Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-06-26
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.

NotwEhS' 'andInS the not Wea'her
alresdy felt in Washington, ] learn
that the President and bis Cabinet
propose to remain here all Summtr r.
There had been talk OF going to Sol
dier's Home, which place has been a
convenient dog-days' retreat for
Presidents since President Lincoln
set the fashion. But it is now said
that Mr.. Cleveland will remain at
the White House right through the
hot season and set an example to
several thousand Extensively delicate
Republican clerks, who have con-
Aidered Summer in this city thing
to be stunned as deadly, or worse.
vulgar. Washington, however, il
not now the heated and suffocating
place of former days. Its many
parks, cooled by shade trees and
fountains and made luxurious with
seats and paved walks, furnish album
dant and convenient escape from the
ardent rays of the sun. The asphalt
tum streets that were wont to absorb
hest throughout the day and radiate
it during the night, thus making
day and night intolerable, are now
shaded with the trees planted ten
years ago and the mean Summer
heat has been summarily reduced
about three degrees. If you take
your stand on the top of the Wash
ington Monument, you will be able
to zee the cause of the improvement.
You will overlook q labyrinth of
young and vigorous shade trees. In
. few years Washington will be the
forest city Of the nation. The trees
shade not only the grand boulevards
where fashion in livery takes its
drive, but the squalid shanties of
Virginia and Maryland avenues are
also shaded. There are about co.
600 shade trees along the streets in
Washington and many more in the
different parks. 1t has been. esti-
mated that the city has 125 miles of
shaded streets. It was the plan of
those who have had the matter in
charge to plant the narrower streets
with two rows of trees and many of
the wider ones with four rows.
This plan has in the main been car
Iied out. Set out in single file,
twenty five feet apart, the trees would
extend from Washington to New
York. Planted in grove with a
space of twenty-five feet between the
trees. they would form q forest of
800 acres.
The last few years have made
great changes in the appearance OF
Washington. Your correspondent
has resided here but twelve years,
but be has seen in less than half that
tims whole streets of negro shanties
give place to the elegant houses of
claim agents, mail contractors and
millionaire Senators tho Blaines,
the Dorseys and the Robesons,
who fourished during the unctuous
presidencies of Grant and Hayes.
The city has now q population of
more than 200 900, and the wealth
of the country is daily seeking in
vestmsnt here. Retired wealth fnds
here q larger number Of attractions
for . Winter residence than in the
larger Eastern cities, but it is in
the Summer that the city is really
most attractive. Cool, spacious
parks then take tho place of heated
and crowded drawing rooms. Who
would not prefer paradise to pande'
moniumP It is not remarkable that
the President has decided to spend
the Summer here. He is less . sy-
barits than any President since Lin
coin, and the thermometer at ninety
has no terrors for him. surrounded
by the grand treos Of the White
House grounds. His Cabinet will
also remain here. The Secretary Of
the Interior and the Attorney Cen
eral know the advantages Of Sum-
mer in this climate as compared with
that of their native cotton belt. Sec.
rotary Bayard will leave every Satur-
day to see his family at his ancestral
home in Delaware, returning to
, the State Department on Monday.
The other Secretaries will remain
here, as will also the Chiefs of Bu-
rsaus. and q much larger proportion
Of clerks than have hitherto re-
NAMED in the city. Many clerks
cannot leave because of the new rule
prohibiting leave to those who have
been absent from sickness or other
cause for thirty days. Others are
not willing to 60 because they are
afraid Of finding big Democrats in
their places when they return.