Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-26
PROGRESS OF WASHINGTON CITY
Some of the Things that Have Contribut I'd
to Its Wonderful Growth


The National Qepublc.
Less than 100 years ago George Wash.
ington and the French engineer L'Eofant
were examining the fields and Woodlands
between the Potomac aud the Eastern
branch to arrange the plans for beauti-
full city.
Fortunately, the father of his country
was a man OF broad views, who had faith
In the growth aud endurance of the re-
public which he had done so much to
establish. His early life as surveyor
had carried him to and beyond the
beautiful river" and he knew something
OF the vast extent Of rich valley and
mountain lands that awaited the sturdy
settler
And still more fortunately, In L,Enfant
he found an engineer who could translate
his Ideas into the avenues and streets nee.
essary for the capital of nation that was
destined to expand even far beyond the
widest expectations of its founder.
For years the city of Washington, with
It's broad avenues and streets, It's numer-
GUS parks, great aud small, was the shaft
at winch the small wit of foreign visitors
was freely expended. The infant was in
Its swaddliug clothes, and these people
could not see the sturdiness and beauty
of its limbs.
Finally it burst the bands that had SO
long held it, and, after twenty wears of
modern growth, is to-day recognized as
the coming beautiful city OF the world.
Various causes combined to hold back
the growth Of Washington so long. One
was That the federal gov rnment, owning
much more than half OF the property t.
.ne cry, refused to pay It's just proper
tlon oil the expenses, throwing the burden
upon the few people who owned
the property. Until 1877 congress
voted whatever sum 1t chose
toward the expenses OF the dis.
trlct, and as the class OF men to which
Mr.. Holman belongs has always existe1.
these sums were, OF cours insignificant,
In fact, II the United States was TODAY TO
pay the entire bonded debt of the district,
IL would not t1en have expended, though
IL owns half the property in 1.-THE amount
equal to that paid by the citizens of Wash
lngton for district purposes Since 1877
the government has paid out its share of
Inc expenses, as shown by the valuation
of property.
Various causes have contributed To the
rapid growth of the city in the last few
Years. vast floating population was
at racted here by the war, and most of |
these people were men not only of money, /
out Drains. Some OF them saw that the |
future OF the city was assured and re. |
NAMED here, investing their money.
Inc greatly Increased number of civil
employees rendered necessary by the I'M
mehse increase In the business of the
government because OF the war, was one
Oh the elements which tended to make
Washington advance rapidly. These civil
employees and Office rs, not having been se.
lected by civil-seryIce rules, had prlct;ca,
experience, and were men of intelligencc
and standing In tie communitjas frnm
which they came, and thev brougbt ,beir
Intelligence and experience to bear in he.
half OF the city In which their new duties
compelled them TO reside
Inc fact that In 1877 the federal CIV.
eminent agreed to, and since that time
mas borne Its proper shar OF the expenses
OF governing the district, added greatly
10 the value of property, and Induced
NUMBERS OF capitalists TO invest their
niuney mere IN business and in buildings
washington is the political center of
Tue nation, and while IL is customary 10 :
sneer at 1.-THE politician" IL vet remains
Iac0 tnat the ablest men OF the nation are
US pollIciansi and they are congregated
lere TO govern the nation, of course M,
.racting the lesser lights as the light M. 4
Tocts the moth. =
the enormous business, daily increas. d
hs, oil the executive departments brourht Il
lere an army Of lawyers and agents tn d
conduct that business, and these are heinz c
continually added to- h
rue officers OF the army and navy who )
ave the ability to do SO prefer q resi-. I,
ence for their families at the fountain. q
lead OF the authority for their respective t,
ranches OF duty. And the retired ON. h
ars o. DOT army and navy seek homes f
' !. tnat they may keep up their old asso- r
me congressional library, one of the d
.nest IN the world, draws here literary d
t5l u. ana ana women who fad upon itscrown. "
ihere else.. no h
me splendid climate which resembles d
iat Gnurch which the apostle said Was ID
meth not nor cold" the advantages of c,
,soclatlon with the leading men OF the OF
ouhtry VINO are here as its rulers, brings lie
tue CITY many persons Of wealth and OF
.lsuIe, TO spend portion OF the wear m
lu Oue number OF this class is Increasing cl
o or rapidly than that of any other.
these are some of the things that have
'htriouted to the growth of washington