Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-03-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Mar. %, 1886.
To THE SoIrrII KENTIrCKIAN.

To THE SOUTH KENTUCKIAN:
Washington is noted the world
over for It's magnificent avenues, the
number of its public parks and the
vast stretch of unimproved ground
extending from the Capitol to the
White House, distance of mile.
This strip of land is about an eighth
of a mile in width and in the line of
the Botanical Garden, the Armory
Building, the Smithsonian Institute
and National Museum, and of the
Monument towering 555 feet into the
air in all the purity of its marble
whitencss. The wonder has been
that the general government which
has absolute control of this land has
never taken steps to improve it. AT
ter lethargy of seventy-five years it
has occurred that this eXpanse of
ground can be improved so as to
make it one of the most beautiful
driving parks in the world. A bill
has accordingly been introduced in
Congress providing for the improve
ments on a most comprehensive scale.
The estimated cost is half million
ofdollars, and when the work is conf
pleted the park will rival as drive
the famous Champs Elysecs, of Paris.
In Keeping this improvement Sem
ator Morrill, has introduced bill in
the Senate appropriating 100000 for
the erection on the south side of the
Executive Mansion OF building sim
liar in character and exterior TO the
present mansion. The old portion
will be used exclusively for business
purposes. The new part will be used
as the residence and will face the
grand park contemplated in the other
measure before Congress, and will
, overlook the redeemed portion of the
Potomac River which will also con-
stitute a park dotted with lakes and
having avenues of shaded drives.
When these improvements are fin
ished the people of this country will
indeed have cause TO feel proud of
their National Capital. There will
not be city in the old or new world
to equal it in the beauty of its public
parks and the magnificience of its
private and public buildings.
The President enjoys the society of
the Representatives of the people in
Congress, and whenever opportunity
offers, has them assemble at the Ex-
ecutive' Mansion TO partake of his
hospitality. 1t is an erroneous idea
fhaf mani, bova that tho Drncidant
and his political opponents in Con-
gress are at logger heads and scarce
~ pass the courtesies of the day.
They may say sharp and bitter things
about each other in political and Of
fetal matters, but that is all laid aside
and forgotten in their social inter-
course with each other.
The President gave Lenten din
ner to some of the Senators the past
week, and with the view of promot-
ing brotherly love and and kindly
feelings between his guests had them
seated around the festive board alter
nately Republican and Democrat.
Senator Logan sat on the left and
Senator Salisbury OH the right OF
the President There were forty-one
covers, and the State dining room
was a blaze with sparkling crystals
but the absence of all music served
as reminder that the holy season OF
Lent was respected. Miss Cleveland
during Lent receives callers only by
card for one hour, from II TO l, Oh
Tuesdays and Fridays.
The General Post Office Building
is 10 be enlarged. 1t is a white struc-
ture fronting on four streets, and the
Senate has passed bill providing
for the purchase of the square imme.
diately west of it tor the sum OF
$550,000, on which to erect the extern
sion.
The House Committee on Invalid
Pensions has agreed to report favor
ably bill pensioning all honorably
discharged soldiers of the late war
who served ninety days and are or
may become disabled from perform
ing manual labor, unless such disa-
bility has been occasioned by their
own gross carelessness or vicious
habits.
At the time that the Southern