The Portland daily press., 1875-11-17
The National Capital.


A word or two now and then trom our Ma
toual Capital, once so much abused, now so
often praised, might not come amiss from an
old stager, who, though born away up in the
northeast corner of our extensive country, left
that vicinity in the early stages of the rebel
lion, and after the vicisssitudes pertaining to
the life of campaigning soldier, found lodg-
ing place and business in sight of the majestic
dome which stands emblematical of nations
existence, progress and greatness, and which
covers the representative wisdom of forty-fve
millions of people of which Maine forms a part.
Therefore, if nearly eleven years entities one to
be called long resident or old stager your cor
respondent may be counted in. And this eleven
years experience has probably witnessed more
startling and striking changes in and around
the capital thal almost all the other years of
its existence put together Within the writer's
emory land four decades have not yet passed
over his head) the national capital was repre-
sonted, and in many respects justly, as the
ode of vice, sluggishness, comparative
wretchedness, slave-holdpg wickedness and
general depravity, besides being garnished with
filth, dust, cess pools, slave buts, ill-shapen
iCoiNOdNOs, uuhuiohCu piiCo VI oOfOihhi
architecture and the like, so that in reading
about our local focus of political and intellect
ual wisdom one was mortified and disgusted.
Each correspondent stationed here to commu-
nicate to the then comparatively few daily
newspapers throughout the country, seemed to
vie with the other in pouring forth his wailiugs
or vituperation regarding this city. These were
not so much to blame. The condition Of things
at that time was substantially as represented.
And yet some faults were no doubt exagger-
ated, while in some cases, evils which were ca
silly subject to remedy were pronounced insu T.
mountable and, taken as a whole, these commu-
nications to the people seemed to agree mas
serting that no good could come out ofNazareth;
in palmer words, that there was no hope for
Washington; that it was planted in a quag-
mire, builded upon temporary plan, run by
the wrong set of theorists or section of coun-
try, made football for politicians, focus for
slave-breeders and their collateral emissaries,
hot-bed for gamblers, licentious characters and
such ilk, and to sum up the head center of all
that was unnatural, vicious, unprogressive, and
inmical to the better American principles and
policy. There. now, is the first picture. Let
me present the later picture. First came the
rebellion with all its mighty enginery for de-
structon. Yet that terrible evil to the coun-
try was a God-send (if such term applies) to
Washington. To be sure it turned things
-.-r-s'-..----, Cas- .-iiie, hr+"s nh t,so
material of war demanded by the course of bat
tie around the capitol poured in, the city was
energized, enriched, and rendered practical in
its existance. Each succeeding year of the re.
ha1ls Ill
the country, but brought energy, population
and wealth to Washington. until at its close in
1865 the city had nearly doubled in population
and added to the other desirable qualities a
large share in each. Then, the cause of the
impetus having been removed, very many, in
Guiding some of the wsest, predicted not only
stay OF activity, population, ETC., but a de-
cline. "What," was asked, sis there to push
us on, or even hold us where we are?'' The
question did seem serious one and unanswer-
able; yet, Notwithstanding all fears and pre-
dictions, the capital, since 1865 has steadily ad
vanced in population, wealth, and 1 might say
business activity, while her improvements have
far exceeded, in that time, the expectations of
the most sanguine, and most desirous. WASH
ington, in fact, has been metamorphosed from
an exceedingly filthy, Jilapidated, unhealthy
and unsightly city into an exceeding clean,
trim, healthy, active and progressive one
The stimulus first given has produced an en-
tire change in its system; its blood has been
quickened into very good circulation and the
results incident to the proper infusion of ener-
gy are n'w making themselves apparent in the
way OF steady, he althy growth and desire for
all sorts of improvement. In fact the ennui pro-
duced by the baleful influences of slavery has
been eradicated by the suddenly given but pow
erful acting doses of Yankee spirit and enter
prise.
Now have presented you the two pictures.
To-Day, then, We have capital boasting about
$4,000 inhabitants, finished capital of extra
ordinary beauty, a complete renovation, as it
were, OF old residences and business structures
an almost unprecedented construction OF new
ones, miles upon miles of smoothly paved
streets, avenues, and reservations, and very nu-
merous parks, fountains, statues and other
adornments which other cities like to boast of,
and what is now commonto all great American
in an unhDished condition which we hope some
DAY to finish, among them 70 ye patriotsD the
washington National Monument.
And now as the centennial year draws nigh
aud our western aud northern friends come
nocKing together at Philadelphia we propose
reducing the fare between that city and Wash
lngtou to low figure ithe distance being but
30 miles, so that while all may visit the Cen
tenLial, they may also visit their national CAP
ita And we propose to show you all, that we
have changed reputed quagmre into hard
bottomed city, regular and beautiful in itself
and its surroundings; that its suburbs (hitherto
almost unnoticed) are varied, picturesque and
attractive; that we have as fine dwellings, as are
to be found almost anywhere, and many struc-
lures OF a business nature that approach nearly
In magniicence and convenience TO those of
our neighbors; that our museums of curiosity
and art are as interesting as most others in the
country; that the public buildings, thanks to
you all, are grand and imposing; that we can
boast OF our eighty churches some of which
are new and costly (if some are steepleless-fer-
vor and generosity so far having exceeded the
limits OF the pocket) and finally we propose 10
show you that this go-ahead ativepe.s is not a
mere spirit but genuine reality which is "go
ing 70 stay" Such is Washington in 1875.