Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-10-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regnlar Corresnondent.


From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. D. c.. Sept. 80 1884.
do not know the exact number of
millions ofdollars that BOSS" Shep.
herd is said to have expended in the
Improvement at the capital, but the
Tact Is patent to every stranger that
Washington is the finest city in the
world. Think of forty-eight miles of
smooth concerted streets, shaded on
either side by magnificent trees of the
best varieties, The problem of NUM-
cipal cleanliness. too, is solved by the
the excellence OF the streets
and the thoroughness with
which they can be swept by the mod
ern sweeping wagons. In the last ten
years, then, we haye seen that Wash l.
ington has improved more that it had
from the time of Its foundation at the
beginning of the century, and in the
next decade, when the whole city shall
have undergone the rejuvenating pro-
cess that Shepherd applied to the fav-
ored portions of It, the American citl-
zen will possess Capital that he may
well be proud OF. As TO its sanitary
conditions, Washington has long been
regarded as an unhealthy spot because
ofits malarial influence, but Congress
has taken hold OF the work of remov.
ing the cause of complaint, in the fill.
ing up of the Potomac Flats. the dredg.
ing the river, and widening the chan.
mel so as to secure an uninterrupted
flow of the Potomac waters, on the
occasions of Spring and Summer
floods. Beside this, the city is build
ing the largest sewer in the world, a
conduit more than four miles in length
and twenty-six feet in diameter, stretch.
ing across the northern end of the city
large enough as you may we'll sup
pose for the most stupendous future
that may be predicted for the capl
tai.
1t is announced that Mr.. Cox, chair
man of the House committee en- Naval
Affairs. has already matured a bill
looking to the rehabilitation Of the
American navy by the immediate con
struction of twelve line of battle ships
as a commencement, to be followed
yearly by the addlti on of smaller Blu
equally effective vessels. France with
not dollar of surplus in the treasury
is building fourteen frst-class war-ves'
sells of the most powerful description
with eight iron-clads exclusively fol
coast defense, while England in addi
ton to her already powerful fleet i:
building seven large war-vessels, ane
five lron-clad cruisers. The twelve
ships that Mr.. Cox's bill provides for
are to be each equal in strength and
armature to that of the French ships
which of course will be of the best
fighting power. With the French ships
completed. England will no longer hole
her position of superiority on the sea:
either IN the number or strength of hel
maritime armament, though in the
matter of iron-clads she will long re-
main at the head. Germany will be
the third point ofnaval strength. Italy
with her American built vessels will be
fourth, Russia fifth and Austria sixth.
Russia is now building three battle.
ships and three iron-clad cruisers
Germany is nearly ready to launch a
powerful iron.clad cruiser and two iror
clad gun-boats. Austria one battle.
ship of six thousand tons burthen.
Denmark one iron-clad for coast de
fence, and the United States four stee,
cruisers besides the "Miantonomah'
and the "Monadnock" the former Of
which has been the subject OF good
deal of sporting criticisms, and the
latter humorously alluded to as the
second edition of Noah's ark.
1t would be indeed a cruel disapp olnt.
ment If it were discovered THAI the
relics of Gen Washington and other
notables OF by-gone period, which
had been so long on exhibition at the
Patent Office, were not genuine at all
But the recent developments, relative
to the fraudulent character of Santa
Annals uniform, a dirty, tan-colored
suit that the Mexican hero would have
abhorred, has shaken our faith IN the
Evolutionary character of all these sup.
posed relics. Washington's deer-skin
breeches which he is said to have worn
upon his surveying expeditions when a
young man, show him either to have
been man ofmost awkward makeup
or as having exceedingly poor taste in
his choice of tailor. For the Wash.
ingto and Lafayette, and the rest Of
them. We think it would be well enough
to consider the entire outfit relics as