Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-23
The National Capital.

FROM the Cincinnati Commercial
Among the other duties which will deyolye
upon the new Congress will he to provide for
the little that remains to be done to render
washington the most heaithful. as it is already,
In general sense, the most beautiful of Ameri-
can cities. To those who remember the city as
1t was in the former portion of even the last ten
years. but especially the last two decades, the
transformations In the place appear marvellous.
Then Washington seemed founded on dust heaps
IN summer, and mud-piles in winter. The broad
avenues were wretehedly paved or not paved at
all. The small parks. made at frequent intervals
by the crossing of the lettered and numbered
streets at Obtuse angles were repulsive to sight
and smell. With the exception of some of
the public buildings the architecture of
the place would have disgraced mushroom
| frontier village The house drainage and street
sewerage were reprOach to civilization of the
age. The alleged works of art which did exist
were few in number. and OF such order Of merit
as excited nothing but contempt for the nation
| that endured them. Pennsylvania avenue was
the magnificent thoroughfare cited TO the
stranger as marvel. but even that Wanted
street Was vast expanse of ugliness. The re-
gion to the west and northwest of the White
House was sparsely dotted with crumbling
shanties. On the grand plateau to the eastward
OF the Capitol were only the mean cabins of ne
gro squattcrS. The entrances to the city by rail
or wagon road were mean beyond comparison.
| All this has been changed in these few years
as II by the magician's help. No streets in any
city can surpass those of Washington in cleanli-
ness and smOOthness of surface The shanties
have almost totally disappeared everywhere
The northwestern region mas become filed with
dwellings that approach palaces in size and
| niagnificence. The old government build
ings just west of the White House are gone,
and in Their stead is the new and i'm
posing edifice which accommodates the
State. War. and Navy departments. Capt.
| tol Hill has been covered with costly
and elegant dwellings. The public places have
been adorned with statuary which embodies in
marble or bronze the recent history of the re-
public. and which. in design and execution are
not surpassed by such decorations anywhere.
The public squares in which they stand are al
most without rivals i'm all that makes such
places inviting. In short Washington has been
transformed. and dominated as it is from every
point OF view, near and remote. by the grand
proportions Of the Capitol. which from dis
lance seems resting in air. the city is a credit
to the nation and a wonder to the casual OBJ
server.
But for all this there is vet need for improve
ment in the city, both as to its appearance and
hygiene. The first and greatest want is the ex-
| tinguishment of the marshes to the south of the
| White House, which are generally known as the
Potomac flats. Not only are they unsghtly,
put whatever miasmas afiiict the capital have
their origin In these marshes. They have been
an eyesore and nuisance to the public health
ever since the foundation of the city. To them
the White House exclusively owes its reputation
as an unhealthy residence They have been
talked about in and out OF Congress for
so many years that the time has fully
come when discussion should cease and work
begin. The first thing is to raise them suf1i-
GENTLY, by filling, above the level of the Poto-
mae river to prevent OvertiOws, and then con-
vert them, as can easily be done. into vast and
splendid public garden. The work is one which
will require considerable expenditure of both
time and money; but in comparison with what
has already been done in Washington the
achievement will be mere trfe. This i'm
pr0vement once properly made will be perpet-
ual, and render Washington for all time, one of
the most beautiful and healthful of the cities of
the world. That this matter will early engage
the attention of the two houses is already be-
You'd question, but they should early under
stand it is one in which there is general public
conviction that where the required action is 80
| palpable it should not be postponed.