National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1878-03-25
THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
Professor Oiinstead's Mutiiations--A Protest
Against Their Continuance.


To The Editor QJth6 National RcpUbjrW:
SIR: A bill has recently rasscd the Senate GppIo.
priNtlng $1,000 for the prosecution Of Professor
OlmSt.sds so.cnlcd Improvements" Of tho Capitol
grounds An Old WRshingtpniHn' through yunr
columns desires to enter his protest against the pas
sage Of this appropriation by the House JIG would
respectfully submit to the members Of that body
that VIC have already had ton much Of these so.
called improvements and that II designation Of
the Capitol ground. and Of the Capitol itself Is
contemplated by Professor Olinscad wkirh should
not he permitted by the Representatives Of the
American people.
This contemplated dI,dzurnton Is the removal Of
the green terraces from Il wet ir nj Of the capitol
and the substitution of what may he called a bulk.
head of marble. This Improvement" II you please
is urged upon tho ground TINT In a view Of the
Capitol from III west Il will aid crafty 10 the INA
leslie appearance of the bnilding in this front In
the addition % another story. aud of twenty or
thirty feet TO lis apparent Ec'ght Tint is ALL The
project may cost iw" ~ three hundred thousand
dollars to complete II. ltIAay 10
PROFITABLE JOB
to the pnrt'cs concerned IN It meantime hut the'c
are small objections II II can b" shown that these
projected walls and walks Of glazing marble will be
an Improvement " the Capitol or anything but a
designation of the hull ding and its approaches
from the west.
It's only recommendation. your appellant de
uOuncrs II rs wholly indcicnsihe. Taking II upon
the shallow prctcnse that y viii add another story
10 the apparent height Of the west front Of the Cap.
tD what is Il worth? Nothing. Nay. II Is worse.
much worse, dian nothing Involving. ~ docs this
project, the destruction Of the most beautiful
feature Of the edi'iCe viewed frOm the West, and
that Is the green hill upon which i stands: Cut
away those green terraces and substitute walls and
walks Of marble and the hin di'Rppcars upon
which the Capitol stands; ard II will iOns 10 the
passenger on rcnnsyl NaniR avenue. uni from Ar
lingtun heights, II Ike building planted IN mar.h,
OF towering Into the air from hole In the ground.
while from the Potomac River. below the city our
present beautiful Capitol will he transformed into
lop.Sdrd InOuStro5ity, with the cast front OIL n
hill and the west front In a valley. Against
THIS PROJECTED OUTRAGE
am supported hy all the architects IT the Capitol,
from first To last. Those terraces are ihciC work.
and they admirably III the tic'ip Of harmony, the
east ynd west rUmts OF this building Icing SGT upon
4 hill.
scapc gardener III the next place, are not adapted
| to the climate Of Washington, summer or winter.
Ills love of display In marble walls and ialrwHys,
IN ornamental limp posts, with clusters Of pretty
plans Of bliStcrng asphalt, reminds ono Of u
horse. luckcy. with his velvet Cutaway coat, his
| flashing ncCktic. his cmhFn!dcTcd vest. aud his
stunning assortment Of jeNelry. Professor Ohm.
grounds will fully Justify this comparison. lie has
removed tOsc lnmcn'cl groves OF trcrs, the growth
Of ty years more beautiful than the Capitol In the
east and west parks ard IN their places lie hnS given
| usiasphAlt stone ornaments and fancy lainp.pnsts
| Those groves, which were refuge to the citizen
| the member Of Congress and stranger from the OK
| hauSting heat OF our summer season aud the
| searching north west winds Of u Washington win
ter have been removed 50 that citizen and stranger
may see all the Capitol mile on "only for thi,
| and nothing more" Against tho further prosccu
! ton Of these Improvements OF Professor OlmStcnd
| your mcmorlalist prayS the incI0sitlUn Of tho
Representatives of the people, to whom our Capitol
AZ OLD WASHINGTONIAN