Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-16

be exactly one hundred years ago in October
next since the plan Of the city was first pub
hshed- Copies were then struck of from an
engraved copper plate in the city Of Phladel-
phia- A cut of this plan accompanies this arti-
Gle and THE STAR readers can judge for them
selves whether it would not serve for plan of
the city today. All the streets and avenues
that exist today within the limits Of the city, as
well most Of the numbered squares, are
found in this plan, which is now nearly one
hundred years old. While other cities that
started some years ahead of Washington
we're allowing the COWS to fix the lines Of the
future streets Washington was planned fog
the greatness and glory which the first Presi-
dent foresaw would be the lot Of the seat Of
government Of the infant republic. Washing
ton, in deciding upon plan for the city, con-
suited with jefferson and Madison. and the
genius of the erratic but brilliant French engi-
neer, L Enfant, gave practical form and shape
TO the ideas of these sases Of the republic. For
years this plan was the subject OF jokes on the
part of travellers and good deal of coarse fun
from citizens who came here visitors. 1t
has only been recently that municipal wisdom
has been able TO grasp the advantages Of the
plan and to find in the broad streets and
spacious reservations q valuable contribution
TO the health and beauty of q modern city.
LONG YEARS OF NEGLECT.
In the early years when the government was
the streets were the despair of the city fathers
and Of Congress when that body paid any at
tention to the matter. There was for example,
Pennsylvania avenue, thoroughfare some four
miles in length and l69 feet in width. In sum-
mer the broad eXpanse OF highway was a dusty
desert, and in winter an almost impossible bog
1t was not in the power Of any ordinary commu-
nifty in the early years to improve such street.
much less all the streets in the city, not one Of
which is less than ninety feet in width. The
fsct Of the matter was the streets were not i'm
proved, and this in part accounts for the ragged,
unkempt appearance Of Washington. which
continued until after the war. II it had been in
thepower Of the municipal government no doubt
the plan would have been greatly changed and
the width Of the streets reduced Congress in
the few spare moments that it gave to District
interests during the long years Of nearly the
entire past century would have been willing to
modify the plan TO what was regarded as prac-
teal proportions. The resources Of the govern
ment were then so limited that Congress was
unable to give any attention to the streets
or TO the city, in fact, and made no appropria-
tons Of any consequence for public improve
ments. The city fathers could not touch the
streets. for the title in them was vested in the
United States government. To this latter cir
cumstance Ia mainly due the preservation OF
the integrity Of the plan The map gives even
the numbers Of the squares. and the same
squares and same numbers with some excep-
tons are found in the plan Of the city as i.
exists today. While progress, especially in the
later years Of the century, has marked the life
Of the nations capital, all municipal improve
ment and growth have been along lines laid
down by President Washington.
SELECTING THE SITE
He was authorized by an act Of Congress Of
1870 to select q site for the future seat Of gov.
eminent. The national legislature was notified
In the spring Of 1871 Of the choice of the site
and the bounds were Indicated With the view
Of securing the advantages which were sup
posed TO sccrue from the location of the capital
Of the country the states Of MARYLAND and vir.
gtnia had offered to cede to the United State:
their jurisdiction over any part Of their terri
sory not exceeding ten miles square which
night be selected as the site Of the capital city
Congress had no use for all the land included
Within the ten miles square, but it wanted to be
ne supreme authority within those limits ant
The states coded such jurisdiction. But tn,
situation was different in regard to land within
The District which was covered by the plan O
LEnfant 1t was necessary that tn,
governments should actually own the lant
for the erection Of the public buildings. Con
arsss needed land for another reason. Tn.
choice Of o site for the city was not onl,
authorized. but the President or the commits
aonery to be appointed BY him were directes
20 erect buildings for the accommodation o
0pngress and the executive departments, which
lyre 10 be removed to the new city in the year
)O0. For the purchase q the ground and tn,
rection Of the building Congress did not ap
4ropriate o single cent. The President. how
YER was authorized ts accept any grants O
honey or land which Idght be made and thi
clause b evidence that Congress wss not un
.6nindful of the fact tlRst the state Of virgini,
ID eGsrsd 70 donate oi20, 900 and the state o