National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-09
GENERAL BABCOGKS WORK.


Yesterday we printed the report of Gen
eral Babcock, giving a sketch of the oper-
atoms of his Office for the last twelve
months. The formal, technical language
of the document in question, full of dry
statistics about water pipe, curbing and
tagging, grading and filling and sodding,
about the reclamation of reservations, chain
posts and ratings and bridges, gives onlya
faint idea of what this best of all our pub
lie officers in Washington has done for the
adornment of the capital during the Gov
eminent year just closed and the years since
he has been placed in charge of our public
improvements. Every citizen of Washing
ton, however, is familiar with his work,
and we are certain that we correctly repre-
sent the opinion of nine tenths of our peo-
pie when we say that we are more indebted
to him for the beauty and loneliness of the
capital than to any other man in the commu-
nifty. The Government parks and reserva-
tons, embracing a large proportion of the
real estate of the city, have been all under
his charge and direction. With scant ap-
preparations he has so adorned them that
to-day Washington is without doubt the
handsomest city on the continent, if not in
the world. The Board of Public Works,
it is true, made the avenues and streets
what they are, but General Babcock has
made nearly all the green places so many
summer houses and flower gardens in al
most every section of the city. Whatever
1,a hoe +orcba1 hoe bacOD,a l,oaut;f,l on5
bright, He has gone about scattering foun-
tains and flowers upon every hand, filling
up the unsightly hollows, removing the old
deformities, tearing down the prison-like
ratings, making the whole city, as far as
he could do it, one grand park, filled with
all manner of pleasant surprises in the
charming blending of nature and art.
The report contains some exceedingly val
liable suggestions, which, it is to be hoped,
will receive favorable consideration from
Congress. The following extract contains
an important one, which we trust will be
acted upon in the meantime: "The Presi-
" dent presented to this office a handsome
specimen of an American eagle which
" had been sent him from Wisconsin. A
" cage was constructed for it and placed in
" Franklin square, thus adding to this
square feature of much interest to the
" children of the city. Specimens of ami
" mails are frequently offered TO this Office
d" from officials of the Government and pri-
" vate individuals, which are often declined
:" for the want of means to properly house
and care for them. In few years, and
at a comparatively small expense, very
" fine collection of American and other
" animals could be collected. Such a COL
" lection would be a great source of enter
tainment to the people of the capital, and
those visiting it, besides being of great
value to the students of natural history.
would respectfully recommend that an
appropriation be made to provide for re-
ceiying such contributions" The Zoolog-
ical collections of other capitals, particu-
larry of London and Paris, form one of
their principal attractions; but, in this re-
spect, Washington is painfully deficient.
We have absolutely nothing to show ex-
cept the small Wisconsin eagle in Franklin
square and the pet deer in the jackson
statue enclosure in Lafayette square. Vari-
GUS efforts have been made from time to
time to supply the deficiency; bills have
been presented in Congress upon the sub
ject, but for some reason we have
had only repeated failures in the
attempt. General Babcock suggests
what would seem to be the best and most
feasible way toward accomplishing the end
in view, that the Government should begin
the work by making a small appropriation
TO preserve the donations that may be made
TO it. This is work in which the city
itself might appropriately join. New York
is yearly increasing her collection in Cen
tTal Park, and so we believe are Philadel-
phia and Baltimore. Annual appropria-
lions are made for the purpose, and the
expenditures are far more than compen-
stated for by the amusement and instruc-
ton afforded thereby. 1t is true we have
no power here authorized to appropriate
the funds Of the city IN that way, but in a
short time we hope to come out of the
anomalous position in which we have been
placed with an entire new set Of govern
mental machinery. If the collection should
be begun some Of the more wealthy of our
citizens might assist in the undertaking,
and thus emulate the example of Mr. Cor
coran, who has at least laid the foundation
for what is undoubtedly destined to become
one Of the finest picture galleries in Amer
lea. Gen. Babcock is entitled to the thanks
of our people and indeed OF the thousands
Of strangers who visit US annually for the
suggestion he has made, and it is the duty
of all our citizens to help in every way
possible in the matter