Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-11
CHANGE IN THE DISTRICT.


osth In Cincinnati Enquirer
can see the greatest change in the District
Of Columbia since I first came here in 1861.
Then this District seemed 10 have NO more
chance of . continuous independent existence
than cypress under the venitians when the
Turks had called holy war against ii. Though
this District had been solemnly set aside at the
foundation Of the nation the envious worm Of
state rights had never scceded to its independ-
ence. Jefferson himself advocated taking back
the Virginia half Of the District. About 1889
this was contaminated, and the original 10
miles square became merely q fragment of Q
square in the state of Maryland Maryland
itself endesvored to cut of access TO this re-
manning part at the outbreak of the rebell-
dome of the capitol finished, which stood in
splinters when finally the Union troops
reached here by roundabout courses.
For sixty years the pro-slavery interests DOM
mated the District of Columbia, which was To-
Gated within the pro-slavery section, and yet
they never accumulated here over forty thou
sand inhabitants and the city was mud-hole.
In the intervening twenty-eight years of north
ern occupation and control this District has be-
come the most growing and formidable social
fact within the slave-state area The last po-
lice census of Washington showed it to have
218.000 inhabitants. The health Of the town
has risen so that there are less than nineteen
deaths for every one thousand inhabitants.
During the last five years nearly 10000 build
ings have been erected within this multi
ated District, and the old Virginia part
is wondering whether it will be per-
mitted to return and become part Of the ten
miles square, That portion has had a complete
relapse in the grasses growing In the streets OF
Alexandria. The present assessed value OF real
estate in the District is S216, DOC, 900, showing
an annual Increase in the taxable value of
$4,000, 600 The citizens here who formerly
could pay no taxes without groaning now pay
81 ,300,O 600 year, and the government comes
up with the same amount to coverOits reserva-
tions and property. Washington city has $50
miles of paved streets, believed to the best in
the " orld, whereas in 1861 it had the worst
streets on the earth. Though this was south
ern city, no trees were ever planted here that
would grow and stay until about 1871, and now
there are seventy thousand luxuriant trees in
the District, most Of them fifteen to seventeen
years old.
The greatest change has taken place in the
population In the District of Columbia, which
was at one time as full Of inveterate prejudices
as could be found in Mississippi or Louisiana.
BY contact with the northern people this ele-
ment has become liberal and has INDUCED the
hope that things would change more rather
than less. A friend of mine tells me that just
about twenty years ago, or at the eve of General
Grants Inauguration, he bought some thirty
acres Of ground outside Of Washington for
he has refused $4,000 an acre for it.
Washington city has not only risen monu-
mentally under the aspects Of freedom, but it
has thrown out its colonies to Fortress Monroe
and to Florida. Whenever ancient politics in
volving the negro is retired from the states
south Of Washington city, the healthy move
ment Of migration and development win 60 on
ward to New Orleans