The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-11-16
IDEAL FOR A HOME
ADVANTAGES OF RESIDENCE IN
WASHINGTON.
Capital City Is Having Rapid and
Steady Growth In Prosperity and
Beauty-Opportunities for
Young Men.

| L
Vernon. For many years after the
actual removal of the seat Of govern
ment from Philadelphia, the new city
had 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 a new era in the capitals his
tory. During this time Gov. Shepherd,
a truly remarkable man, who appears
to some to have been 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 100000 for wooden street
pavements, which soon rotted away.
In about three years he incurred a
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 1914,
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 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 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 its juno
ton with the Anacostia river, so that
a water front of considerable extent Is
obtained. Naturally, portions of the
city near the rivers are low and nat,
but elsewhere the land is rolling and
well 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
eminent service, but in the profes-
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 a manufactur-
ing city, yet the value of its products
in 1900 reached the very creditable
total of $47667,6 The local indus
tries give employment to many ex-
perts. and to much unskilled labor
likewise. Then, too, population OF
$4,000 affords a wide field for the
practice of law and medicine in all
their branches.
The United States government re-
ouires an army of 175,000 to keep its
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 a rule afford. Such are
moderate working hours, annual leave
and comfortable buildings in which to
work.
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
eoualed 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 greater
power for the spread of culture. is an
art gallery. 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
to equal some of the superb collec-
tions abroad. but contains neverthe-
less many paintings of excellence, and
is a source of joy to all lovers of beau
tiful pictures and statuary. In at
tempting to enumerate the works Of
art in Washington one must not for
get to mention the mural decoration
of the Library of Congress, and some,
but BY no means all. of the statues
ahout the CITY