Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-13
THE CAPITAL TRANSFORMED.
Artistic Beauty Of Washington City
Architectural Taste.

Harper 5 MaSazine-l
The Transformation began with the almost
magical appearance of long stretches OF
concrete pavement. lined on each side with
one and frequently two rows OF trees. On
either side Of nearly every street and ave-
nue. there was left Of the highway from ten
to thirty feet which might be used by the
house builder as a lawn, or planted with
flowers CT shrubbery, but never built upon.
The streets crossed each other at right
angles The avenues cut through the streets
at different angle, and at the intersections
in every part Of the city made bits OF tri-
angles and odd-shaped lots which could not
fail to rous, the most obtuss architect to .
realization of the opportunities afforded for
unique forms and unusual display. Where
these streets and avenues intersect most
numerously there are miniature parks. tri-
angular, multiangular, or circular, lowered,
shrubberiei, and statued, from which the
houses hemming the wide diverging streets
may be seen for a long distance.
From Dupont Circle, for example. no less
than ten streets and avenues radiate. Be-
tween their termini upon the park there are
as many building sites which end in more OF
less acute points. On thee the houses are
constructed in irregular form In the moro
obtuse angles. where two or moro dwellings
may stand side by side, eaoh front deviatss
slightly from straight line with the Others,
the whole forming q concave elevation
facing the circle, the rear Of each opening
like fan. With such opportunities for dis
playing tasteful architecture it would be
strange indeel il progress were not rapid.
The mere conditions, in whose production
they had no part, prompted architects pos
sessing a little artistic sense to look for
more graceful forms, something less somber
and heavy, although more chasts-in short,
something that would warm instead Of chill
the healthy taste.
From opportunity, therefore. sprang the
buoyant, airy homes, which seldom slavishly
follow any defined style, but which combine,
usually with taste, and often With fine art
istic Judgment, the best features OF several
schools. From these conditions also sprang
the endless variety and artistic beauty OF
red brick homes which form distinguish
ing feature OF tn, capital and which will
seem more and more appropriate the
trees grow. and the profusion of flowers and
shrubs and green grass increases
Even the spectators who are quite too
numerous in Washington. who build long
rows for Lease or sale. who care moth.
ing for ar: and verything for money,
aud who buy and build cheaply
and sell At unconsciorable prices, are COM
PEELED TO follow TO some extent the indi-
vidualism which is aimei at by architects
in response TO the new born sense Of the pub
he They have learned that vulgar orna-
mentation AMI finical display no more at
tract purchasers or tenants Therefore
their rows like their isolated dwellings,
usually ex Iibit more or less successful at
tempts - escape at once painful monot-
ony AMI NAUSEA of gewgaws So COM
mon has this NATURALIZATION OF each
house become. that a row in which the old
fashioned Philadelphia monotony Is 70
tained is markell for public condemnation.
The result Is that wherever one goes in the
new city the eye Is relieved by continual
variety. though analysis might not in every
case discover any specially pleasing dis
tlnctlye faa,uras