St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-02-05

derness Of underground, within half a
mile of the capitol building. 1t is only
since 1872 that the city has grown up
and spread out in accordance with the
plans of the civil engineer. Even now,
with a population of nearly 4oo. 1000 peo-
pie. the capital city is practically in its
infancy, although it has fully assumed
the forms and outlines intended by the
brainy man who thought it oil out so
many years ago.
Pennsylvania avenue cuts diagonally
across the city from Georgetown to the
navy yard. a distance of more than
three miles. II it were continued in a
direct line It would go directly through
the center OF the capitol. But the
grounds around the capitol are very
large. They are well cared for, and
have been developed by the best land
scape gardeners in the world.
The great avenue passes around the
capitol and runs along B street, past
the new congressional library building,
and then resumes its diagonal course
eastward to the eastern branch of the
Potomac rivera stream which 10 no
longer navigable and over which the
government will ultimately build
arches and convert it into sewer, just
as Tiber was long since hidden from
view. There are many thousands of
people here to-day who never saw the
Tiber and who never even heard oft.
Westward from the capitol. at FIJI
teenth street. the avenue defects from
its course and passes around the treas
ury building and the executive man.
sion. At Seventeenth street 1t resumes
its diagonal course to Georgetown.
crossing Rock creek, q stream which di-
vides Washington city from ancient
Georgetown. This stream will also
soon be arched over, and will live only
in history.
East Of the capitol Pennsylvania ave-
nue. amounts to almost nothing. 1t will
be many years-say so years, at least
before the great thoroughfare will be
attractive in that section. 1t was the
Intention Of the founders of the city
to have it built up east Of the capitol.
But real estate dealers were as avari-
cious then as they are now. They held
up prices so that home builders went
to the west and northwest and built up
the city In that section. Consequently
the population on Capitol hill is COM
paratively small, and along the line Of
Pennsylvania avenue. east. there are no
public buildings Of consequence except
ing the congressional library. and there
are no residences there to make the ave
nue. attractive.
West Of the capitol, where all political
business 10 done and where all hotels
Of prominence are located. Pennsylva-
mia avenue Is really national disgrace.
True. Il 10 the broadest avenue in the
world. Its surface 10 splendidly con-
creted and its sidewalks are broad. But
the buildings are old, neglected, dirty.
and . majority Of them squatty.
On the north side Of Pennsylvania
avenue. west, which You viii remember
y the principal part Of the avenue. for
four blocks from the capitol the houses
are Inhabited by Chinese. wicked men
and women OF the white and black race;
and the ground floors are generally o.
cupied by saloons and low dives. There
b more vice within 4 stones throw Ct
the capitol on this end Of Pennsylvsnia
avenue than can be found In . similar
distaDce On any public street in any
oGhe capital slty . ~ eiyill1e1 woe1e.