The National tribune., 1879-05-01
Washington City during Two Eras.


Craft at Appomatox The remains of the army
who fought against the Union retired to their homes
and the hosts under Grant and Sherman moved upl
through Washington City and camped there, pre-
limnary to their discharge There were more than
one hundred thousand men in that grand army
citizens of every State and Territory in the Union
and hundreds of representatives from every civilized
nation in Europe. There were artizans from New
England clerks from New York, coal-heavers from
Pennsylvania, wood-choppers from Indiana fat
boatmen from Illinois, farmers from Michigan, lum
bermen from Wisconsin, miners from Colorado
they represented every class of American citizens.
Many were ragged and worn, but ragged and
tough from their exposures, while thousands were
wrecked and diseased, whose terms of life would
shortly be brought to a close. In Washington, all
these soldiers were discharged, and being fitted up
with new clothing, and having received funds many
of them remained at the Capital some DAYS to OBJ
serve its leading characteristics and to notice it's
general appearance These and thousands of Others
who were posted in and around the city during the
time from 1861 to 1868 will probably be interested
in learning of the changes which have taken place
between 65 and TO
Shortly after the terminated the Board of
Public Works of the City of Washington inaugural
ed grand system of improvements for the city.
At the head of this board was Alexander r. Shep-
herd, gentleman of enormous executive force and
untring industry, to whom every American who
takes pride in the capital of his country should ever
be grateful Mr.. Shepherd and his associates or
dered the grading and paving of miles on miles of
streets and avenues in Washington and George
town. Many We're paved with wood-the Nicho
sen block-but most We're asphalt or Neuchate
which, being laid in a plastic condition, now ac-
quires almost a granite hardness and durability
Much Of the Nicholson pavement has since gone to
decay, and is replaced by the asphalt or Neuchatel
which now, in most parts Of the city, is smooth
as an ordinary floor Washington to-day has prob
ably the best pavements of any capital in the world
The former roadway of all the streets has been
much narrowed and the footway widened, while
open spaces for grass and flowers add beauty the
appearance of the thoroughares In 1865 Wash
ington was associated with mud dirt, and discom-
fort streets in ruts and ridges, cut with the move
ment of army wagons and heavy artillery, while a
putrid stream known the canal" some
distance into it, and nuisance to every eye
and which visited those beautiful spots known
as the Smithsonian I" and 4 grcultural College
This canal has been filed and now grand boule
ward occupies its place. Previous TO the war Wash
ington had but few statues in her parks, Ia addi
tion to the two, the father of his country one o
marble by GreeHough, east of the Capitol, and the
other of bronze, mounted in the circle" Penn
sylyania avenue with that of Jackson in Lafayette
Square there is the Naval monument Pennsyl
vana avenue fronting the west side of the Capitol
consisting of various figures in marble embematt
of our late Union struggle, also splendid equestrian
statues of Gen. Green, of revolutionary fame, 0
Scott and Mcpherson, and full length statue o
Gen Rawns Nor must we omit to mention tha
great work of art called Emancipation" in Lin
coin Park almost three-quarters of mile east 0
the Capitol. 1t exhibits two figures, one of Lin
coin admirably life-like and slave, massive il
size and almost without drapery, in the attitude o
,ioip,r Con, knaaln,y noSition ShackyaS hrokeI