The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-02

| cipitate as was natural for 4 retrea ting
army under such circumstances" On
the retreat many died of fatigue CT were
| taken prisoners by the cavalry harassing
the rear. Nearly ECO of the dead left By
! the enemy were buried by the citizens.
1t was estimated that his aggregate loss
was not less than LOCO men.
The enemy reached Benedict on til :
| evening of August %, and re- embarked
| the next day.
! The sight o: the Capital in flames HAD
aroused the inhabitants of the surround
| in:- country, who we're being rallied by
| the Secretary of War, MIR. Monroe. 1t
was resolved to cut of the enemys re-
| treat to his ships. His haste, however,
| frustrated these patriotic proceedings.
When the question of the restcra ion
| of the public buildings was under discus
sion. long and bitter debate ensued,
| evincing not only strong disposition TO
| abandon the city, but a dangerous Sec
| tiOnai feeling. For n time the most Sc
rious consequences were threatening.
Calmer counsels, however, prevailed, and
| an appropriation of $500, 900 was made for
the repair or re-erection of the buildings
On their old sites. The estimated loss
was S1,000,000.
As the Presidents House was destroyed
he, after the evacuation of the British
a.
the corner of New York Avenue and
Eighteenth Street northwest, known as
the "Oetagon."
In 1915 Congress authorized the restor-
alton OF the Presidents House, which
was done by Hoban, the original archi-
tect. 1t was not again ready, however,
till after 1918. In 1925 the south portico.
in 1896 the East Eoom, and in 1929 the
| north portico were finished.
In the course Of the year 1916 Congress.
by special act retroceded to the State of
Virginia so much of the District of Co.
lumbia, comprising the city and county of
Alexandria, as had been contributed by
it originally TO establish the Federal Dis
trict, which was thus reduced from
hundred to sixty square miles in extent.
In the year 1850 the sale of slaves was
prohibited. and on April 16. 1862. slavery
was abolished in the District of Column
bia.
In the Civil War Days.
The city was menaced by the Confed-
crate troops at the outbreak of the civil
war. until the night of May %, 1861, when
Woods column crossed the AqueIuct
Heitzelmann moved over Long Bridge,
and Ellsworth occupied Alexandria. Dur
ing the subsequent war, the defences of
Washington consisted of sixty eight
forts. mounting 905 cannon and mortars.
with 90 batteries for field guns, and 20
miles of rife pits. These works covered
a perimeter of thirty-seven miles. and
had garrison of many thousand men
They saved the Capital from assault after
the various reverses of the Federal arm
les in Virginia. and in 1864 repealed by
their guns an attack in force by General
Early's army.
On May % and "a 1865. Washington re-
ioiced in the grandest military display
ever seen in America. when the bronzed
veterans of the national armies marched
in review past the President.
When the war YVES over and the city
found itself with an enlarged population
and a vastly greater Importance. atten-
ton was directed to it's Improvement.
emphasized by determined attack upon
1t by Western men, who tried to move
the Capital to some point west of the
Mississippi. II .
In 1871, however, when this attempt
was made to remove the Capital. friends
of the city saw that something must
need be done to make Washington more
dignified, healthful. and attractive Al
exander r. Shepherd Governor Henry d.
Cooke, and other citizens of. the District,
secured the authority to take adequate
| measures to lift Washington out of the
mud" The Government thus organized
raised money by local, taxation and by
the sale Of District bonds and set an
army OF lehorcrs 10 grading and paving,
| parking. and tree planting. Within ten
years S25,O0o,00 9 were spent in improving
| the city. This expenditure OF money
| raised the taxes to figure that caused
the citizens to make a mighty cutlery.
Congress again changed the form of To-
cal government in 1873, and created the
new arrangement now in practice. This
| simply consists of two civilian Commits
, sioners, appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate, and one Army
| Engineer officer, detailed by the Secret airy
| of War the three constituting Board
Of Commissioners for three years They
| are empowered by Congress to make and
| change at will building, health, and po-
| lice regulations. They also appoint all
subordinate officials and clerks They are
| required to make and submit to :he Sec
| rotary OF the Treasury, annual estimates
| for all the expenditures within the Dis
| trict for the ensuing year. The tax rate
| is fixed and taxes assigned by act of
| Congress. and the taxes. when collected
are deposited in tho United States Treas
| ury so that not one cent can be ex-
pended for any purpose except as appro-
priated by Congress. Oneh half OF the
amount to be raised is assessed upon tn !,
| by Congress
The population of the District is now
21S, us In 1900 it amounted to 1903
souls.
| The wealth of the District is shown by
| taxable property to the value of s20).-
| 100000, to which must be added m-re
| than SOS. 100000 Of exempt property
| chiefly belonging to the Federal Govern
| ment, which, in lieu of assessed taxes
| contributes one-half of all the Districts
| expenses, and practically has done much
| more than that in the preservation and
| laying out Of public grounds, bouleyards.
and reservations free to the public, and
maintained at the public expense.
! Among the capitals of nations. the Cap
| ital of the United States stands out in
| bold and unique relief. II differs from
| other cities because it was intended to
| be different. Its origin, growth. and gov
| eminent is without counterpart in any
| age or any nation. Its wide, asphalted
boulevards, its shaded streets, its public
parks. Its artistic monuments and stat
| ues, invariably arrest the attention of the
beholder and excite the comment of the
| visiting tourist
Reared in pain" the Capital of the
| United States has grown within the COM
| paratively short space OF a century into
| not only the most beautiful city, but also
| the seat of the mightiest and most en-
| lightened Government of all times and all
| ages.
The Superiority of Man.
Urom the New York Herad.)
Man is a perfected marsupial. He is a
creature of pockets With him the neces-
sity Of pouch simply develops one. This