Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-01
~.sursGroy CITY.
-, CAPITAL In 1859 and 1884
- y,slts by q special Cores
a ,he Pest.lnteiiigeneer.

ling quarter Oh Ooi'uiS'
- the astonishing changes that
..,ur 20 quickly, are likely to be OF
- ,.l interest. On fine morning in
40 with boyish anticipations
~, 80. passed among the desks Of
s.sapt legislative halls before the
ssniaa = hour, wondering where the
nan sat. Soon after l saw the
-. and House in session. Of the
:. nd ,oul that conducted the Ameri-
..s;au then. not one is nov left, and
r, generation is occupying the places
: 4. old regime, that Is known no more
,asser.
!. ,su quarter of century after the
80 ,poksn of, | again pass among the
s..u. desks with my wife and sons. 1t
- b, me was ;he same boy. with
.sss.ss light heart; that the panorama
= s,,st events OF the past twenty five
80 vas like one nights dream. l
800 I':s,sd 70 the nov presiding chair Of
sraust Edmunds, who then had not
- ~ heard Of, and said there sat Brock
ss,;aes. Kentucky's god" as | after
- hard Gen. Buckner speak OF him;
- al Seward, there to his left Wig
IN. ri. tbsre 10 the front and left JEFF Da-
-. ,a shsra Mason, Hunter, Cobb, King.
s.sursr. ~ Wilson, Hale, Fessenden, Cam
-. Tooubs, Mallory, DO. La the House
~ MAYNARD, Sherman, Boutwell,. Da-
= PRYOR. Winter, Ashley, Thad. Ste
,srs 6e. Where are all they! Then
.bs, vho are now famous men of history
- mt even in the womb of events.
~ lad not heard OF Lincoln, of Stan
soa. AZ Garfield, of Tilden, Of Hancock,
Cant sherman, Sheridan, Conkling.
iaosn. Blaine or Cleveland. thought
~ hov quickly eminence 10 made and
kov D rtentous are days In national
is.ory. No man could have drafted
,Ls program Of the next quarter Of a
sn.ury, even In imagination, that was
,recu,ed in providential evolution. In
lksi time the country has drifted, as by
% unseen force, on through the revolu-
ions af politics, commerce and society.
Blsck men of that time now occupy the
bepored seats of legislators in these
asnd halls, which they could then ap-
rosch only az meniais and slaves. The
irsas foreboding and constitutional can
or Of slavery, the eradication If which
o. man could place, has not vestige
hfI. Thus time hops along like a kan
earoo.
Wonderful. also, IL the change IN the
apiiaI city itself. Washington has be
spas thoroughly Yankeeized. lis we'll.
Ihs tonic Of northern temperature has
ben too much for southern lanRuor.
re Goths subdued and absorbed civil
isd, imperial Rome; the best work in
raris today 10 German; the driving en-
ue5 Of London is Scotch; and every
rising factory smoke in our own South
hw Yankee beneath 1t. Were it not
ior ths capitol and the public buildings
q Washington, old landn arks as they
rs, one would not know the city from
ih appearance twenty-five years ago.
Thsn, on entering IL, one could not sup
press feeling of the ludicrous at the
utter want of urban emoellishment and
espiiolian character. Its lounQing, un-
tidy police; its absence OF sanitary reg
ulstions; It's dirty streets and raashackle
smburbe; its plain, southern. simple style
Of houses; Irish grogReries, dilatorinsss
in business and unpunotuality in domes.
tic and social intercourse, were in marked
contrast 10 the present cleanliness, smart
business methods, thrift, enterprise, new
avenues Of palaces that are broad, trim.
shady, pointed with statues, fountains,
monuments and parks. Law and order
prevail. and decorum aud Puritanism
have liked their characteristics over the
apitsl. The asphalt pavements are
smooth and prevalent, which have en-
eoursged the general use of bicycles.
prou oting speed and comfort In many
business and social habits. Visitors TO
Tits center are ten to one as against
old times; so are the oonveniences of
life. The city Ia the finest in the land
nov, and a. pleasing as any European
% Oriental cities; whereas twenty-five
wars ago ID had not q single attraction
.xespt official and Legislative. Aside
non the government patronage, the
ecsesnment employees and the neoes-
nfy people to support them, the oity
has become the abode Of retired bust
nsss men, artists and literati. The
ppuiAtion as whole il SO character
go 81 intelligence, good order and cul-
VIE that aver that in sojourn there
q four days ! did not see q policeman
snsll the last moment, and then at the
IfTUf MAotat aud fsh
sssk are done by negroes, who are do.
que and temperate, and their progeny
ne devoid OF that turbulence. vice and
aine that Is well known of the average
nsaiAl and laboring classes of other
sse& II all these changes wrought in
nas1lngton are the distinctive result of
papiican rule. and il in this respect
nssalngton 10 On epitome of the eoun-
~, shen any change in political rule Ia
e@ avoided. Indeed, all Washington,
melsoine even the old slaveholding re-
s,us' look With dread upon change.
oh hstsravaRance Is increasing precisely
:. ~ ald IN old Rome. In that imperial
~ te9 Senators aud affiuent business
asn wa With each other ia grand houses
WI, as Gibben says, the confines OF
E elsy we're "choked mp. with archi-
saiM wonders. Oar first men are
M'ssiing the old Romans, bat every
~ and then the popular voice cuts
49, - GOWN, aud there is many an unfin-
.s. ssu domlciliary monument of the un-
~ Saantlss OF popular favors, like q
s.sn colu,sn at a funeral. speaking of
sofurt ending 10 a promising career.
.' ssse 70 fashionable street of such
Iaiioas, called Calamity Row"
49, - es nave a sure preventive in this
s.'sy 49, OF patricisnism. OF these pal
-. - shefe stands boldest, loudest and
49, 49, characteristic of all thoss lordly
lpaays the palace Of bluff Ben. Butler.
s,s ssssnds s upon the hill sharing alone.
~ vim apparent rivalry and defiance,
80 aonors of the capitol building. This
gssss cosering eight lots. is Of chiseIed
~ y granite, six stories high. plain
- - immense. Ii contains a hundred
- osnqueting halls and corridors,
la.st - nented at night with its towering
- must convey picture OF ferdal-
49, ~ Is prominent as the manoriai
ss,s.noe OF Gen. Lee, with its great
ssmacd pcrtico, which is also seen
~ !. naies away, across the Potomac
k;,Isa a'Sa 81 up on the slope of the Virginia
49, - nlsine's palace Is at the west end.
Nssk sne aristocrAtS Corcoran's and
= SFas palaces are near shs aentsr
- oi.ys and Bancroft's mansion Ia
NE White House.
psshae - esty OF this land do statesmen,
;Ssss = scholars and plutocrats fiud
Ihs.. Aandred spirits as they do here
arsss. are few or none of the ''lovel
- OF society. All these condi.
-. sfe increasing. As the unior
broader and more consolidated
al ~ Sssmental forces are increasing