Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1875-06-26
METROPOLIS MENTION.
Correspondence Free Press)
WASHINGTON, June 20, 1876.

WASHINGTON, June 20, 1870.
II has been suggested me by the regular cor
respondent of the FREE Press that series OF
descriptive letters from this city might not be
uninteresting to your many readers.
The CITY of Magnificent Distances has as
sumed its Summer garb, and at this writing
the verdure, as yet, unwithered by dog-day
heat-presents beautiful appearance. Es-
pecialy is this so in the evenings; relieved oil
the suns glare, the public reservations scatter
ed through our city, are then seen at their pest !;
the forests of trees are admired for something
more than their grateful shade and the fresh
verdure seems
Teeming with the wine of new life
OF these public parks there are rather large
number. Omitting the smaller ones, -gener-
ally formed in circles aud triangles and sltua-
ted at the intersection of streets with avenues,
Il name few: The Smithsonian Grounds,
surrounding that Institute, and bounded by
A. B, 9TH and 18th streets, South The Agri-
cultural Grounds, surrounding that Depart
ment and adjoining the above on the West !;
The Executive Grounds, located South Of the
Presidents house Lafayette Square on Penn
sylvania avenue, and Franklin Square bound
ed by 18th, 14tb, | and X streets North. To
these might be added the Capitol Grounds
were they in a finished condition, but only the
West side is as yet available for promenade
purposes, and also the Botanical Gardens, did
they not come more appropriately nnder an
other head.
We do not need however, to seek any Of
these sylvan retreats for shelter from the sun.
Our streets-the most of them-are planted
with trees of fine growth, which, lin some
| instances-they do not aready,-yet give
promise of an early and ample shade These
streets aud avenues of ours have, in late years,
been entirely reclaimed from their quagmirish
state by the lately deposed Board of Public
Works. The gentlemen comprising this board
were all men of progressive ideas; they were
formed into body for the purpose of improv-
| ing our then dilapidated streets. This pur-
pose was carried out on an expensive, perhaps,
! but vet thorough scae-as the absentee OF five
years can return, to-day, and teStify-but the
| slow-coach citizens raised hue and cry a.
gainst the Board which has at last, am sorry
to say. effected its deposal. The city's manage
ment has passed into the hands of three COM
missioDers, appointed by the President, who
have so far shown some degree of ability in
carrying on limited amount Of Improvement.
Another instance Of the stupidity of our citi-
zens is shown in their crusade lately instituted
against the Baltimore and Potomac r. r.,
whose fine depot building, finished last year
and situated south Of the Avenue, has, | am
quite sure, trebled the value of property for
squares around. These misguided South
Washingtonians, the islanders of formerdays
before the odious, fever-breeding canal was
abolished, --caim that the incessaut rumbliue
Of trains over the tracks laid on Maryland and
Virginia avenues is tending to the weakening
of house foundations, besides entailing mul-
titude of other Inconvenience upon them. To
my mind, however, the world has entered upor
a Grumbling Epoch, and disregaris its best
interests in pursuing Fault Finding Policy
In this, may be mistaken, but long resi-
dence here in this city-the Paradise Of Grum
blers-would serve to Justify such a conclusion
But am told that the shortest cut to Edi
torial favor is via Breviy, SO the discussion o
other matters must be postponed.
PAUL.