continuous mud
hole, as difficult to navigate with an army wagon
as the swamps OF the Ohickahominy Now, witn
hundred miles OF these broad avenues and streets,
graded, drained, and paved with asphalt. wood or
the Belgian stone pavement, nightly cleaned aud
constantly sprinkled In The hos and dry weather,
WASHINGTON IS neither dusty desert IN summer
nor mudho,e in winter. but the paragon of our
cities at all seasonsin us pleasant and extensive
wAsnISGroN's HEALTH IMPROVED.
This was, substantially, the defence Oh Governor
Shepherd before the late Congressional District
investigating Committee; ana, furthermore, his
counsel pleaded In his behalf that whereas Washing
ton had the reputation OF beng one OF the unheath-
lest cities OF the Union, its mortality reports now es-
tabnsh u AS one OF tho very healthiest from the
first day OF January to the last day OF December.
which the miasma OF the most unwholesome local.
tiles has disappeared. There was, for instance
mile. between the grounds at the loot Of the Capitol
and the Presidents grounds broad canal the
ter itself than an open cesspool fostering in the
sun. Tbs canal has been reduced to sewer,
canned thereby 9o yoo not health only has sSs ay but been
very considerable tract has been added to the
pubic grounds. Ana again, IN the defence OF
Shepherd 1t is pleaded tnat the cost per cubic or
square foot Of all these vast improvements
has not been beyond the general average OF
improvements elsewhere and that the advance
OF the CITY In its wealth, real estate, general
Improvement and growth has, within three years
been equal to what under the slow coach system
might not have been done In quarter OF q
century.
Against this defence, however, 1t was Sufhcent
for the rejection by the Investigation Committee
and by both houses Of Congress, Or the shHepa
beyond the limit laid down BY Congress
loosely made tnat his works were rushed through
regardless OF cost; that while he and many OF his
colleagues were enriched from these extensive
improvements and speculations therein, heavy
burdens OF taxes have resulted to the citizens ant
for for the District has been sadded upon me naiona
government, Congress being charged by the con
stitutiOn with exclusive legislation" over thi
District I'm all cases whatsoever" Congress
therefore, beng responsible Tor its agents in TIM
District government, mas lound IL expedient tt
utterly Incompatible with the new programme o
retrenchment, even TO the cutting out OF tn
cheese parlngs and candle ends OF the army AM
But, as from great abuses great reforms ar
e 81 the territorial experiment abolished, systc
matte ana responsible form of government for tina
District How lar the District debt. me 10 ioos
: the Two cities properly fall upon Congress- unde
the organic law OF the District VIII now be settled
0 the three consuls, al interim, while running tn
a machine, will find its Chief work in the examina
/ in view Of full and explicit report thereon Z
0 Congress in December next, in connection wit
: the report OF the Joint committee charged wit
: the duLy or framing permanent form OF loca
!. government for the District.
t IMPROVEMENT OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
Congress, too at the late session. considering 1t
II painful attack OF retrenChment, has given som
II LIBERAL appropriations or the public Improvement
o oil Washington. Conspicuous among these apprC
/ pratons is the item OF 100000 Tor the improve
ment OF the grounds Immediately around the Cap
tol. Some years ago these grounds were Unite
Capitol and some twenty, more or less, on the cas-
a front; but with the lengthening OF the Duiidin
y by the addition of q new wing at the south end 10
:, the House OF Representatives and q wing of tn
q same proportions at the north end for the Senate
a making the length Of the splendid stru
- ture over 700 feet, the Capitol stretch
!; ing across It's enclosure. stood Ike gres
n school boy grown too large for his breccnes Mort
and South, then. IN the annexation OF street
houses and lots, the enclosing grounds were ne,