Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-11
How an English Editor Regards the
City Of Washington.
ENTHUSIASTIC APPRECIATION
Praise for Its Appearance, Its Gov
ment and Its Spirit.
BEAUTIFUL NEW CAPITAL

The London Spectator, In its issue of De-
cember %. contains an article commemora-
tive Of the centenary Of the city of Wash
ington which goes to such lengths of appre-
citation that 1t forms a notable tribute
After citing the early difficulties of capital
making and the crudeness which confronted
The first occupants of the District, the Spec
tator proceeds:
1t may be said that this chaotic state
lasted till after the civil war, when a re-
markable man saw what splendid opportu-
mites Washington afforded for being very
fine city, and he took hold of it's govern
ment and carried out a series of changes
which have made Washington the clean,
stately and beautiful city it is today. This
enterprising person was BOSS" Shepherd
He made the city pay for his reforms, but
the price was probably cheap in the long
run, since the modern Washington is not
merely the purely political city it was once
on time but is a city of lovely houses, OF
fashion. of society and of as many cult
waited and learned men as one can find in
any place in the world.
Deliberately Made.
Washington was deliberately made it did
not grow in mere than one sense. Not only
was 1t created as political city, it all
laid out on PLAN 1t is to Major L Enfant,
q French engineer and architect, that
Washington owes it's spacious and attract
i've thoroughfares, and it is to an Irishman,
James Hoban, that the original building of
the Capitol is due. The essence of the lay
ing out of the city was to secure two CEN
trail spots from which immense avenues
should radiate. Such spots were found in
the Capitol and the White House, and these
huge avenues were named from the states
of the Union. But the best-laid plans may
go agley, and the visitor to Washington
will soon find that, in spite Of the fine site
Of the Capitol, with its soaring dome, and
the splendid proportions of Pennsylvania
avenue. the great street Geo feet wfdel
which leads by the White House and the
treasury to the hill on which the Capitol
stands, something is not quite right. The
fact is that 1t was assumed that the city
would grow toward the east, whereas 1t has
chosen to grow to the west of the Capitol,
and the east front, which Is the proper
'front.' is turned away from the city, while
the back door, through which most men,
bers enter the great building. is the side
which fronts one on coming up the avenue.
If the east front. with it's stately Corinthian
facade, were seen from Pennsylvania ave-
nue., one has no hesitation In saying that
the effect would be finer than that of any
other Legislative building in the world.
There are a hundred details to find fault
with in the Capitol. both inside and out,
but the general design is grand and i'm
posing, suited to the climate, and in keep
ing with the dignity Of the republic of
which it is the political center. Mr. Shep-
herd therefore, when he took hold of the
renewal of the city, found a noble plan
ready to his hand All he had to do was
to convert the shabby lines of houses and
filthy quagmires into order. The city was
asphalted all over, that now it is the
best paved and cleanest city on the Ameri
can continent, perhaps In the world
Pleasant Atmosphere.
Washington is still pleasantly free from
business. No smoke stains it's clear air, no
hurry of trade encumbers it's quiet ave-
nues 1t is city which leaves the impress
sion Of a blend Of red white and green,
most Of the houses being Of red brick the
public buildings being Of white stone, and
everywhere are trees and grass, the whole
city being embosomed in foliage. In spite
of it's dignity and cosmopolitan aspects one
still finds some of the old-fashioned home
Illness in the city, nowhere more so than In
the fine market, where colored ''aunties''
from the surrounding Virginia or Mary
land country sit in the midst Of luxury Of
fruit and vegetables unknown in an English
town. The negro Is still a great factor in
Washington. You meet him everywhere,
and he may be said to do all the rough
work Of the city, though he Is most fond
of repairing to the Capitol and listening to
his favorite orators in Congress. The Wash
ington negro is generally poor, and one
hears much Of his hardshps in winter. No
city in the civilized world is probably more
stratifed in it's population. An Englishman,
accustomed to government being in the
hands of the chief families, would expect to
find Senator This or Representative That a
leader of society. But he learns that that
great function is largely in the hands of
"old families Of Virginia who have their
town houses in Washington, and who are
apt to look down on the purely political ell
ement. unless it has something to recon-
mend it besides politics. Times have
changed since Clay, J. Q. Adams, Marshall,
Calhoun. Webster. Story all lived in one
hotel. What a time such a group of men
must have had! One would have travelled
good distance to be in such company, but
Washington Society will not go out of it's
way to meet mere member of Congress.
Society Is probably wrong in this attitude
of pride, for there is good deal Of human
nature in the average man in Congress,
and one may make pleasant companion
ships among members. OF course. the Pres
fdent, though politician, is yet head Of
the social as well as the political system,
but the diplomatists and the Supreme Court
judges take social precedence of most of
the politicians on Capitol Hill. Next. per-
haps, come the scientific men, such an army
of whom have been attracted to Washing
ton by the immense scientific bureaux of
the government. At the Cosmos Club, near
the corner of Lafayette Square, you will
meet more distinguished men of science
than at any other given spot on the planet
Next in order comes the vast concourse of
politicians, not only members of both
houses Of Congress, but that singular phe-
nomenon, the office seeker, who is always
in evidence in the hotel corridors. Then
you will discover as a distinct class the
clerks in the various departments, an enor-
nous body running up into the tens of
thousands, after whom come the retail deal
ers and at the bottom of the great social
edifice. the negro population There is no
such unique social stratifcation anywhere
else in the world.
Domestic Architecture.
The new Washington, it has been said, is
clean and beautiful. 1t is doubtful whether
any such delightful residential street as
Massachusetts avenue is to be found on the
globe. American domestic architecture is
as successful as public architecture Is ex-
pensive and often bad, but in these Wash
ington avenues it is carried to the height
of comfort and beauty. The green, we'll
watered, fenceess lawns, the grouping of
gables and oriels the pretty porches and
exquisite trees and flowers, combine to give
most delightful series Of pictures. There
is not the ostentation of New York or Chi
cago, but there is more charm. The city is
favored too, by its environment. You will
soon discover many interesting walks and
drives. On a fine day in the late Indian
summer one finds great delight in taking
tho boat IN the broad StreaY m Of the Poto.