The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-12-08
IDEAL FOR A HOME
OF RESIDENCE IN
WASHINGTON.
Capital City Is Having a Rapid and
Steady Growth in Prosperity and
Beauty-Opportunities for
Young Men.


ment from Philadelphia, the new city
had a hard struggle for existence.
Public Golfers were practically empty
and taxes wehe hard to collect, says
the Washington Star.
| The period from 1870 to 1874
marked new era in the capitals his
tory. During this time Gov. Shepherd,
q truly remarkable man, who appears
to some to have been a crafty poll
tician, and who is recognized by all as
having been the founder of the new
washington, was at the very height of
his power. He graded streets, plant
ed trees, dug sewers costing what
then seemed fabulous sums, and spent
about $3,0O0,O00 for wooden street
pavements, which soon rotted away.
In about three years he incurred
debt equal to the price paid to Spain
for the Philippines. Congress was
aghast at this enormous expenditure,
although much of it was justified, as
results have shown. And SO, in 1874,
the government was changed from the
then existing territorial form to the
system now in operation. After three
| quarters of century of vicissitudes,
the city was finally firmly established.
The last three decades, which really
include all of it's life since Washing
ton has been a city of any size, have
brought: uniform prosperity. In less
than a half century the population has
grown wonderfully, increasing from
$4,000 in 1860 to $4,000 in 1906.
Popular Residential City.
This rapid and steady growth leads
so naturally to the conclusion that
Washington possesses such advan--
tages as a., place of residence as to
have prompted many young men to
| make their homes by the Potomac.
! These advantages may be very con-
veniently grouped as sanitary, eco
nomic, political and educational.
Properly enough, the first consider
alton which influences a choice of
home is health. Of prime Importance
| to the health of city are the natural
features, location and climate; and of
equal value are all artificial sanitary
measures for the prevention and cure
Of disease. Washington is situated on
the banks of the Potomac at it's juno
ton with the Anacostia river, so that
water front of considerable extent is
obtained. Naturally, portions of the
city near the rivers are low and fiat,
but elsewhere the land is rolling and
we'll drained. Capitol Hill rises about
100 feet above tide water; and the
chain of hills which belt the city. on
the north and west, and which include
the suburbs, are from three to four
times as high.
-. Opportunities for Young Men.
Excellent opportunities are extend
ed to young men not only in the gov
ernment service, but in the profess
sions, and in other walks as well.
Positions open in private firms are
much more numerous and desirable
than are generally supposed. Wash
ington is not primarily manufacture
ing city, yet the value Of it's products
in 1900 reached the very creditable
total of. $47,667 ,622.- The local indus
tries give employment to many ex-
| J0s
likewise. Then, too, population of
325,OOO affords wide field for the
practice of law and medicine in all
their branches.
The United States government re-
quires an army of 175,000 to keep it's
machinery in operation, Men of every
walk of life, from the scientist and
the diplomat to the clerk, the me-
chanic and the printer, find employ
ment in. it's service. The scientific
| work of the government appeals to
men Of talent.
It is useless to- repeat the many
very pleasant features of government
service which private employment
does not as rule afford. Such are
moderate working hours, annual leave
and comfortable buildings in which to
work. % r. Fl
| =; Fine Public Institutions.
-. To many the National museum will
prove of as much value as the: libra
ries. Excepting the British museum,
There are few similar institutions
(which surpass it, and it is scarcely
euualed on this side even by the
Metropolitan Of New York and the
Field Columbian of Chicago. -.
Appealing to fewer persons perhaps
than museums, and yet with a greater
power for the spread of culture, is an
art gallery. I In this regard the ma
tional capital is extremely fortunate
/ In possessing the Corcoran collection,
so adequately and SO beautifully
housed. The gallery makes no claim
i to equal some Of the superb collec-
tions abroad, but contains neYerthe-
i less many paintings Of excellence, and
/ is. 8 source Of Joy to all lovers Of beau.