Evening star., 1900-12-12
A CENTENNIAL SUGGESTION
MAKE WASHINGTON THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL CITY IN THE WORLD.
The New star Building Highly Praised
How to Improve Penn
sylvania Avenue.

The following letter, signed by two gen.
temen from Massachusetts who have re-
Gently visited this city, has been received
at The Star office:
Gentlemen: As recent visitors in Wash
iugton we have seen the building which
you occupy, known, we believe as The Star
building. Permit US to say that the erection
or occupancy of such a magnificent build
ing. with its broad expanse of marble, has
added beauty to the capital, and that the
erection of such buildings is an act of pa
triCtism. as well as of good business judg-
ment. We beg that you will use all the in
tluence of your great paper to stimulate the
erection of beautiful and fitting buildings
and to discourage the erection of bare wall
ed sky scrapers," on whose bulk perhaps
only Cne narrow front Is finished. Make
Washington the most beautiful city of the
world. BY using your editorial power you
will contribute greatly to the completion OF
this grand national object and desire.
lnclosed is copy of letter addressed TO
the Massachusetts senators. which we be-
lieVe expresses the desires of thousands IN
this part of the country.
How to Bcmutify Washington.
The inclosure referred to is as follows:
December TO- 1900.
George F. Hoar, Senate Chamber, Wash
ington, d. c.:
Dear Sir: On the eve of the great ami
versary at Washington will you allow .Ie
undersigned constituents TO repeat the gen.
eral sentiment which exists here, and of
which you are doubtless coSnizant from far
more influential sources.
l. Make Washington the most beautiful
city in the world. 1t should arrive at that
urGisputed condition at as early date IN
the coming century as possible.
A few practical advantages in this Will
Pride of nationality, with its inestimabe
advantages.
Prestige to the government.
To induce foreigners to visit and spend
money in this country, as we do In Paris,
which in this manner obtains large per-
centage of income upon its costly improve
mentS.
. To make Washington the most beau
t!ful city of the world Pennsylvania ave-
nue. must be improved.
Preferably. by the erection of magnificent
public buildings upon the southern side of
the street.
Secondly. either by regulations. such as
brought the great avenues of Paris to
architectural symmetry, or at least by
preventing the erection of so-called sky
scrapers,' unless finished upon al sides,
back and ends, as well as facade. so as to
be archtecturally attractive from all points
of view.
We most sincerely hope that you will
lend the great influence of your personality
and voice to further the idea of the future
erection of public buildings on the southern
side of Pennsylvania avenue, and that steps
viii be taken to secure control of the prop
erty upon which these should be erected
unless 1t Is already under controD before
any large mercantile or other buildings are
erected thereon which would render it more
expensive to later carry out such broad
plans
State buildings. We have heard that In
certain quarters the idea has been suggested
to have the states erect buildings at the
capital as headquarters. This does not i'm
press us favorable to the grand ma
tional idea. Let Washington rather be the
physical, as we'll as the mental embodiment
of the country, one and inseparable.
With great respect, We are, very truly
yours,
tSgned) GEO. S. PARKER,
EDWD. H. PARKER.
H. j. PHILLIPS,
A. P. RICHARDSON,
C. II. PARKER,
JOSEPH H. DYER,
FRANK l.. ORDWAY,
F. W. HARTWELL
j. ERNEST MANN.