National Republican., 1883-09-06
OUR BREATHING SPOTS.
Graphic Sketch Of the Growth and Develop
ment Of the Capitol Parks
Some Historic Trees and incidents Con-
neoted with Their Planting,
Great Number and Variety Of the Plants Scattered
About the Grounds.
The Grotto and the Music Made by the
Watcrs-Other Interesting Information.

The beautifully arranged and excellently
kept capitol grounds arc perhaps unoxcelled
by any public reservations in the world.
Their general beauty is more deeply appre-
ciated by the visitor to the national capital
than it is by actual residents whose eyes have
become accustomed to the green panorama
spread out before them. A REPUBLICAN re-
porter took a tour of tho grounds last evening
aud learned from Mr.. w. J. Cogan, the public
gardener, who accompanied him, many in
teresting points concerning them.
1t is now ne arly ninety years since the
site of the capitol was determined, and more
than eighty since congress first held its ses-
sions upon it. Since the work of erecting
the capitol building first began, several eff
forts TO improve the parks have been made,
but few satisfactory results were obtained
until the present plan was successfully
adopted. When the government took posses
sion of tho capitol Site near the close the last
century, it was a sterile place, partly over
grown with "scrub oak" while the soil was
described by Oliver Wolcott, as ian exceed
ingly stiff clay, becoming dust in dry and NOR
tar in rainy weather." For number of years
the ground about the capitol was treated as a
common, and roads crossed it in every direc-
tion.
The year before Gen. Washington died he
built the brick house known now as the Hill
man house, which stands north of the capitol,
and planted numerous trees about one of
wbich-the washington elm"-still stands
fronting the senate entrance on the east.
When this elm was planted it served rs a street
side tree, but was afterward taken in during
the park extension.
The first local improvement ordered by
congress was walk to be made between the
park and Georgetown, where most of the
members Of congress lodged at that time
ham hain 10
The capitol and Gen. Washingtons house had
both been built under the assumption that
the future of the city, which Washington
avoided calling by his own name,
continuing to use the original designation
''the Federal City," would arise on
the higher ground to the east
ward. Both buildings were expected to stand
on its outskirts, backing upon the turbid
Tiber creek, with swampy borders, which
flowed along the base of Capitol hill When
Tiber creek was in freshet 1t was not fordable,
and members of congress were often compelled
to hitch their riding horses on the further
side and cross over on fallen trees and after
ward on a foot bridge.
Where the botanical gardens now stand
there was an alder swamp, which also spread
far along the site of Pennsylvania avenue
Tall woods on it's border shut off the views of
the grounds south and west of it. This
forest contained many noble trees, mostly
oaks, which were felled for fire wood by per-
mission Of congress as measure of economy,
after the war of 1912.
There is tradition, which is perhaps true,
that Washington while building his brick
house planted some trees on the east side of
the capitol of which the old elm, above re-
ferred to, was one aud is the only remaining
one. Another of equal age was blown down
several years ago and third was removed
in consequence of the enlargement of
the capitol. The last tree was of
nj bohif % Nd Me- nr tha ho
tvnc garden distributed many rooted cut
tngs of it to congressman. In regard to the
surviving tree, report says: The surviving
tree, having girth of but ten feet at four
feet from the ground, has been of slow growth,
and been badly wounded within twenty years,
three cavities showing the removal of consid-
cradle limbs by barbarous excsion. On the
east side strip of bark, the entire length of
the trunk, has been torn Off The ground at
little distance on three sides having been
trenched and enriched and that nearer the
trunk forked over and top dressed, the tree
has, within three years, gained greatly in
health and vigor; its wounds are closing over,
and it may yet outlive several generations of
men.
Some years after the death of Washington
aspace OF ground, nearly half as large as the
present ground, was inclosed in connection
with the capitol, and a street laid out around
it. The Washington elm stands near where
this bounding street intersected another
which formed the northern approach to the
capitol, and on the opposite side, to the north,
an inn of some celebrity, long known as the
"Yellow Tavern" was built. This was the
dining place for members who lodged at q
distance.
Whatever improvement had been made
upon the original ground before the burning
of the capitol in 1914 was probably then, or
during the subsequent building operations,
wholly laid waste, the three or four trees first
planted alone escaping.
In 1925 another plan for laying out the
grounds was devised, which was sustained in
the main for nearly fifteen years, during
most of which period John Foy had charge,
and, as far as he was allowed, pursued the
ends had in view in its adoption consistently.
1t was that of an enlarged form of the ordi-
nary village-door yards of the time, fat rec
tangular "grass plats," bordered by rows of
trees, flower beds, and gravel walks, with
belt OF close planting on the outside of all.
30 long as the trees were saplings, and the
turf and flowers could be kept nicely, it was
pretty and becoming. But as the trees grew
they robbed and dried out the flower beds,
leaving hardly anything to flourish in them
but vioets and periwinkle. Weeds came in,
and the grass, becoming sparse and uneven,
was much tracked across, and grew forlorn
and untidy; appropriations were irregular
and insufficient to restore il or supply proper
nourishment Foy was superseded for politi-
cal reasons. and his successor ha other gar
dening ambitions to crafty.
At this time Though even some years
later George Combe described the city as "a
struggling village, reared in drained
swamp it had become clear that in was not
to grow up on the east front of the capitol.
John Quincy Adams, on retiring from the
presidency, had like Washington determined
to build town house for himself in Wash |
ington, and had chosen to do so far to the |
west. Much other private buildings had fol- |
lowed, including one large and excellent
hotel, and government had undertaken sew
eral important public building in the same
quarter
1t was then determined to mako an addi- |
tion (about seven acres), and considerable
Improvement of the premises in the rear" |
of the capitol, and this Improvement led on
without any special act of congress to n
gradual change of motive in the management
OF the old grounds on the east, under the |
management of James Maher, who is de- |
scribed by his friends as a joyial and witty |
1rishman owing his appointment to the per-
sonal friendship Of Gen, Jackson"
The soil at the foot of the hill was much |
better than that Of the east ground but the
trees planted by Maher were chiefly silver
poplars and silver naples, brittle aud short |
lived. After doing more or less injury to the |
more valuable sorts-they have all now dis
appeared-but there remain of the planting |
of this period several fine occidental plants |
scarlet naples, horse chestnuts, pecan, and |