Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-19
AVENUE AND WHITE HOUSE
Some Suggestions as to the Centennial Csle-
bration Plans
The Parks Should Never BE Invaded
and the Executive Mansion Should
BE Adequately Enlarged.


national capital one irorfclad rule should be
kept in mind. namely, never to infringe on
public parking for building sites.
If this rule is once broken we shall soon
have no parking left, as the temptation to
occupy public open spaces for building
sites will always be greater as the needs
for public buildings multiply and lands rise
in value.
If our population continues to increase as
1t has done in the last hundred years, be-
ginning with 100000 and more than
doubling every twenty-five years. another
century must bring results scarcely con-
ceived by him who lives today. We may
not predict just when enough public space
at Washington may be required to accom-
modate the governmental machinery for
two and three hundred millions of people.
We may say in full confidence. however,
that what we most need at the national
capital is not less Of permanent open spaces
and available building sites. but more of
them.
A shortsighted Congress once gave away
third of the District-mistake now deep
ly regretted. Another Congress failed to
appreciate the scheme of Major LEnfant
for the laying out of the capital city and
for what they considered an extravagant
and foolish plan. Major L'Enfant declined
to receive both the pittance and the advice,
and died in disappointment and poverty.
We are now enthusiastically grateful for
what he did accomplish, regretting always
that his plan for parks and avenues stopped
short of the District line, and that so little
provision was made for OPEN spaces about
all our public buildings.
Our national fault has been that of mar
row view and mistaken economy IN all that
regards the capital city. We have only
been able to plan for the immediate needs
of the time at which public improvements
were made. The first Capitol, built hun
dred years ago. was absurdly small. The
second one was finished but twenty-five
years ago. and is already inadequate. The
White House, built hundred years ago,
was of size to suit a country of 100000
people In fact, it has never taken long
not only to prove the inadequacy of every
public improvement, but to demonstrate
equally how parsimony has not been econ
omy.
The Face of the Nation.
The United States buildings, representing
the various departments Of the national
government, are. after all, very few. Why
should they be surpassed in size and splen-
dor? 1t has been said that the capital rep
resents the face of the nation, while the
states are the body, and that il the body is
shabby and small, the face will be CORE
spondingly contemplate Are the American
people mean and sordid and without taste?
Let us not believe it. Let us rather believe
that Congress has always been far behind
the people in patriotic pride for the national
capital. The people Of our country have
never complained of the cost or beauty Of
the Library building. If it had been twice
as large and twice as beautiful it would
nave been doubly appreciated Probably
the most popular act of Senator MorrilTs
career was the promotion of that building
40 park or avenue or public building in
W ashinston which may suit future nation
al necessity Is too fine or too splendid to
please every American citizen. 1t belongs
to them all. To visit the national capital
Is the worthy ambition Of every one of
,hem. All they ask and all they want is
honesty of purpose and honesty Of expendi-
ture. and they recognize that investments
based upon intelligent perceptions are not
eXtravagant
Broadness of view in relation to the
slories of the national capital was refresh
ingly exhibited by the governors of various
states. lately assembled at Washington 4
they proposed, as understand, in the way
of the city. to promote some great
public improvements, and without time for !
much rejection suggested a new Centennial
avenue and something for White House. |
An open boulevard leading from the Cap-sl
ltol building to the proposed memorial |
bridge may be useful and attractive, but |
let the committee of governors take sec,
ond sober thought before they suggest plac
ing buildings where they would cover a |
single inch of present parking, already far |
too limited. Let them change their scheme |
Tor broad avenue partly bordered with |
public buildings to the natural
and entrance street of WASH
hgton-Pennsylvania avenue.
If Louis Napoleon, regardless Of cost, |
could wipe out miles of solidly built squares |
In the center of Paris for the glory Of
France and the most beautiful capital city |
Of the world. and to the delight of every
Frenchman. the United States government |
may not hesitate to remove few indifrer- |
ent business buildings on the south side of |
Pennsylvania avenue. Whatever may he |
the reasonable cost, 1t will never be less |
than present. |
White House Needs,
II what the governors want in the way |
Of White House suggests the filling .up |
Of the small open space between the Treas J
ury and the State. War and Navy depart |
ments by the addition of appendages put |
up in the rear of the old executive building
and composed of the same cheap material |
to correspond with it, they do not rise to |
the dignity of a new White House nor the |
needs of the twentieth century in relation |
70 1t. They do not appreciate that the
White House is not intended to accommo- |
date any President. his family and his
clerical staff alone, but that it must prom
erly serve to entertain thousands and tens
world. ~
We respect and love the old White House
for its traditions and it's modest beauty
Let II remain unchanged and unsurrounded
~ appendages forever. We have outgrown
1t as man outgrows the shoes he wore as
=
infantile shoes he need not attempt to patch
them to suit the conditions of all his flu
ture years.
With hill at the head of 18th street uhe
future Executive avenue) and Florida ave-
nue.. finer than the hill on which the Capitol
Is built. and double its height; finer .ban
any Of the seven hills of Rome located in
the center OF the city, in the midst of it's
residence section; accessible to all the town:
situated on the great driving boulevard. 100
feet wide and seven miles long. which leads
most directly to the National Park and bor- I
ders its entire length: containing from fifty
10 seventy-ffve acres of land covered at pres
ent with but few cheap buildings; proyid- |
ing Ton account of height and drainage ard |
southern exposure) the most comfortable |
M sidence site for both winter and SUNNI ,r |
that the District of Columbia affords; with |
this superb site at our command NAV We
not except to the selection of the back yard
OF a respected but small old building for the |
future Executive Mansion? |
1t would seem wise at the beginning of |
the new century to perfect some general |
plan for the future best interests of the ma
tional capital Future generations would |
probably be very glad to help pay for these
improvements made on a grand scale Be-
sides the clearing of the south side of Penn |
sylvania avenue for public buildings. ade-
quate space should also be secured north (
and south Of the Capitol grounds for build |