The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-26
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
It's Giories EXpatiated Upon by an
English Paper.
Town of Politicians. DipIomatists,
Generally of Higher or Lower De-
Gree-Its Army of Scientists - The
Negro in Its Midst

] ! S centenary OF the city oil NaShIlg-
: ton has just been celebrated. On Septem-
her Is. 1923. the cornerstone of the Cap
itoI was laid, but it was not until June,
1880, that the United States Government
moved into its new home. and the founda-
ton Of the city has, therefore, always
/ dated from the latter year. The seat Ct
/ government was first in Philadelphia
then II was removed to New York. where
Washington was inaugurated as President
! in front of what is the Sub-Treasury. in
Wall Street; then it was once more rams
ierred to Philadelphia. and finally was es-
tabLshed in the brand-new city On the
banks of the Potomac, the only instance
in any great modern State of the capital
being purely political city, with no
trade, no finance. no tTaditions-a city lit
orally carved out of the Wilderness The
VIE OF John Adams wrote TO a friend
We are surrounded by woods with no
wood TO burn The Minister from Por-
tugal first used the we'll known phrase
about the city OF magnificent distances -
While another writer called the new cant
TAI wilderness city set in q Inud-hole
almost equal TO the great Serbonian bog
IN a work published III 1907 We read that
there was no impression OF anything like
4 city and that you might have 10 90
through a deep wood for d mile TO see
YOUR neNt-do0r neighbor
4 member Of Congress. writing in 1900
describes the celebrated PENNSYLVANIA
+ Avenue, now one of the worlds famous
streets. as nearly the whole distance q
ueep moTaSS covered with elder bushes
which were cut through sto the Presi-
/ Gent 5 house The discomforts OF the
/ new city were great. The White House
( was q bare barrack, the linen was dried
+
codid not be collected and the Presi-
/ Dental household shiyered over miser-
aD!e ureS on winter nights It was IN
uiiPLTasahJ change from the Iuxury and
. go2d cheer Of New York and PhiIadeI-
( PhIa. The Tudeness which prevailed has
| DeeA exaggerated The cid story, for in
/ stance, OF Jefferson hitching his horse
] 20 me paIlngs while he went into the
capitol 10 read his inaugural address is
no" known TO be false But still even
the leading statesmen had 10 board in
poor lodging houses In 1914 this was
the case with Webster. and in 1925 with
Everett For years all bur The fare
necessaries OF life were bought at BaIfi-
more.
Although Washington grew that
growth VAS mainly due 10 the official
class, since there was no business in the
cry 10 cause great increase Of popula-
uon- Great public buildings we're erected
anu good many hotels, but otherwise
+ the city cannot be said to have greatly
/ improved for about half a century. Even
Sucn men as Clay, Webster and Chief
Justice Marshall lived mostly in hotels
webster having no house of his own iii
he was Secretary of State in 1871 His
/ second house. in degenerate condition
/ stu stands Dr.. ". H Russell describes
the state of the leading streets in Wash
T lhgton when he visited it a the ourbreal,
sank N the nlud, and next 10 a fire NOD
eL- building one saw q Wretched npgrn
sHanJy- II may be said that this caaotic
state lasted TIL after the civil war. when
F-hnaFkable man saw what splendid |
opportunities Washington afforded for
ueihs very hne city. and he took hold of /
ltS government and carried out series !
o. changes which have made Washington !
the ciean1 stately, and beautiful civ II &c /
toaAy- ms enterprising person was
BOSS Shepherd. He made The civ nav
LOT ms reforms, but the price was proba- |
ol1 cheap II me long run, since the mod I
eEA Washington IS not merely the uurely
pCHtlcaI city II vas once on d time b4t
city OF lovely houses. Of fashion of
society and Of as many cultivated and
learned men as one can find in any place
IN the world
Washington was deliberately made Il
alu not grow, IN more than one sense
=.
CITY, II was ali laid out on plan. n i
10 Major L EnIanJ. 2 French engineer. and I
afchitect- that Washington owes rs spa
cI0us and attractive thoroughfares and II
IS 20 an freshman James Hobau. that the
original building Of the Capitol is due.
The essence Of the laying out Of the citv
was 10 secure TWO central spots from
which immense avenues should radfafe /
Sucn spots were found in the CAPITOL and I
me WHITE House, and these huge avenues /
we're named from the States Of aDe
Union But the best-laid plans nav %
agley, and the visitor TO Washington win
soon ma that, in spite of the fine site Of
the Capitol, with its soaring dome and
the SpIendld proportions Of PennsvIyanfa /
avenue, the great street GGG feet v-ifeI
winch leads by the White House and the
treasury 10 the hill on which the CaDftoT
Slahes' something IS not quite right The
idct IS Jhat II was assumed that the cfrv (
would grow toward the east whereas -
mas chosen 10 grow to the west of The
capitol, and the east front which ie the
proper front. is turned away from the |
city, while the back door through which
most members enter the great building is
the side which fronts one on COMING mn /
the avenue If the east front win itg /
stately COrinthian facade were soon fror, /
7 pennsylvania Avenue, one has no hesita
Jion in saying that the effect would he (
inner tHah thaJ OF any other legislative :
DuiitihS IN the world There are a h4rD
dFee details 10 ind fault with in the Can
lJoI, Doth inside and out, but the general
design IS grand and imposing. eyited to I
the climate, and IN keeping with The do. ( 3
nifty Of The Republic or which if is the no /
Htical centre Mr. Shepherd. tberrfara t
.'-4@A ne TOOK mold Of the renewal Of the + s
city. found noble plan ready to his {
hand All he had 20 do was TO conyert :
the shabby lines Of houses and flrhv +
into order. The CITY was as +
Dha4ted all over. sc that now II is Inc n
best paved and cleanest CITY On tba
world
Washington is still pleasantly free from
BUSINESS No smoke stains its cIea: air :
10 hurry OF trade encumbers its quiet ave- "a
aues. II is city which leaves the i'm :
preston Of a blend Of red. white and =
green most Of the houses being OF red q
BRICK the public buildings being Of white
'tone, and everywhere are trees and
grass. the whole city being ernboso raed in
'ollage- In spite of it's dignity and COS q
aspects, one st-Il finds some of ! !
ne o!d-fashioneG LONELINESS in the civ
nowhere more so than in the fine market J
NhcTe colored 'aunties' from the sur
'oundlng Virginia or Maryland country !
5ii n the midst Of a luxury OF fruit and i
vegetables unknown in an English town. Z
me negro IS still great factor in Wash &
l2Jon- You meet him everywhere and Il
Re may be said to do all the rough work :
u the city. though he is most fond of re- !