Evening star., 1902-09-13

and debt to our city, and force them into
its redemption from squalor and ugliness
was a difficult task. engaging the energy,
ability, skill and daring of ALA short,
terrific struggle of three years placed the
government of the city in the hands of the
general government. with the responsibility
of its future Then the battle was won and
Washington redeemed.
"One of the principal factors in this
movement was the silent warrior who now
sleeps his last sleep on the banks of the
Hudson river. (Shouts of Grant, Grant
Grant here interrupted the governor) Cen
eral Grant, who from personal knowledge,
L can say was in this movement from its
incipiency to its close, and President
gave his commanding influence and strength
10 It's accomplishment. Our city should
rank him next only to the immortal Wash
ington. who gave it his glorious name and
founded it on the banks of the noble Po-
tomac Another who took most honorable
and useful part in the work was General
OrVille f. Babcock, then commissioner of
public buildings. To him is largely due the
establishment of the public parks which
were, twenty five years ago, but dumping
grounds for the garbage and accumula-
tons of the city, and there are other names
which deserve honorable mention in this
work. There was Governor Henry ID. Cook
our nrst governor, of pleasant and lovely
memory. There was Col. Magruder; there
was true and good Henry A. Willard: there
was S. P. Brown and A. B. Mullett with
Doctors Verdi and Bliss, and John NJ Lang
ston, as the board of health, all of whom
bore their good part in the rebuilding of
our capital
Il should not fail to mention in this con-
nection our immediate successors, Governor
Dennison, Commissioner Blow, and last
but not least, that silent but indefatiga bic
worker, John H. Ketchum of New York
whose persistence was only equaled by his
energy, and who never faltered in the good
work until it was secure. Another man
VINO deserves most honorable mention was
General n. p. Chipman, our first and only
delegate IN Congress, than whom no man
laDored harder or was truer or more ef-
fective, and, last but not least in this enum-
Grafton of individuals, were the three mem
bers or the park commission-John SauI
William Saunders and William r. Smith
VINO served without pay and whose intelIi-
gent supervision has given the capitaI the
Hlest ana pest assortment of trees of any
city in the known world
many or those who served in the legis-
ldtlFe assembly of the District deserve, too.
our hearty acknowledgements for their
lapors, as do many of the senators and
members of the national Congress who
.hroash good and evil reports bore our
burden and carried through our aDpronria-
tions ThiS retrospective will serve 70 re-
can the times which are fraught with the
lie OF our national metropolis Today we
see the most beautiful capital in this coun-
try, and probably in the world and which is
destined during the coming century TO he
the capital of POO. 600 900 people and To have
a population of 2,00a6o0 of its own Apa,n
thank you for your kind and hearty wei
come TO my home and / pray that pros-
perlty may attend you in all your efrorts
Ior advancement and that ere long present
depression may cease to exist, the clouds
M lin' ana good times may come again to