The National tribune., 1888-11-08
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOingS at the Ma
tiOnal Capital
on m NV wAsHrNGToN.

OLD AND NEW WASHINGTON.
No stranger who comes to Washington after
an absence OF q half dozen or mere years can be
more impressed with the Eondrous beauty OF
cur Capital city and the marvellous change
wrought during the various years since ihe
war. than I ann, and / have spent the greater
portion OF my time here for the last 20 years.
Wherever ] 90 at times in my search Tor
biects OF interest 20 the public / am aston
isucl at the changes ] see, althonSh may
have been over the same ground only nonta
or two before. Rows OF 0d-tme, comfortable
dwellings that had stood so long IS TO DC Nerl-
table landmarks in their locality disappear III
week to give place in q month or two later
80 modern palaces Of such extent and grandeur
and beauty OF outline and finish as even the
famous palaces of the old Italian cities never
dreamed Of
Where there was a broad spread Of marsh,
grown rmcigiv over with swamp willow ana
slders, stands square after square OF as hahd-
some dwellings as may he seen IN London or
Paris deep guich hundreds Of yards across,
with q bfaEIing, muddy stream tumbllng
through TO the Potomac, is filed 10 an even
surface over o wide arch spanning and con-
Trolling the turbulent creek. and covered WiIh
great structures built aiong broad aud haaa-
ssmsly-payed streets and avenues. Jn@iSAliy
bluffs OF red clay are dug Away and axe
Transformation takes place.
As an instance what soldier who knew TINS
city even as late as l.5J would or could ma
the place where the 9th Il. y. Cav. had us par
RACKS and parade asa drill grounds during the
DAYS after the war, when that regiment com
posed part OF the garrison here, and was com
mauded bv the gallant Old Gen. William d.
Emory Il the soldier has not been here since
1870, I would defy him 10 definitely locate the
place
The carlp write OF was located on a high
blud that rose just about where RHade Islaus
avenue ANA ii street now meet and below "
WAS broad. deep and rugged canyon, through
which ran a considerable stream, about az
feet below where the Visitation Convent now
stands on Connecticut avenue. The south
bank Of the CANYON was there, abGnt halfway
between il and l. Streets and IreuCcd u0rtA-
westerly to Rock Creek. One can set an idea
Of the extent of that gulch By looking TO Inc
southwark while crossing the P-strcet bridge.
just back of Gen. EmoTy's camp was farm
house, occupied by a truck gardener, and west
ward whore New Hampshire avenue 60" APP
pears. was nursery-farm. / do not now re-
member that there was another house than
these west of Sixteenth street or north OF the
creek uutii the Boundary was reached, just
below KaioraAa flights. All the rest Was
open fields. covered in many places with an
underground OF bushes. and above street the
ground was long stretch Of swamp from near
Rock Greek clear around 20 the eastward to
Seventh street, If not further. Gen. Emory
had plenty % room for regImeBtal drills there.
met Sir a. D. Mulletu the other day aud
heard him talk a few minutes ancnt the pro-
posed new Library Of Congress (Which Libra
rian Speliord IS 50 ambitious to have cut entirely
away from Congress and called The National
Library and after l left him fell 20 thinking
OF the New Washington; for be was one of the
men who TOOK Washington up out OF a deep
swamp and built 3 Capital worthy OF great
Nation.
When the District Of Columbia was erected
into r Territory Of the United States with a
Governor and Delegate in Congress and a
Council and Legislature, the organic act pro-
Fided for a Board of Public Works Of five mem
3ers. Of which the Governor should be one
eX-olici0 Henry ID. Cooke, esq. the eminent
banker was the first Governor, and President
Grant appointed as the rest Of the Board Alex
andeF r. Shepherd who afterwaTd became
Governor. "A. B. Aullett, James a. MasruGer
and S. p Brown.
Gov. Shepherd was undoubtedly the master
mind OF the Board, and he grasped the situa-
ton with such breadth Of conception rs well as
knowledge OF minute details. that he led IN the
work Mr. lIHllctt was the Engineer, and 1t IS
really 10 these two IneH that Washington owes
what il is to-day MaErudcr aud Brown at
tended TO accounts ard Office details. while
Gov Cooke, with Shepherd did the inaucier-
ing
Work was begun and carried OF on q scale as
grand IS The plan. Streets were graded and
paved AWAY out across the wastes aud taroGgh
the sWdmps, and curbing set aud walks laid
through de=Oate pasture grounds 50 far away
that snur5sightcd residents firmly believed the
city would RBT grow up 10 the work in cen
Tury This raised a connection: but Shepherd
sud Eullett and their colleagues thrast 0pTgsi-
ton and protests aside, ana strobe ahead with
tie mighty work
AIaHr men Of the old-timers here had accu-
aFsr, 1
invested in cheap lands, which they left idle
and without improvements choosing rather TO
bidc theiT time without expense. The new
condition 81 affairs struck terror 10 their souls
il neaut taxes where they had had none 10
pay, and il meant that they must help bear q
part Of the public burden shat they had been
content n fossil on poorer mems shoulders
The easiest thing 10 do in Congress IS to get
upan invest cation. Congress may not IeEislate
bgt it Is always ready 60 investigate and 81
these poor. ilI-tTeatea rich mea got Congress "a
investigate. A drag net was set and the exam.
inati0n went On for many weary weeks with.
out great results: but rs Was natural enough
IA 50 great undertaking, miner IRREGULAR
tics among the army 81 sGbCEGiEates wcri
found, and the end was rala. The Territory be-
came thing or tie past aud the present tri
angular farsa Of Government was adopted FOL
the District. All Of the cd officials were iegis
lated out Of Office.
however the processing parties FOUND l-ttI
satisfaction iu the change, loT tie great worl
was then So far advanced that Congress hat
seen that it was good and the law c0afrme
the work and provided FOR its completion: ant
that Is how Washington is great and beauti
ful Capital, instead If the struggling, mudd,
village Of mean houses that il was when Shep
herd and MuIlett and their co-worlzers took ]
in hand.
The cry raised in those days by the protest
ants was Corruption, and that the member
Of the Beard OF Public Works were "enrichin
themselves and their friends at the expense
the people" and the press throughout til
country took it UP and yelped at the heels {
these men until the majority Of tAe people j
the country believed the charge.
Let Us look at the facts. When the Board {
Public Works WIS created Gov Shepherd was
wealthy man, doing an immense business herr
To prove his own faith in the work the Boar
did, he built block after block Of q class
houses much needed, neat ones, small enoug
10 rent or sell for moderate prices and tyhe
he had built on al the lots he owned be bougl
more aad built on those He went too far an
two years later left the city lie had reall
created SO poor that he did not even own
home, and ezlIcd himself TO Mexico with d
family to mine ont new fortune.
Mr Muliett bad been for years the Architel
Of the Treasury, and had secured from his sar
ings a modest home near the banks of Roe
Creek but when he was succeeded In Office 4
~ ~ e