Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-23


IuREs OF TIE CAPITAL As THEY STRIFE
TUTE oBsERvER-Trs STREETS, RAILWAYS AND
us OPPORTUNITIES.
GEORGE Alfred Townsend in TIRE Boston Globe
The presidential election being over, the adj
vantages OF the climate OF Washington city come
TO be appreciated. even in New York
No city in the country has a. many female
friends rs Washington. Foreign women or
those Eho have lived abroad like the climate Of
Washington. both in the winter and In
the spring. II mas less snow than any Of our
northern cities. no provincialism and no poll
tics
Women whose husbands have Just been
elected to Congress OF appointed to of6co. who
expect to come here and exploit their tradi-
rons OF prejudice, soon fad that the town has
only one politics and that TO be a capital
The city has been remarkably fortunate in
the long lease OF help extended to it from Con-
gress and the different administrations /
believe il hss not had one inimical President
since Lincoln came here.
Congress with hesitancy took hold OF il, as il
was no constituency and mean inea in many of
the constituencies constantly barked ut it
because IL WIS 30 frierdless
But after Congress wavered the firm hand of
Cen Grant sustained the city, and, sub
sequently. the government agreed to cease 20
be dishonest partner of lis capital and 10
pay it, proportion Of taxes upon such grounds
As u owned within the city.
The old system that the people. hardly
10000 strong. should pay al! the taxes FOR the
great government reservations. FOR lighting
then mp, for supplying the public buildings
with water. &c.
CONGRESS ASD TIE DISTRICT DEBT.
Finally Congress conso Slated the District
debt and agreed TO pay upon it cent day. or
= E.rr,, :. ell,
was preposterously small interest Nsver-
theless. in the lapse OF time So great has our
credit become By jus: such acts AZ taking care
OF our ward. the capital city, that we are able
10 recall oar bonds and pay as low as per
cent upon theri- Consequently the District
bond has become G rather high bOnd in the
quotations.
We can see the inAuece upon our foreign
credit OF sustaining and bringing up Our
capital city from the fnci tina, among the
earliest investors in Washington we're the large
nations which had seen our prOwess in war
and our improved policy in peace.
The British government bought lot and Put
NJ a large mansion similar 20 those ii had pur
chased in Paris and elsev here in order that the
business of the legation might not be iateriered
VII IN time Of turmoil nor its archives scat
tered by moyings.
Upon shat neglected avcrue where the queens
goyernment lodged its house row stands the {
Presidents church. and i; i the axis of the
past twenty years.
The Russian government and the Chinese /
government have legations upon the same
street. the former in the great house which .
was but lately Inhabited by Gov. Alexander
shepherd. the principal creator OF the District I
All persons familiar with the old and new
Washington know that the CITY would probably /.
have been at some time deserted by the gov /
eminent but for the entire reform of it, system I
Of street grades. sewer. payements and water !
kR at IA -
time. in this country especially. was not up TO I
the comprehension Of a modern city.
What looked 10 tho old general like n level ,
easy piece % ground to lay out his streets upon /
was In reality gully q marsh. and all its I
Streams flowed the wrong way, Just SO as to re- 4
ceiye the foods Of the Potomac which annu- |
ally washed its few sew r. out and burst them I
and hlled all the cellars in what used to be the /
habitahle city with water and disease.
The engineer upon whom fell most Of the !
Typographical habilitatiol OF the town. and who |
was also the principal architect OF :hs govern I
ment for many years, finally committed suicide /.
In his Jwn house from disappointment and in |
tured vitality.
SEw OBJECTS
The principal new objects to look at in the |
capital city at present are the new library Of
Congress. which has been in the builders hands .
some three years, and viii be ready for occupa-
tiOn about 1895 This is library worthy of .
the nation; IL will COS; 90. 000. 900.
IL was nearly thirty years under discussion
before il was resolved upon. and was then
good while postponed upOn questions OF situa-
uOn and real estate advantage.
Like mos. OF our strong works of the present 4
day. il Is built by the engineer corps of the
army. the civil engineer i'll control OF the build
ing being the steward Uf the chief engineers of
the District Commissioner and Of one of the
cabinet ministers
Hence there have been no scandals whatever
CONCERNING this building. as would have been
the case whether they existed or not IL any
private architect had taken the matter up
The rapidity with which such buildings move
forward in our day at Washington Is in decided
contrast 10 the slow advance Of the great capt.
tol building al Albany.
Next to the library Of Congress tire very ex-
teusive and handsome power house OF the new
Washington city cable railroad attracts atten-
non; This large building, which covers
blOck. stands near WIZARDS Hotel. and uDon
that side of the avenue where formerly the
lumber yards and the fOundries stood.
well remember when the first street railroad .
was being built on Pennsylvania avenue during
the very weeks when the first northern troops /
wen; down to Washington. The land of the ,
mel anic was Immediately laid upon that city .
with the view 20 having intercourse between
one portion Of il and another.
THE STREET RAILWAYS.
Street railways had been laid down in most of \
our cities for several years, but Warrington had 4
none 1t was still the place OF dreary and mag /
niticent distances.
In The interval OF thirty-one years private capt.
TAI. great deal Cf j. belonging 20 the old gro
GERS AID tradesmen Of Washington city who |
have learned something from the interval put .
down =. 600. 600 worth of fine cable machinery 1
operating four different lines. of which two sep 1
hrate a. the gate of the Capitol and two right I
opposite the Treasury Department
The pOkIuS horses which slowly sped us to I
1e railway stations now replaced BY trains .
o. ear- operated By the gripman. For some years /
pass 'th street, The cross artery of Wellington. /
Ia had sirnilar cable road. the compile 70 sue
eess OF which and the high cost Of maintain I
hs he old method OF equipment caused in I
part the present cable system.
Eat railways are going from Washington in /
al directions and nearly all parts of the city are
nov IN easy Communication with each other
There Is even electrical railroad to Mount ]
Vernon Another runs TO Arlington third /
winds all over the heights back OF Georgetown.
fourth runs 10 VIVA: Is to be Rock Creek Park
and appears seven or eight miles outside of the
CITY 10 the Traveller who is going west over the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
Another runs to the new Catholic University.
others cross the Eastern branch. the dismal
branch Booth crossed in his flight after the