National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-21
WHAT "IoWAu WANTS.
Tothe Editor of The Republican

T0the Editor Of The Republican:
VIII you allow me to occupy a little
space in your valuable paper in complaining of
the neglect of the public functionaries in Wash
ington, whose duty ii is to make the city all that
the public desire 1t should be? Every citizen of
the great Republic glories in the adornmen of the
Capital and regrets that more money is not ex-
pended in public buildings and pavementS and in
extending the parks As long as the money is
honestly expended the peopleare willing that s1O,-
100000 year for all time should be appropriated
in making Washington the most beautiful city of
the world. New York, Chicago. Philadelphia
and Boston have magnificent parks of thousands
of acres, and yet Washington has only few public
squares, mall of small extent, and the Soldiers
Home, all insignificant In size What is now de-
sired is TO have an immense tract Of land on the
OUTSIDE OF THE BOUNDARY LINE,
and extending from the Navy Yard 70 Georgetown
condemned and improved so that the city may be
surrounded by belt OF exquisite landscapes and
turesque full of scenic effects, and capable of the
finest landscape garde ming. This accomplished
healthy and more beautiful than any city on the
continent. Another matter of smaller moments
the neglect of the keeper of the public grounds to
have the names of the different trees affixed to
them, so that strangers may at once
KNOW WHAT THE TREES ARE
that excite their admiration. There are so many
foreign trees so many that are strange as well as
beautiful, that every Western man is provoked
that ne has no means of gratifying his curiosity.
The Government certainly expends money enough
on these grounds to afford little for this purpose,
and if you will tell whose duty it is 10 see to
this, your correspondent will make it his business
to endeavoF to have the trees named 1t is now
two months since the writer came to Washington,
and in that time has examined every foot of
ground in the city; knows all the public squares
by sight, but does not know whom the equestrian
statues represent that adOrn them. The modest
sculptors have not thought best to carve the name
of the heroes on the pedestal, and the pasSer-by
is left in ignorance whether the statue represents
General Grant, or General Mcclellan, or somebody
else. 1t is gross assumption of the sculptor TO
suppose that the public is familiar enough with
his style, or the outline of the figure, to know
either his name or the person represented by the
statue. The name the date, and the name of the
sculptor should be eonspicuously carved on the
pedestal of every statue and it is afeetation not
to do it.
N ADNIRING MANY OF THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS
in Washington the writer has not been able, in
single instance, to find date showing when the
building was erected, who was the architect, or
under what dynasty it was built. This is all
wrong. Every stranger regrets that he can get no
information on this subject, and nothing adds
more interest TO q building than to know some
thing of its history. If the congressional COM
mittee on the public grounds would make an
order for these Inscriptions it would CRAFTY many
a stranger. IOWA.