The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-06-12
From onr Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., June 8. Isl

WASHINGTON, ID. C., June s, 1886.
This morning thought would take
q birdseye view Of Washington in her
summer dress, and instead Of writing
you political news letter, tell you
something about how the Capital oI
yonr country looks on the first Of June
after week Of rain. am writing from
the top Of the Washington Monument
at an elevation Of 800 feet. TIE city Il
spread out below me like chessboard
in which the church spires are bishops
the equestrian statues knights, the huge
department buildings castles, and the
palaces of millionaire senators-but
have stretched this poor smile far
enough. The prevailing color is green
Lafayette Park, franklin aud Judiciary
squares. the extensive lawns of the
White House. the Smithsonian and Ag-
ricnltural grounds have bright emerald
FRESHNESS. The many thousands Of trees
that now reach the house tops give the
appearance Of city planted in young
forest. From this height one can get a
much better general view of the i'm
Iprovements that are in progress, then
lby driving over the city. The visible
public improvements are confined main
ly to the Potomac flats, the pension Of
flee, the new State Department and the
Capitol. 1t has long been an objection
10 the Capitol that it was squatty or
stumpy in its architecture, and that the
dome was entirely too high and impo-
sing for such fiat pile of buildings as
are the House and Senate wings. To
build the Capitol over again when II had
already cost about $l5 900 600 was too
extravagant an undertaking even for
this country. To build the Senate and
House wings higher was not desirable,
for taken by themselves they are archi-
tecturally perfect both in proportion and
in detail. So. instead Of building the
Capitol higher IL has been decided toI
increase its highth. by building it low
err. The west front of the Capitol. isl
surrounded by sodied terrace. This
Il 10 be removed and white marblel
lower story II TO be added TO II. The
work has been begun and its effect may
be judged now. 1t will add greatly toI
the highth of the Capitol, and thus de-
crease the relative hichth Of the dome.
taking away the unpleasant appearance
of fdisproportion.
The vast new park that has been made
by dredging the bottom of the Potomac
and depositing the mud on the border
ing swamps may be seen in outline from
the Monument Two or three years will
clapse before the work can be compile
ted, and il will add several hundred al
cfes TO the public grounds Of the Capi-I
tai. which when improved bv the artl
Of the landscape gardener will increase
no little the attractiveness of its envi-I
rOns.
The new pension building will soon
be finished and occupied by Pension
Gen. Black and his army
Of clerks. IL will be the most commodi-l
Gus and mcst convenient OF the depart
ment buildings Of Washington. The
will be perfect, for evcryl
room will have windows on opposite
sides communicating with the outside
air
Apropos Of the public buildings and
of the national Capital,
L has been said that the Democratic par
~ was not favorable 10 them, and that
he progress Of the city would now
.ome TO stand still. II should be re-
however, that nearly all the
.olid architectural improvement Of thel.
,ity was begun and accomplished under
Democratic auspices, and before the Re-
,ublicans came into power. The Cap
tai, the Post Office, ard the u. S. Treas
Try were built before the presidency of
A braham Lincoln. The Republicansl
rave, with a great out lay Of pubficI'
unds. made new streets and erected
)ronze equestrian statues 20 many gen
rails OF the late war. But what they
rave done will not compare in useful
less, solidity, or endurance with what
he Democrats did before them. Those
Who are most interested have faith In
Democratic patriotism and national
pirit. Real estate owners are askingI,
nd getting more for their grounds than
i any previous time in the history of
he city.
The attorney general has decided that