St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-02-04

1910, taking tho place OF others which
had been destroyed By the British
soldiers when they cafne here and
burned tho capital. They came over
the navy yard bridge, entered from that
point, and spread devastation in their
pathway. The neighborhood has Of
late years been settled almost entirely
by employees Of the yard who have
erected handsome. neat and commodi-
Gus houses, mostly Of frame. There are
pretty little flower gardens In front or
back Of almost every house. and occS
sionally . little patch Of garden may be
seen where onions, radishes and potar
toes are cultivated by the sturdy work.
men who toll al day in Uncle Sans
great shops, oiling, trimming. boring,
riaing and mounting hundred ton guns;
and who handle their little spades, hoes
and ralkes for recreation in the evening.
These workmen are mostly religious
and moral people, the major portion Of
them being Methodists and Baptists.
while there are also few Episcopalians
and Roman Catholics They constitute
. separate village, practically. although
they are q part Of the great city; and
their temperate lives, industrious ef>
forts, steady habits, would make them
desirable in the population Of any COM
nunity. There are fewer saloons in
this section than anywhere else In
Washington, and nearly all Of them arc
supported by sailors from mcn-o'-war
which come 70 this point, and by the
marines, who are located in the marine
barracks, right in the center Of the old
Sixth ward.
The average number now employed
In the navy yard is about two thousand,
and about one million and half dol
lars arc disbursed annually to these
people. Not less than . million Of thoee
dollars are spent right here in this city.
and the major portion Of it il expended
in the vicinity where it is earned. This
means prosperity. as any business mind
can plainly see. Year by year the num-
Der Of employees will be increased; year
by year the amount of money to be ex-
pended will be augmented; year by year
prosperity will become more notice
able. and ultimately the long neglected
section of the city will become more
beautiful and inviting. More school
houses will be built. more churches
erected and dedicated. The old navy
yard is practically to-day the national
gun foundry. It will never again b
used for the construction Of vessels
Tremendous guns will be made with
all modern appliances for effectiveness
and long-distance firing, skilled work.
men must always Be employed, and
that suburb known as Anacostia, across
the eastern branch, will blossom - the
rose. Whole squares Of ground, which
are up to this day unfenced and left 10
the tender mcrcies Of dog fennel, smart
weed and low cactus, will be converted
into homes for the yoemanry who build
up our naval bulwarks in times Of peace.
There Is now before the house . bill
for the reclamation Of the eastern
branch, but it will not become law
during this congress. The proposition
is to wall in the lower part Of the
stream, near its juncture with the Pc
tomac, and cover the other portion n .
great culvert or sewer. thus preventing
disastrous overdows in flood times, and
preventing the continuance Of marshy,
unhealthful fats for several milee
along the eastern border Of the city
Over this culvert is to be built . beauti-
full driveway, clear out TO Bladens-
burgh, and . geological garden Is to b
located there. This work will some
day be done, and the nucleus for it is to
be found in the navy yard. 1t is also in
contemplation to start . new navy yard
It Alexandria, for the purpose Of build
ing warships, cruisers and other naval
vessels. This is As it should be. There
il where the original navy yard should
have been located. and the inaugura-
ton Of q new plant there will provo
beneficial to the entire capital city. II
il the policy Of the statesmen of this
latter day to build up the national cap
ital by concentrating government works
here as rapidly rs possible. With tho
national gun foundry at the old navy
yard, and q new plant at Alexandra,
there would be business boom at each
end Of tins district which would sooc
become manifest in new homes on al
our hillsides. Smith d. E1Y.