Evening star., 1899-01-02
The Districts Year.

The Districts Year.
The citizens of the District look back
upon a year which has been we'll filed with
blessings and as generally devoid Of mis-
fortunes as any that the past has held
They look forwsrd to year of unusual
promise in the way of municipal better
Inent, closer realization of the ideal which
the capital founders established and which
is appreciated and followed more and more
enthusiastically by the capital makers of
today In today's issue of The Star will
b. found a review of the local events of the
year. prepared with care and setting forth
in Gs great detail as possible the various
happenings of the period just closed. The
record which is thus unfolded is strongly
suggestive of q hivh degree of vitality in
the community life of Washington. Sell
dom has there been a more vigorous move
ment among the people of any city to bet
ter their condition. to secure the highest
products of inventive genius to keep
abreast with the progress of the times.
This public spirit. manifesting itself in
many directions, is tending to give Wash
ington municipal character and a repu-
taton for good government which attract
to the capital the attention of all American
cities. Nothing more surely reveals this
spirit than the reasonable feeling of con-
graduation which pervades the District
as. year after year. the annual roll of
events discloses an advancement
SO much depends upon Congress in the
matter of municipal betterment that the
story of the year is necessarily largely The
story of the sessions. The problems pre-
sented to the houses affecting the District
are well defined. Each has behind it local
need, a local danger or a local hope All
three of these elements Were involved in
the legislation concerning the highway ex-
tension enterprise, which was enacted dur
ing the past year. The amendment adopt
ed, while failing to cover all the ground
which should have been included, at the
same time placed the project on a more
satisfactory foundation than before and
averted grave menace.
The reduction of the telephone rates,
though not followed by an immediate en-
joyment of the lower schedule was an
earnest of the determination of Congress to
prevent the growth of unjust charges in
The District in the matter of the public
necessities. and properly followed the re-
duction of the gas rates. Many other bills
were enacted which have already borne
good fruit Provision was made for an in
crease of the water supply. and preliminary
steps were taken toward its publication.
The project of reclaiming the Anacostia
fats took a practical start. Manual train
ing and kindergarten facilities were sup
piled to the public schools, and two addi-
tional engine companies to the fire depart
ment.
The opening of the public library as part
OF the Districts educational system was in
itself an event upon which the community
is TO be congratulated. Small though it is.
ana inadequately provisioned. that estab-
lshment represents the Districts effort to
be modern in the matter of public reading
facilities. and promises to develop into sat
isfactory proportions as its value and the
public neeIs Erc revealed to Congress and
to liberal and public-spirited Washington
ians.
The purchase for the reorganized Y. N.
{. A of new and suitable quarters is one
CT the most encouraging and promising
events Of the year that is gone.
Material progress has been made in the
matter OF the street railway facilities of
the city The replacement of the cable sys-
TEN OF the Capital Traction Company with
underground electricity was completed and
work Was begun on the lines cornprehended
Under the newly oTga 1ized City and Sub
urban corporation, promising an early abo-
Atlon OF horse cars within the city. Though
nc actual progress was made in the matter
q burylng the electric wires still cucumber
Ing the air, sentiment favorable 10 this
tHa was stimulated and the present pros
pecl Is that 1899 will be marked by Iegisfa-
tive action toward this end
The business interests of the civ have
pTosptred as seldom before Washington's
commercial record is good. 1t withstands
pantcs and it is temperate and sane in its
production Of "bOoms." 1t preserves A
Fteady forward tendency. 1t is based upoD
substantial foundations and prosperity is
the rule rather than the exception The
past year was satisfactory in this regard
Bnd the outlook for 1899 is that the citv's
business record a year hence will be even
more satisfactory.
In the look ahead there are few prnba-
biIIties which stand forth more conspicu-
ously than others. The enactment of the
proposed code, the project for retaining
the Eastern branch flats the abolition of
the grade crossings. provision for a munich
pal building, and a start on the memorial
bridge are hoped for at this session. while
the enterprise of cell brating the caDitaTs
centennial will doubtless be placed upon a
basis OF assured success. That celebration
promises 10 become one of the most strik
ing occasions of the decade in its national
significance.
y - u TlTl Z il not