Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-09-29
Washington Letter.
From ourkcgular Cosgespss<sc..t.

~oB0 A9AkS9 hsOssOAs
from ourkcgular Cesrsspssssr.t.
WASHINGTON, september %, 1b84.-i
The Capital Is again the political thea
re Of the Nation, and the beginning Of
he social season Is already marked.
faces beam on all sides st the
iep0ts and hotels, and Pennsylvania |
avenue presents scene Of gaiety and
such as always precedes the
winter season. The early return Of the
society belle and beau, the lobbyist, |
office seeker, and others
of the class who make . winter home |
Washington, Is manifest In the verysair |
Of preparation and improvement that |
Of those winter WashiDg Dgtonians has, In |
deed, already arrived, and may be seen
In dress promenade upon Pennsylvania
avenue, gossiping and talking politics.
The problem of the November cleo |
tion is Gorddan Knot to these sages,
and the result in Ohio, Indisna, West
Virginia, and New York, the tariff and
civil service reform, all furnish fuel
for these daily political meets.
The broad thoroughfare called after the
Keystone State extends from end to
end Of the city, but is blocked by the
Capitol on the East and the Treasury
Department on the West. 1t Ia between
these two piles of white marble that its
interest centers. Here fashion Is wont
to promenade on week days, poverty is
seen In all its stages, and politics reign
on the corners and at the hotels. From
the present time till the Presidential
election In November and the birth OF
the new session of Congress in Decem-
Der, the Avenue will present kaleido-
scopic panorama to the survey Of the
bronze Goddess of Liberty standing
upon the apex of the dome of the Capt.
tol. But, unfortunately, this Goddess
looks not towards the Treasury De-
partment her back IL turned upon the
brilliant scene below.
1t is a fact not generally known that,
when the Capitol was built, and when
the dome was crowned with this great
bronze statue, the future of Washington
seemed to lie in the eastern section
known as Capitol Hill. The back of the
Capitol was turned on the western sec
ton of the city, and Liberty was mount.
Ell with her face towards the East This
abnormally lifted real estate values in
the ia vored section, while the section
back of the Capitol suffered q CORES
ponding decrease. With keen Am eri
can instinct, these low.priced lands
were bought up by those who foresaw
an early revolution in the tendency oi
improvement. High prices soon wore
upou Capitol Hill, and rapidly did it,
prestige succumb to the strides of i'm
provement in Northwest Washington
But the Capitol could not turn with thil
change; still its back door looks upoI
the portion of the city which is tn,
1T IL a. s.A
ed to comparatively bare section IL
which property can be bought at the low
estfgures. 1t Is proposed to transform tn
most elaborate design, and the time Il
not far distant when this improvement
will be added to the many now In pro
gress.
Looking westward from the Capito
! one is ised at the beauty of the ra
dial avenues, and with the architecture
grandeur Of the many buildings, botl
public and private, that meet the view
In front. the finished portion of the neS
Igranite State, War and Navy Depart
ment forms bold backing to the mai
ble Treasury. To the right the Pos
Ofiice and Interior Departments, an,
: the City Hall stand In white relic
from the myriads of smaller buildings
To this clOister will soon be added th
new Pension Building, now in cours
of erection. On the left, stretches III
Mall, q long central park sxtendin
from the Botanical Gardens to til
Washington Monument, and COT
tanning the National Museum, Smitl
sonian Institute, and the Agriculturs
Department. South of the Washiugto
Monument is tho Bureau of Engravin
and Printing, and on the north is IL
White House. Apropos of the Wasl
\ ington Monument, 1t Is now nearl
completed, and preparations are NAL
9 ing for the grand demonstration whic
will mark the dedication of the mon,
ment.
A walk about the city will surpris
the summer absentee. Real estate in
= provements crowd the eye on all side
Connecticut avenue extends from I'll
resid dence of the eminent philanthropis
l Mr.. w. w. Corcoran, to "Castle Stew
o art" and about centrally on 1t are loc;
= ted the buildings of theBritish Legation
@ This avenue is to Washington whs
!. Fifth avenue Is to New York. 1t pr
sents now magnificent stretch
:. American palaces, and vies in archite
b turai beauty of design and finish wit
any street In the world. The newChurC
' of the Covenant is about to be erected Q
t this avenue, and will be a hsndsom
>. add ition to it. This will probably |
0 Mrs Blaine's church upon her retur
Q to Washington. She has already sui
8 scribed 81, 800 to the building fund. NJ
n Cleveland, If elected, would probably {
r to the church which Abraham Lincol
b attended, where Mr.. Blaine now has
pew which he very rarely fills-tf
lNew York avenue Presbyterian. M
Hendricks would probably attend
II Johns. General Logan is Methodie
LENox.