River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-01-06

derneSS OF unOerBrOWth. Wlthln NAN
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 population of nearly 100000 peo-
pie, the capital city is practically in its
infancy, although il has fully assumed
the forms and outlines intended by the
brainy man who thought it all out so
many years ago.
Pennsylvania avenue cuts diagonally
across the city from Georgetown TO the
navy yard, distance OF more than
three miles. If ii 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 we'll cared for, and
have been developed by the best land
scare gardeners in the world.
The great avenue passes around the
capitol and runs along street, past
the new congressional library building,
ano then resumes its diagonal course
eastward TO the eastern branch of the
Potomac rivera stream which is no
longer uayigabte aud over which the
government VIII ultimately build
arches and convert it into = sewer. just
as 1lpcr was 'o'S S'"'' '"'"e'' '''',
people here to-day who never saw the
Tier aud who never even heard OF it.
Westward from the capitol, at Fiji
'eeA'n sV'e1'' 'Ne ~" " ~ =, : = ~
us course a"u paSS's ''oulu tiic lle''s
ul% oulluluS ~" ~ ,>'c"''N' ''"u
sIo'' ~ oeN ven 'e'i'' 81 '''1 - - e u''i'e
us "!dsou"' 'o"iS9 ~ 0eol go" =, -
crossing hocN ctCeh' " - i'''" ''ici' u'-
woes washington e''H lFo"' t''c'eH y
Gcnfgeto"h. Inns stream VII also
soon Dc 'rched over ana VIII I'VE only
III ms lorA'
hast OF inc cap 'o' ennSN i'anl "a ave
nue. amounts 10 ail''oSt 'o'H'"B, u VII
DC many Nears-sal % e@rS' al 'eas
before thc great thoroughtare WIZ nc
attractive IN that section It was he
intention Of the founders OF the city
10 Lave II punt up cast OF the capitol
But real estate dealefs were as aYari-
clous theh as 'hey are nov IheS heid
up prices 50 mat nome ouiiueFs went
TO the west ana northwest ara punt up
the city ~ }nat Sccton. consequently
the population on Iapl'ol mn IS CON-
paiatNelS small ana along me me OF
pennsylvania avenue, cast 'hcre are no
public buildings OF conseqHeh except
ing thc coogrcsSiopal library, ana there
are 10 residences there 70 make the ave
nue. attractive
West OF the capitol WheFe an poiltlcal
business is done aud where all hotels
of prominence arc located, Pennsylva-
MIA avenue is really national disgrace.
True, il is the broadest avenue IN the
world. Its surface is spIendtdly CON
creted and its sidewalks are broad. But
TIE buildings arc old. neglected. dirty,
and majority Of them squatty
On the north side Of Pennsylvania
asenue. west. which you will remember
i, 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 oc-
Cupied by saloons and low dives. There
is more vice within stones throw Ct
the capitol on this eud Of Pennsylvania
avenue than can be found IN a similar
distance on any pubic street in any
other capital city OF the civilized world.
FIFTEEN years ago congressman
Springer, OF liiinoIS, introduced bill
providing for the purchase OF the en-
tire north front of the avenue, and he
made strenuous efforts TO induce the
congress TO buy that property and dc