Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-12
The CITY or WASHINGTON.



Great praise has been accorded to
Washington for the plan Of the city that
bears ms name. but 1t can never he
known whether The larger share OF
praise is due 70 him or 10 tho engineer
hv whom the ample streets, avenues.
parks, aud squares were designed and
marked. When the future city was
ONLY wild. uncult.vAted waste its magni-
feent distances mlpnt well have been
made the subjects OF ridicuie but now
when tho streets end avenues are paved.
drained. ani lighted and their borders
are adorned with trees, and when the
parks ami public grounds are decorated
with Whatever money can command ana
art can 0eyise, the distances are none
too great for tGc comfort and health OF
those who dwell IN or Tor the enjoyment
OF those who visit the city.
st the close OF tie last century there
were statesmen waJ thought that the re-
public of Washington and of the war OF
The revolution would be limited by the
Alleghany mountains aud Mr.. Burke,
IN his speech On conciliation with
america. represented pioneerupon the
summit of these mountains looking
westward and surveying 500 square miles
Of fertile land. This Aa slt forth rs one
# the wonjcra Of tHa new world.
When such erroneous and limited
ldeas were eat art med OF the future OF
tnat nanse when We now call America
and not without some reason, though
I'm antagonism TO The claim OF the great
continent ITSELF lt is only less than a
marvel that there were any a century
AGO who INDUCED the propheslcs OF
coming greatness tlat are expressed III
the plan OF the city OF Washington.
II nature abhors straight line and II
nature Is the wiser. as she Is the best
eqmpped Judge Of lines OF beauty, If
tested by experience. then the plan Of
the city is subject Justly TO enc criticism.
/ It's lines, without ~ exception, are
/ STRAIGHT lines, AMI thus did the artist
/ violate a law which nature observes IN
yajablv in vegetable AMI ANIMAL lie.
I The great citg 0. tie future may be the
/ CITY in which every limo shall be a curved
/ line. and tho great landscape artist OF
the future may be- ne who can create
such a city with cue regard to economy
of space.
Whether the future may or may not
Weld a plan Of O. city superior TO the
plan OF Washington cannot nov be fore
told. Ii is sufficient 20 say that at the
end Of century the city Is without a
rival as a social centre and as the politi-
cal capital OF a country whose popula-
ton is twenty times greater than It was
a hundred years ago.
The full scope OF the ideas entertained
/ by Washington and his associates cannot
/ be comprehended without considering
/ the revenues Of the country from 1883
7 to 1900. and in connection Herewith the
expenditures authorized for the erection
OF public buildings. In the year 49,
the revenue yielded only S},G69, 96O.3l,
and for the eight years OF Washington
administration the revenue, exclusive OF
MONEYS borrowed, amounted to a trliie
more than 81, 100000. For tho twelve
wears Of Washing;ons and Adams
terms the grand total was less than $751;
/ 0)0,00o.
In the presence Of these meagre re,
sources Congress authorized the erection
OF the Capitol, and with the knowledge
that its cost would exceed the receipt;
of the Ire sIry for an entire year. In
the sane period the erection OF the Ike
cntive Mansion. known as the White
House. was undertaken, and although
an inexpensive structure relatively, i
still exists as g stately palace, suffering
nothing by comparison with The
best specimens Of modern American
architecture. The Capitol, SO author
lied. is now to be seen as the centre o
the vast edifce which bears the name
The best specimens OF architectural skill
are to be found in the old structure
/ These are the hall Of the House OF Re
preseniahves. now used as q hall for th'
exhibition of statusry, aud the Ole
Senate chamber, in which the sessions o
the Supreme Court are now held.
The old Senate Chamber Is the fines
room-incomparably the finest room-t'
be seen in the city OF Washington. Ih'
architect Of the old Capitol, Of the Ike
cutiye Mansion and ci the State hous
in Boston, was dr. Bulfnch, Of Massn
chusetts. an artist, who, If not under
valued. has not been valued according I
his merits. IT may not be too much t
saw that his taste and skill were sue
that his works have not been open I
lust criticism III these four score AMI Tel
years.