Evening star., 1902-03-18
Washington the Nations City.

What do you think, Mr.. Watterson,"
pursued the reporter, "of the proposed
Memorial bridge and the suggested plan OF
public improvements now outlined by the
District Commissioners"
Il am deeply interested and concerned in
all that interests and concerns Washington,
and this new scheme Of comprehensive de-
velopment has from its inception engaged
my attention. l have read everything re-
lating to 1t. l went the other day to ex-
anime the models 1t is not merely that
was born and grew up here whilst my
father was in Congress and other branches
of the public service, but that Washington
leans We own it, We govern 1t. The
Senate is it's board Of aldermen. The House
is its common council We elect every al
derman and every common councilman.
The glory Of this city, therefore, is our
affair, our glory. Not a dollar is spent
here which does not return US an hundred
folG on the outlay.
Il dreamed of seeing an end Of sec
tional strife, and lived to have that
dream fulfilled. i now want to five
long enough to see this noble scheme well
on it's way to completion. 1 want to see
the whole circle of the city clad in marble
and verdure, artistically arranged to bring
out the natural beauties of the most beau
tiful inland region on the face Of the globe;
climbing up to and embracing Arlington;
penetrating the wooded Wilds Of Rock
creek; reaching to Chain bridge and be-
yond it, and bringing Cabin Johns arch
within the ordinary range Of an afternoons
promenade
''The memorial bridge at once, then the
union station with its approaches, then the
monument, the Potomac flats, the mall and
the esplanades. We have an cvert1oWing
treasury. Let MS get some of the good Of
it-something that will keep-before it is
squandered."
The New City and the Old.
"You have known Washington a long
time, Mr.. Watterson?"
Il was born here in 1870 Down to 1861
passed my life here for the most part
grew up, as it were, in the old Willard
Hotel 1t broke my heart to have to give
it up when the war came.
'Of course, l go back a long way. When
] was boy Washington was not city at
all. 1t was mud hole Of magnificent dis
tances. A rickety bus made hourly trips
between the Capitol and Georgetown, and
many a thwack from the drivers whip did
we urchins get for clinging on behind. East
of the Capitol only farm lands; NJ street,
the northern boundary; Goth street, the
western
Il never could bring myself to criticise
Alexander Shepherd. He converted a
morass into something like miracle of
beauty Congress must do the rest. 1t
must complete the work begun by Governor
Shepherd. Alderman George Frsbie Hoar
can afford to pool his disa agreements with
Alderman Benjamin Ryan Tilman, while
Common Councilmen David Bremner Hen
derson and James Daniel Richardson unite
for once In developing the glory Of a heri-
tage that is not hemmed in by party lines.
Il do not believe" concluded Mr. Waiter
son. that there would be any serious pro-
test from the people ii Congress should
pass a bill appropriating an annual sum
sufficient to bring this plan of realizing the
vision of LEnfant within the next ten
years. Fer every million expended by the
from the outside, and it is not unreasonable
to predict that with the completion of the
pubic work concurrent private enterprise
will have so filled up the adjacent spaces
as to make Of Washington the most splen-
did as well as the most beautiful capital
city in the world.