The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-09-03
Correspondence OF the vIRa1N1As.

| AAA1SoA If1E bOAk) OF ~UBLIG w ORkS
NOT DESERvED-ITs GENERAL POLICY
| SUSTAINED BY THE CoMMIssIoN-THE
| FOUNDATION IRREvERSIBLY LAID FOR A
| MAGNIFICENT CAPITAL.
WASHINGTON, Aug, 18th IA.
In two past Nos of your excellent paper
Vehtnred, from the standpoint of per-
sonar observation. the vindication of the late
Board OF Public Works in reference to the i'm
provemens of the national capital, inaueurared
under the auspices OF the late new government
of the District.
had watched from early manhood,and with
intense interest. the wise and patriotic efforts
OF Clinton and Governor Morris, and Ransel-
laer' and De Witt, to commingle the waters OF
Lake Erie and the Hudson.
well remembered the bitter wall that went
for5h from the panc-stricken taxpayers from
SOUND to the Lakes, that the people of New
York would be impoverished and ruined by
proftlesstayation.
can almost hear now the frantic cry Of the
denlagogHes, "Where is the water to come from
to till the great ditch.''
| watched every step of the wondcrous work
OF the Canal and the Rail Road in making the
| wilderness to blossom as the rose, i'll raising UP
\ clues along their every track, and generating
smiling prosperity for renovated land.
| And under the inspiration of enthusiasm
over a favorite and long cherished policy, I
hailed the first budding effort to turn the step
| OF Improvement toward the capital city of the
| nation.
| AS often the case heretofore, there were those
OF little faith, and there were alarmed tax-pay-
| ers to plant themselves in the pathway of i'm
| provements.
| But the Board of Public works, headed by
| gentleman of rare capacity and as rare courage,
was equal to the occasion, and proceeded so
rapidly with It's work as to prevent any etfec-
tive organization OF the malcontents, and Who'll
| ly to disconcert them. Had they been allowed
| time to arrange for their work of embarrass
| ment the city had been at this hour what it
was less than four years ago-an area of mud
and mire, and rough, impossible streets, and
| an eye sore to all beholders.
| Much as the Board had been condemned, it
has accomplished two points of inestimabev val
! lie, and which a thousand times over balance
| and offsets the petty Irregularities and mistakes
| and even extravagances, SO much complained
of, which were inseparable from so vast and
| diversified work.
| First, by a sagacous and keen comprehen-
sion OF the situation. and boldness in extending
and hurrying up its operations with the ut
| most possible rapidity, it has so advanced the
work they were on, that its completion has be-
come matter OF absolute certainty. There can
| be no looking back. Too much has been done
not to finish off. The saving point has been
reached 80 Nullo vestigia retrorsuan. Every
body will say, ssWe shall lose all that has been
| expended if we stop now.'' And all who shall
observe the magic change which has come and
| made beautiful the city, with its well graded
streets paved to utter smoothness, with green
parked avenues and squares. and spouting jets.
and varied embellishments, remembering the
| mud and mire of yore, will exclaim, s'Thanks
to the brave officials who took the responsible
| ty of so pushing forward the improvements
Chat obstacle can arrest them short Of a glori
| GUS consummation.'' A holder and more sue
cessful stroke of policy has been rarely es-
sayed.
| Secondly, the action of the Board was accom-
| plished another and vital end 1t has led TO
the sure adoption of a fixed system OF national
appropriation in aid Of the improvement of the
| capital of the nation.
| 1t has stirred the question. heretofore but
| little examined or understood, of the relative
| obligation OF the government and the citizens
| of the district in reference to the adjournment
and other improvement Of the seat Of govern
ment, and to the general municipal expenses.
| A report from the j ldiciary Committee of
the House of Representatives prepared by
Judge Poland. one Of the ablest men in Con-
gress, has set forth in clear relief the purpose
of the founders of the national capital to estab-
lish it on a scale Of unusual magni ficence, and
the obligation of the Federal Government, rep
| resenting the whole people and founding cap
lUol IOI inc Wi1OIC HdJlOI, W UGttE It's pro-
portion OF the expenditures involved in improv-
ing, adjoining and making magnificent the cap
ital city of the nation. This splendid report ey
cry line Of which is a well put, nay, conclusive
vindication of the late Board Of Public Works,
was called out by the action of the Board. by
its determined purpose to effect improvement
at almost any hazard, and by its driving policy
of operation.
The effect of the action of the Board, and Of
the Report of Judge Poland, has been already
to secure all instant appropriation, and there
cannot be doubt that ere the short session of
Congress closes s'well defined basis Of FEEDER
al expenditure will be defined and maintained
by law which, with the proportionate private
expenditures, will secure, as sure as the shin
ing Of the sun, the improvement of the national
capital in all the magnifcence contemplated by
its founders, and worthy of great nation.
The Board took responsibility, it is true, but
that is its chief merit. Had responsibility not
been taken thework of improvement had been
arrested within twelve months, and there would
have been the end, and the malcontents trinm-
plant over suspended and sacrificed work.
The Board anticipated taxes and it anticipated
congressional appropriations. They had the
righG so to do, and the result shows that they
acted wisely and successfully.
No great enterprise was ever yet accomplish
ed without assuming responsibility, or is ever
likely to be. He who fathoms the necessity for
taking it, and who, fathoming it, takes it, is a
hero, and will be apt to prove a public benefac-
tor.
The Board is loudly denounced for exceed ling
the ten millions prescribed by the organizing
act. 1t did, and this is a part Of the response
bility taken, but it had at the time many mil
lions due of unpaid taxes, and it had anticipa-
tons of millions of appropriations which it had
Alright to expect from Congress, and which it |
has since received. What it did in this regard |
has been confirmed and sanctioned by Con- |
gress, apd thus falls to the ground this oft re-
peated accusation.
And there is much clamor over the enormous
cost of the improvements Suppose from the |
diversity aud great extent of the works, it has
cost several million more than it would under
a rigid economy. Why, even then the city
and the nation need not complain, for the val
ue Of real estate has been enhanced many times
more millions, and the certainty secured of the
completion s..worth all that has been lost by an
extravaganza, which was more securing than
real, and unavoidab;y.
The action of the new Commission and that |
of the present Congress in making an appro-
priation to continue the Improvements and af-
ter an elaborate investigation, is an honorable
and honoring endorsement and vindication of
the Board which should close the lips of re-
proach, and secure the approval, not the rep
rotation, Of the fair and considerate.
CLINTON.
A correspondent Of the St. Charles, (Mo.)
Neaos, writes the following about the Schools
ms to7, md Low