Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-08-05
From the Capital City.
To the Editor of the WORLD:

WASHINGTON, D. c., August 1, 1893.
Thinking that many of your readers
would be interested in hearing some
thing of the capital city of the nation, l
shall try and give faint idea of some OF
its characteristics.
Washington is without doubt one of
the most beautiful cities in the world.
Its admirable location, points of interest
and historical associations make it the
mecca of the tourist. In the beauty and
number of it's parks, its magnificent
shade trees and smooth streets, the CITY
stands perhaps without a rival. 1t is
said poet looking down on the city
from the Washington monument, made
the assertion that the capital appeared
as though it was built in an immense
park. And indeed, his remark did not
come amiss, for nearly every street in
the city is lined with shade trees. If a
tree dies it is Immediately replaced by
another; and in laying out new streets,
one of the things essential to their COM
pletion is the setting out of shade trees
on each side of them.
The city is ingeniously laid out, being
divided into four sections-northwes
northeast, southwest and southeast,
with the capitol as the central point.
All streets running north and south are
numbered First, Second, ETC.. and those
running east and west are lettered A,
B, etc. All avenues, the principal ones
which radiate from the capitol like the
spokes of gigantic wheel, are named
after the states. The streets which d.
vide the different sections are called
North Capitol, East Capitol and South
Capitol. Thus North Capitol street,
running directly north from the capitol,
separates the northwest from the north
east, and East Capitol street, running
directly east from the capitol, separates
the northeast from the southeast, and
SO on around. There is no West Capt.
tol street, the dividing line for the
northwest and the southwest being an
immense park extending westward to
the monument, distance of a mile.
Hence may be seen the importance of
the letters n. W., S. W., ETC., when d.
recting anything to Washington; for if
there are left off, the chances are your
letter or whatever is sent, may go to three
different places before reaching it's des-
tination, and not unusually turn up at
the dead letter Office.
The northwest is the aristocratic part
of the city. Here nearly all of the lega-
tiOns are located as we'll as the 400"
On Connecticut avenue running north
west from the White House, are situat-
ed some of the finest residences to be
seen anywhere, and many of the lega-
tions have their homes on this avenue;
the British legation being particularly
noticeable, a large handsome brick
building with stone trimmings. Con-
necticut avenue is to Washington what
Fifth avenue is to New York.
Pennsylvania avenue, running from
the capitol to Georgetown, is the widest
street in Washington, and it was down
this magnificent thoroughfare that the
veterans marched for hours in review
during the encampment last fall-a sight
never to be forgotten.
Though with all her advantages Wash
ington has her drawbacks. The princi-
pal one just now being the intense heat.
If it were not for the trees it would be
unbearable. The asphalt pavements
and brick side walks are quickly heated
by the sun, and long after old Sol has
gone down, continue to give off the heat
they generated during the day. After 6
o'clock every one who has hose turns
it loose for an hour, and one riding
along about dark can imagine there has
been a fall of rain. The heat this sum-
mer is not SO bad as it was last year at
this time. One of the morning papers
noted for its veracity told little story |
last year incident to the great heat. 1t |
happened that one morning as reporter |
of the aforesaid paper was walking down |
the avenue, (the Washington name for |
Pennsylvania avenue) he met his satanic |
majesty. The reporter being newspa-
per man, of course was not afraid of the |
man OF color, and instantly proceeded to |
question him. The being Of the cloven |
foot told him that he heard that it was
warm In Washington and had come up |
to see If it were so. The reporter SOL
EMMY adjured him to 60 back and /
passed on. About O'Clock that after
noon the reporter again met his roval |
highness, but could scarcely recognize |
him. His horns had wilted and his tail |
had lost its curl. With the perspiration |
dripping down his face and tanning him
self with a palm-leaf far, the black man |
wrathfully informed the reporter he was
going back where it was Mt so hot. and |
where he could stand it; he was not GO
ing to come back here any more. And
he hasn't, but he has plenty of repre-
sentatives here and we can do without |
him.
During the heated term those who can
leave the city do so. If not for a few
weeks, they take few hours ride down
the glorious Potomac. Oh, the bliss of |
a moonlight down the Potomac! But |
more of that next time