The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-06-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular Correspondent.
WAeuTNGTO% June I

WASHINGTON, June 1, 1885.
This morning I concluded I would
take birdseye view OF Washington in
her summer dress. and, instead of wri-
ting you a political news letter. tell you
something about how the Capital of
your country looks on the first of June.
after week of rain. I am writing on
the top of the Washington Monument,
at an elevation of 500 feet. The city is
spread out before me like a chess board
on which the church spires are bishops,
the equestrian statues knights, the huge
department buildings castles, and the
palaces of the millionaire Senators but
l have stretched this poor simile far
enough. The prevailing color is green.
Lafayette Park, Franklin and Judicia-
Tv squares, the extensive lawns of the
White House. and the Smithsonian and
Agricultural grounds have bright en-
eIald freshness. The many thousands
of trees that now reach the house tons
give the appearance of city planted ir
a yong forest. From this height one
can get much better general view of
the improvements that are in progress
than hv driving over the city. The Wis.
ible public improvements are confined
mainly to the Potomac flats, the Pen
Slblb tillCb. TUE UHW DtdN6
and the Capitol 1t has long been An
objection to the Capitol that it was
squatty or stumpy in its architecture,
and that the dome was entirely too high
and imposing for such fla pile OF bull
dings as are the House and Senate
wings. To build the Capitol over again
when it had already cost about S15, ,000,
600 was too extTavagant an undertaking
even for this country. To build the
Senate and House wings higher was not
desirab BILE, for taken by themselves, they
are architecturally perfect both in pro-
portion and in detail. So, instead of
building the Capitol higher, it has been
decided to increase its height by build
ing II lower. The west front of She
Capitol is surrounded by a sodded ter
race. This is to be removed and a white
marble lower story added to it. The
work has already been begun, and its
effect may be judged now. It will add
greatly to the height of the Capitol and
thus decrease the apparent heighth of
the dome, taking away the unpleasant
appearance of disprOportiOn.
The vast new park that has been made
by dredging the bottom of the Potomac
and depOsitiug the mud on the border
ing swamps may be seen in outline from
the monument. Two or three years
will elapse before the work can be COM
pleted, and it will add several hundred
acres to the public grounds of the Cap
ital, which, when improved by the art
of landscape gardener, will increase no
little the attractiveness OF it environs.
The new Pension building will soon
he finished and occupied by Pension
Commissioner Black and his army OF
clerks. It will be the most commodi.
ous and convenient of the department
buildings in Washington. The venti-
latiOn will be perfect, for every room
will have windows on opposite sides
communicating with the outer air.
Appropos of the public buildings and
improvements of the national Capital.
it has been said that the Democratic
party was not favorable to them, and
that the wonderful progress Of the city
would now come to a stand still. 1t
will be remembered, however, that the
solid architectural Improvement of the
city was nearly all begun and accom-
plished under Democratic auspices. and
before the Republicans came into DOW
eT. The Capitol, the Postoffice depart
ment, the Patent Office, and the u. 5.
Treasury were built before the Presi-
dency of Abraham Lincoln, The Re
publicans have. with a great outlay of
public funds. made new streets and
parks and erected bronze equestrian stat
ues ID many generals Of the late war,
but what they have done will not com
pare in usefulness. soliditv or endurance
with what the Democrats did before
them. Those who are most interested
have faith IN Democratic patriotism and
national spirit. Real estate owners are
asking and getting more foI their prop
erty than at any previous slime in the
history Of the city. X.