Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-10
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Brushing Up the Capitol.
Dr., of dc Ke...sss Journal

Editors of he KeaseSss Journal:
Prsps,s.s-y % shs meetins Of Consress
tbs cspltoi has been dusted. sseps. fuyniafed
snd eAsreied aEss. Both balls look beau
.. sad csssS, ard the nrst month or Two
sasy are vcr.by Of sdmifAaian. But. 100
E s3h, tobacco. smoke and juice And eifss
feet TOR ali Congressman do not keep their
asoss eiesn) viii make these balls dinsy Il
net dlsgra,efeI AID disgusting. Itsasnls .
pJty tia. sac 5 structure ~ TIE cap.toi--o
massive, sisgAss sn4 rehoed-eonla cot b.
exsssps from that esntsm!astinS American
nAb.I, tlbacc0 ekesttg. IL pefmsAses
.vssyvlere ~ith lis saliva
the nes Eseqtier or stairway entrance to
he capitol on the vest eide Ia cot only .
s,eat convenience but marvel Of beauty Of
isslaa and ean,I aetioa. Two very broad
s.aifcases, separated IS they ascend by .
sou 1tain, around which on the cspitol side.
ciYclss marble vail e half circle ratnef)
are fianked on their other sides by the same
kind Of wall (say 20 feet hisa) witch ex-
,snds scsoss The sks. front and sro1ni Tie
aor,h ana sou b sidss Of the great building.
sid which i, bssnsifed By ,xten'iss chisel-
ing and ffss-wofk. As you spproacn the
building, th.s 20-foot wall sppsars - II IL
we're The loser part Of the building itself,
viog higher and aobler appearance to Il.
When the old or ceuirs. fzs ,ade Of the
building shall have been brought uut pro-
porIionsse TO the Two wigs. - intelded,
lie new sscalier will sill bSt;er sheS Us
.ssa!acsnce. The grounds sround the
building have, in the last fes years. been
laid sut afier the English lawn style of Tree
,hrubbery aad plant arrangement, very
beautiful in appearance, ou. eejected to BY
nsny as TOO formal and IA y Ang ricsn. A
he public parks Of the city are beicg ar
ranged after the SAME pattern. "lI /,
Easiish. you know,. AID -, suppose. sc
aust follow the fashion. hope 9hey Won !
ifiye out all our indigenou. trees and sh:uo
berry. Let those stay st least.
The New Library building.
The new Congressional Library Building
Just east Of the capitol, and occupying II
immense square OF ground. is roe up abou
two stories. IT. majestic sod ornate proper
tons Just begin to assert themselves ant
strike the beholdef with netting akin tt
wondof and surprise. II shows what vas
storehouse 10 needed in this country for JUS
specimens Of ito literary knowledge, snt
calls to mind the marvellous speed viii
which mental culture has attained - com
pared with other nations of the globe
Scarcely one hundred years have put us ea
rapport with any other nation s. to merit
and 10 advance a. to volume. 1t will, wher
completed and flIsi be source Of wonder
study and delight TO every intelligent Amer.
lean citizen and . monument Of praise &
those who protected and fosIered the enter
prize.
A New POstOillce.
Through the p srsistent forts Of many Of
ne rspreseutsis ss and senators, and aftel
= succession Of delays. new postoffice sic
vas eiected and sn appropriation made fol-
he erection Of building one Of eigh
stories aud fronting on Pennsylvania ave
.ue, about half way from the capitol tt
/ he treasury. The old rookeries which have
| stood on the ground for so many years
/ representatives OF old Wsshingts style
IRE now being torn down, ani when spring
opens the erection Of the possofiice building
sill commence. IL will BIS splendid ion
psovement TO the svsnus aud city. YeAi
oy year these government improvements
coupled with district and private enterprise.
add to the beauty ard stability Of the ns
ion's representative city and render it thu
mecca OF ihs American peopie.
Not many years will elspse before visi
to Washington will he almost as populsr a.
. visit to Paris or London. Il is fast be
coming the center Of palitics, education
literary sociability ard wealth. Those wht
make it their permanent or even temporary
home seldom wish to leave 1t. SO attractive
does il become. f j. b.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec Z.