Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-25

| No. -
Washington's two grfevaDces-the one against
us hostile the other against Its neglectful guard
Unsupported together TO its disadvantage. The
miserable state OF the city for three-fourths OF
century, during which Congressional disfavor OF
mum ference Checked Its growth, and the efforts OF
eap'tai-movers shut out new settlers, and
discouraged It's residents from improving
lands which might soon be made value
eSS fs attested by all descriptions.
me child OF the nation, neglected and nearly
abandoned by its constitutional protectors, with
appearance and health uncared for, insuficieDtly
nonrished, and in constant terror OF death, did
not, wonderful 10 relate, develop rapidly and Wig.
orously. Between 1870 and 1900, the interval
within which the efforts were made to prevent
the seat OF Government from leaving Philadelphia,
The private houses erected at Washington were
Few In number, being mostly empty structures,
built as speculation, or the rude huts OF work.
men on the Presidents House and the Capitol. In
$500 the small population was clustered for the
most part, In two settlements. the called Ham,
burg on Observatory Hill, the other called Car
rollsburg, on James Greek, between the arsenal
and the navy-yard. The site OF the city was
covered in the main by marshes, pastures, dense
woods, and some cultivated ground where wheat,
tobacco, and Indian corn were raised. The eleva-
tons were overgrown width shrub-oak bushes.
There were only two houses on the line of Penn
sylvania avenue between the Presidents House
and the Capitol For much OF its length this
| avenue was "a deep morass covered with alder
bushes Chas. W. JansOn, an Engishman,
said Of the place in 1896: .strangsrs alter
TO inquire for the city While they are In
its very center. Some haifstarved cat
| tie browsing among the bushes present melan-
! eholy spectacle TO a stranger. Quail and other
birds are constantly shot within a hundred yards
of the Capitol during the sitting OF the houses OF
ury, ana Mrs. President Adams complained OF the
scattered condition OF the houses. on the same
subject John Law, one OF the most prominent OF
and disconnected population was scattered over
the city, and instead Of a fiourishing town the
stranger who visited us saw for years number OF
detached villages, having no common interests,
furnishing little mutual support, hardly sustain
Ing market, and divided by great public reserva,
tons" The discredftable capital thus described
was the result or leaving plan OF magnificent
intentions TO be carried into execution by pOpu-
latiou feeble In numbers and resources and harnp-
ence and neglect OF great atorty Of It's leyisla-
tors and constitutional protectors. The same con-
dlttons being permitted TO continue
RETAINED THE CITY IN ITS PITIFUL PLIGHT
as the laughing-stock OF visitors. In 1914, after
the Secretary OF War had sneered at the sugge5-
ton that the British might modest 'the sheep
walk and after the national representatives more
than Washington's would-be defenders had per-
mitted the city to be captured, the following was
its appearance: Twelve or fifteen clusters OF
houses at cor fderabe distance from each other,
bringing to our recolections the appearance OF a
camp OF nomad Arabs, which, however, if con-
nected together would make a very respectable
town. not much inferior, perhaps. to the capital
OF Virginia, and here and there insulated house;
the whole OF 1t, when seen from the ruins Of
our public edifices, looking more like the
place where proud Washington once stood
than where humble Washington now lies"
The capital-movlng project OF 1914 was,
as we have seen, failure, but II was not without
an effect in deterrng intending settlers ana in
lmpoyerishIng those already in possession. d. b.
Warden, IN his Description or the District OF
Columbia, pub ished In ls16, says: The value Of
lots has diminished on account OF the project OF
Eastern members OF Congress to transfer the seat
OF Government to some other place.
prices, and the city EXTENDED its limits OF settle
ment with proportfOnate SOwnesS. In 1924 Mr.
Crawford. Secretary of the Treasury, being ''sent
TO the country for his health removed himself far
from the hustle OF the city to Clement Hiil man
sion- on the northwest corner OF 14th street and
Massachusetts, avenue, location now in the heart
OF one OF the most valuable sections OF the city.
WASHINGTON IN BANKRUPrcy.
While Congress neglected Washington its resi-
dents were goaded by taunts at the Capital Of the
nation into desperate efforts 70 perform the task
intended to be performed by the Government but
left undone. sums beyond their resources were
spent upon the improvement OF the streets in
erecting city buildings and in the endeavor TO give
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; but the effort was be-
yond their unassisted strength and the relief OF
Congress was sought. Senator Southland, in 1885,
reported that the debt OF the city reached 1.-The
enormous sum OF 81 500, 1859" that 1t had no
means from which IL could apply at that time a
single dollar TO the discharge OF its obligations:
that owing TO fits debts in connection with the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal foreign bankers would
in all probability become the owners of a great
rttsNvz ~ 10
the Cnion; that the city authorities had been mis-
led into expenditures which did not properly belong
TO them, although the views by which they were
governed Were OF liberal and philosophical char
acter, and that nothing was found In the conduct
OF the Inhabitants or the authorities TO excite in
Congress reluctance 10 come 10 their relief Aid
was accordingly granted the bankrupt city, but
the recommendation. made by Senator Southland
after an exhaustive consideration OF the relations
between the nation and It's capital, that the Gov.
eminent should pay regularly a proportion OF
District expenses, was disregarded. and the city
though rescued from foreign bankers was per,
mitted 10 remain u national disgrace. In 1899
George Combe, the British traveller. described the
city as .'llke large struggling village reared In
drained sw amp"
MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE ABANDONED TO HOGS
BY the corporation laws OF that period geese and
hogs were prohibited from running at large south
OF Massachusetts, avenue, under penalty OF seizure
They might traverse the land north OF that ave.
nue. al their pleasure. Practically one section OF
Washington was On the same footing as another
since the domestic animals, in spite OF all law had
the freedom OF the entire city up TO late date
But what modification TO the street which now
boasts residences upon which fortunes have been
lavished that IL was once set apart implicitly. as
the boundary OF the city's goose and hog pen
Charles Dickens In american Notes. gives
US his impressions OF neglected Washington
In 1912. He playfully refers TO 1t as 1.-The head
quarters OF tobacco-tinctured saliva ana adds:
at is sometimes called the City OF Magnificent
Distances; but ft might, with greater propriety,
be termed the City OF Magnificent Intentions, for
IL Is only on taking birds eye view OF 1t from he
top OF the Capitol that one can at all comprehend
the vast designs OF its protector, an aspiring
Frenchnlan- Spacious avenues that begin In
nothing and lead nowhere, streets, mile long that
only want houses roads, and Inhabitants; public
buildings that need but q public to be complete
and ornaments OF great thoroughfareS Which
only need great thoroughfares to orna-
ment are Its leading features. One might
the houses gone out OF town with their masters.
To the admirers OF cities 1t is Barmecide feast:
pleasant field for the Imagination 10 rove In: a
monument raised TO a deceased project, with not
even legible inscription 10 record its departed
greatness. such a. It. II Il Is likely TO remain
IL is very unhealthy. Few people would live I'm
Washington, take II, who were not Obliged 10 re-
side there: and the tides or emigration and specn-
lattOD, those RAPID and regardless currents are
little likely 10 fGw at any time toward such dun
and sluggish water" The discouraging observa-
tons OF the novelist are only an echo or those In
which Americans permitted themselves 10 Indulge
The capitaGs growth was watered By a perpetual
shower OF d!spaTagement and prophecies OF evil
Neither plants nor cities flourish under a hot
water treatment.