National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-02-10
WASHINGTON IN 1861 AND IN 1882.

Not quite twenty one years ago ION March .,
1861 two days before the first Inauguration of
Abraham Lincoln) your correspondent saw the
National Capital for the first time Then 1t was
city of only GO0O0 inhabitants then, with the ox-
ception of few grand public buildings of the
Nation, 1t contained but very few costly, ornate,
or imposing edlices of any description; then but
single avenue (Pennsylvana) and only one or
two of the streets of the entire city were paved and
those in the rudest manner, with rough cobble-
stone then the city was without n single street
railway, and the only public conveyance found on
her thoroughfares was the omnibus; then when
the heavy rains of spring were falling, 1t was no
unfrequent thing to see wagons and other We.
hioles
MIRED ALMOST TO THE HUBS
In her broad avenues and streets; then through.
out the city much the larger part of the public
grounds were wholly unimproycd-were destitute
of grass flower, shrub, tree, or fountnin-given up
TO the juvenile portion of the population for play
grounds then, under the blightng Influences of
human slavery, business languished, enterprise
was In the very throcs Of dissolution; dilapdation
and decay were visible ON every hand: then the
cheek of the patriotic American citizen tlngled
with shame when he gazod upon the National
Capital in Its liltenesS meanness rust and decay,
and contrnsed 1t with the
yAsTNESs, GRANDEUR, AND MAGNIFICESCE
Of the Nation itself Now ascend to the top of the
dome of the Capitol and look down and around
and behold, spread out before you in the beautiful
magnificent city of 10000 ian increase in pOpula.
tion of 200 per cent i'll two dccadcs with lis broad
avenues and streets, to Its utmost boundaries
smoothly and substantially paved with concrete or
stone, and with nearly 10000 trees skirting their
sidewalks, slording with their rich and luxufinnt
foliage in spring and simmer cool and refreshing
shade Now ali the public grounds of every de.
scrlption throughout the city are handsomely in-
closed, artistically laid out, and henutifed with
lawns shrubs trees, fountains, and with flowers in
their season; now great blocks Of CapAciouS ana
splendid dwellings ana
LARGE AND ELEGANT BUSINESS HOUSES
line her avenues and streets in every direction
now members of the Cabinet, Justices of the SUI
premC Court, Senators, and other high Oihcials Of
the Government own and occupy palatinl mar
siOns, and many, very many, wealthy private citi-
Zens of the North ana West are contributing to
the growth and magniliconce of the city by having
erected fine editccs for winter residences; now
the business of Washington city Is ilve-iold what
It was twenty years ago. Since the war closed
more than S2OO00,0O0 have been expended in
grading, paving, and in other respects improving
the streets and in making surprisingly charming
and delightful her public grounds. To-day the
Nations Capital Is unqucstiOnGbly the most at.
tractivc and beautiful city on this continent aud
at the close of the present century 1t will certainly
be the most charming and
LOVELY CITY OF THE EARTH,
with population of q half million of people, as II
will then be the capital Of the grandCst nation the
world ever saw. This marvellous transformation
OF Washington from the mean city OftwCuty years
ago 10 the magnificent city Of to-day Is obviously
the result of the removal Of the incubus Of human
slavery and the inflow of Northern and Western
tellgencc, and wealth. Aud 10 the honor and
memory Of the men whose Sagacity nnd publit
spirit devised and whose energies, skill, and nerve
accomplished in the face of cures AMI cortumely
the grand system of improvements Of the streets
nnd public grounds of the National Capital, 4
grateful people will, nt no distant pcGiur, erect u
one of her parks monument Of mhrhc,-lEoh
ipg'oH c0rcspondcacc " ne Republican Efomnt', q
,IsrYcyIilS M