New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-05-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, May %, 1888.

vvA0USNOJOU LIZ Tn.
WASHINGTON, May %, 1888.
The past week was lively, inter
esting one in Washington. The.
city was full Of strangers, brought
here through different interests.
The spring races brought sporting
men, large excursion parties from
different cities helped to crowd the.
hotels, and the veterans Of the Ar.
my Of the Potomac came with their
wives and children to hold their an
nual reunion. Blue skies and
bright sunshine, exquisitely tenn
pered by soft breezes lent their
assistance to the outdoor events
Transporting, and made the con1i-
tions Of successful sport, parade
and excursion, faultless. The
broad, smooth, hard streets Of the
city are vel! suited for pageantry,
and Wednesday was the day on
which the old soldiers, accompanied
by the local military. formed a
procession and tramped to the old
martial strains. twas real gala
day Many hotels, public buildings
and private residences were deco
rated for the occasion; flags foated
on the breeze, and people crowded
the sidewalk to see the parade. The
procession passed in review before
the President, and the veterans
were given a reception at the
White House afterwards, but they
were slightly offended by the fail
ure of President Arthur to attend
their proceedings at the National
Theatre Wednesday evening, after
having been waited on by a COM
-mittee of invitation and having sig
nifed his intention to be present.
The exercises were delayed by wait
ing for his appearance, but all that
time he was far away, steaming
| down the Potomac on little moon
light excursion.
While wealthy and cultivated
people are daily attracted to make
homes in Washing ton by the ad.
vantages which it possesses over
any other city in the world, her
own people are too apt to pass them
unregarded by. The visitor from
the bleak streets Of Boston or Chi
cago, the dirty ones Of New York
or st. Louis, the narrow ones of
Philadelphia or Cincinnati, is sur
prised and delighted when he strolls
through these broad avenues lined
with living green, rests his eye on
the parks and circles, and observes
the high culture and artistic ar
rangement Of the parks and gar
dens. The park south Of the Az
enue is larger, more varied, better
cultivated and more beautiful and
interesting than any park in the
country. There are the Propagat-
ing, Agricultural, and Botanical
gardens, with a wonderful variety
Of trees and plants to attract the
eye and interest the mind. Besides
these are the Lafayette, Lincoln,
and Franklin squares, the numer-
Gus circles, cultivated and kept
with care and taste absolutely
unknown outside Of Washington.
In the propagating garden are 1885,.
00G bed plants, which are now rea
dy to be transplanted to the parks,
circles, squares, and reservations.
Coleus in endless variety Of yarie-
gated foliage, innumerable ger
aniums, vincas, lantanas, fuchias,
steiras, by the thousand, are await
ing their time to bloom in the open
air, but the display Of tulips, Gro
Gus, hyacinths, and the earlier and
harder plants, has been beautiful
beyond description.
In a few weeks the gigantic
palms and the great sage plants,
bandanas and other exotics which
during the winter have sometimes
graced the parlors Of the Presi
dents House will crafty the eye
of the poorest in the parks and cir.
cles.
All these beauties are free to the
poorest citizen in Washington,
without the necessity of taking
long walks or rides to reach
them.
The Treasury Department has it's
own conservatives in which are
nursed the rare plants which beau.
tify the spaces around it. The
front Of the State Department is
charming spot in summer when the
roses are in bloom. The Presi-
dents grounds are dotted with beds
Of beauty, but the grandest floral
display is on the slope Of the Agri-
cultural grounds, which forms a
lawn Of exquisite beauty. On the
plateau fronting the building, with
it's broad walks and decorated tow
ers, a legion of tulips and hya-
cinths are In flower to-day. They
look to the eye as though endless
pennants Of red, white and blue
had been laid about the ground.
The air is redolent Of the sweetest
Of perfumes. Two hundred stately
willows adorn the walks in front Of
the grounds, while interspersed ov.
er the lawn are every variety of
hardy trees that will grow in this
climate Eastward are the Smith
sonian grounds with their grand
arrays of monarchs Of the forest,
the ivy clad tower of the idstitu.
ton wildly recalling some ancient
castle. Still further to the east of
the Mall is Armory square,
which IN point of attraction is
h nrd1v loco %lon +ho Ac.;o,,14,.l