Daily Republican., 1880-01-13
oUR wAsHIsGT0N LETTER.
A rev OF the Happenings nj the
NatioD's Capital.
leeiAl correspOndenee Oi the RepublIcan.

A rev OF the Happenings Mt the
Nations Capital.
Special correspondence Of the Republican.
WARRINGTON, D. c., Jan. IL, 1880.
The seventh decade has made per-
haps more changes in Washington than
any ten years since the capitol and
Presidents house were built. During
this decade the population has grown
from l09, 200 TO lac, 900, the increase in
the years alone being much greater
than the entire population Of George
town and Alexandria combined. The
private buildings have grown from
about Is, 900 to 5000, and the addi-
tional public buildings, while num-
bered by units, are ell magnificent in
design and immense in cost. The new
State building, the fine building Of the
Bureau Of Printing and Engraving, and
the National Museum, with some small
buildings, conssrvatories and the like,
owe their origin to this period. The
most marked changes however are those
which relate to the public grounds.
These haye advanced as much In the
past ten years as during the whole sixty
years preceding the war. The capitol
grounds have extended their limiti
aud have been renewed in design. The
canal has disappeared and on its
old south bank the Botanic, ArmOry
agricultural and monument grounds
have grown up areas of silvan walks,
ponds, gardens and parks, that joined
with the Smithsonian grounds have
made the tiresome and tresless mall an
area in which natural beauty, touched
by the hand Of art, has developed "rus
in urbe" to an extent unequaled in
any Of the larger capitals. Scores Of
squares and smaller reservations have
been evoked on dirty corners In the
mid.city, or brought out of ash piles
and hog ranges nearer the city's edge.
Statues Of Lincoln, Scott, Rswlins and
Thomas, have been set in company
with Washington and Jackson. Sever
al fine public school buildings, and
some private ones including the superb
Convent of the Visitation, are among
the evidences Of the city's advance in
prosperity. Magnificent private build
ings erected during this tina may
'e numbered by hundreds. Indeed II
has been an era of fine buildings
one of many kind acts of W. W.
Corcoran. E.o,. the wealthy banker,
was the erection of "The Louise Home. I"
and presenting 1t TO our city. This in
stitution IL intended to be used as a
home for aged females whose reverses
ave been such as to compel them to
look for assistance. There are only a
limited number allowed admission.
Among the lady inmates there now Ia q
Mrs. Semple. President Tyler's daugh-
ter. who after her motber's death and
before her fathers second marriage, was
the presiding lady at the White Houss.
II is the LAWYERS after all who rule this
glorious country of ours. The Senate
IF the United States consists OF seventy
six members, and Of the number SO are
practising LAWYERS and nearly all the
Of the House are LAWYERS
he President and Vice President are
awvers. In th. ssnate there ia onlv
,pe physician-Sepator Hamlin ia th.
,ldest member of the sepate-Mr. Bruce
II fMississippi ia the Youngest Senator not
,eing vet "a years Of ace. Senator I'D.
nupds of Vermont, is by many sup
Dosed to be the Oldest Sen ator. because
IF his appearance. but in fact there are
'av who are vonngar than bs Hs /.
not vet 80 wears Of age Int bis hair
and heard are prav. and a stoopino pos-
Lura that he assumes make him apnaar
much older than he really is.
Our city is to be favored with an 'ar-
tifcial ice skating rink, which will be
commenced at an early day. There
will be surface Of 1900 square feet
,f solid ice.
Among the Executive documents pre-
,ented to the House yesterday, was q
Ietter from Secretary Schurz, recon-
nendipg an appropriation of $500 to
purchase the first patent ever issued in
his country. 1t was for an improve
nent In making potash, and It is written
IN q sheet of parchment twenty inches
SQUARE, signed by George Washington,
certified by Edward Randolph, Attorney
General, also by Thomas Jefferson.
With the seal of the United States
4 10 an interesting and valuable relic.
4eperal Garfield appeared in his seat in
he House Yesterday morning for the
lrst time since the recess, and was the
ecipient Of MANY congratulations on
10Th sides of the House upon his sue.
essful contest for the Senatorship.
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