Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-07
T..e City OF Uasniax;sa...


From the Boston Transcript
When the first President selected tSSSHe of
the great city that now bears his name a. that
where should be laid out and built tie calssal of
the nation, the place was little more than a
wilderness of forest and swamp. But the for
bidding appearance of things did not prevent
NJ. L'knfant, the young French engineer, who
was called in consultation from conceiving a
design for acity which should permit such dis
position of prominent buildings az to rive ey-
tended views of and from them in many direc-
tions- To accomplish his idea, several point
were taken a. ceuterS Of radiatin9 lines As the
triangular spaces formed by the meeting of the
lines must be- tlled up somehow. they finally had
recourse to the Philadelphia rectangular Sys-
ten. But the avenues remained as laid out by
tie French engineer. who. though compelled to
step aside, succeeded in getting his scheme i'm
some particulars accepted 10y the authorities of
the day. To-day one may see that the young
Frenchmags idea was as wise IS il was inseil-
iOus From the Capitol one Commands uninter-
rupted views Of wonderful beauty in ten or a
dozen directions. At the other end Of PennSyl-
yania avenue stands the elegant building OF tie
Treasury department. which i'll turn forms the
center OF another radiating system OF attractive
views
But tie vistas were not always so delightful
as now. Time was. and since the place was
made the seat OF government, that the White
House was almost the only decent building in
the cityS limits, and when the wives OF tie
early Presidents set forth 10 make their calls
their carriage wheels went to the hubs in mud
4 horribly gloomy place it was as late as 1914
just after English sailors had set fire to the Cap
itOi and the White House, each of which was
greatly damaged Recovering from these
wounds the city gradually acquired elegance
and twenty years ago. III spite OF its mud, had
some claims to consideration as the capital Of a
great nation. The war over. Washington be-
gan To grow. Improved methods of paving
and lighting were introduced, and tidy, cheer
full highways took the place of dirty, gloomy
roads. Not only have the older public buildings
ones have been put Up.
more pronounced Indication of the growing
favor which the city has has been the in
crease IN the number OF elegant private resi-
dences, some OF which In proportions and
appointments truly palatial. Something yet
remains TO be done to make Washington en-
tireiy desirable as permanent residence.
When the misunderstanding marshes along the
banks of the Potomac shall have all been re-
claimed and converted into parks, new beauties
will aid i'm attracting TO the capital q class of
citizens who will find there wholesome and
ENJOYABLE means of existence except during the
very hottest days of the heated term, as can be
furnished anywhere on the continent. Ii Is. in
fact In the winter season become already the
CAPITAL of the country socially as well as politi-
caiIy. and year by year must approach more
nearly 10 the relation OF such capitals rs Paris.
London. Berlin and st. Petersburg to their re-
spectiye countries.