Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-22
WASHINGTON : THE MODEL CITY

time to time were placed wherever the
caprice of the monument dictated Hzppily,
the mall was kept public reservatio
although the plan for its improvement was
not carried out. But between this expanse
of splendid possibilities and Pennsylvania
avenue. the chief highway of the city, pri-
vate enterprise was allowed to thrust
squahd, and In parts disreputable, settle
ment. 1t Is proposed by the Burnham COM
mission to have this dishguring wedge re-
deemed and devoted to buildings for md-
nicipal purposes. including a great central
market. Already the frst of these struc-
lures is under way-a building for the local
government OF the District of Columbia.
Unfortunately the Post Office Department
Is planted on one of the best sites Of this
quarter In a Kansas City emporium. so ut
terly out of keeping with the general at
mosphere of official Washington that It
sets the teeth of architects on edge.
The chief obstacle In the way of the re-
demption of the wretched district south OF
Pennsylvania avenue, which sticks like a
ciEGer In the eye Of the capital. Is the greed
of landowners. Land speculation has hob
bled the progress of Washington from the
time when In the cfty's infancy, 1t twisted
the whole town around so that now the
Goddess of Liberty on the dome of the
Capitol turns her back on the approaching
crowds.
Whenever 1t becomes known that the
government needs a piece of property all
the holders of real estate on that spot form
combination to soak" the treasury for
all 1t can be made to give up. When the
land for the Senate office building was
bought 1t was assessed at $4,000. A pri-
vate purchaser could probably have bought
1t for 100000. The government had to pay
N4s,00o. For private purposes all the land
between Pennsylvania avenue and the mall
may be worth 100000. The belief is ex-
pressed by those who have had to study
the subject that 1t would cost the govern
ment $50,o0o,00o to acquire 1t, even under
condemnation proceedings There seems to
be an admirable opportunity here for a
thrifty philanthropist, who would like to
become a public benefaetor without any ex-
pense TO himself. All he would have to do
would be to buy up the property that will
soon be needed for public purposes and then
sell 1t to the government at such a mod
crate advance on it's cost as would secure
him reasonable profit on his investment.
With the acquisition of another small
piece Of land Just west of the white Lot
back of the White House, and a third be-
tween the mall and Maryland avenue on
the south, together with some blocks bor-
dering Lafayette square In front Of the
White House and some others around the
Capitol grounds. there would be an I'M
broken area two miles and two-thirds in
extreme length, and mile and half In
extreme width, all devoted to public pur-
poses. small part Of this, such as the
tracts occupied by the buildings of the
George Washington University the Cor
ooran Art Gallery and the Daughters Of
the American Revolution, would be held by
semi-pub1ic institutions, but most of It
would be the property of the government.
This reservation, In the shape of a huge
fish, with its dorsal fin projecting north OF
the White House, and the mighty range
of buildings about the Capitol forming it's
tail, would stretch across the whole resi-
derce and business frontage of the city
forming the most tremendous and imposing
focus of governments power and energy
to be seen in any capital of the world.
The Capitol stands in the center of
park of nearly sixty acres. When the
Burnham commission began its work this
park was framed In by dingy houses or
neglected lots. There was only one build
Ing there worthy of its position-the Ii
brary of Congress. With this as q begin
ming the commission proposed to surround
the Capitol grounds ultimately with six
teen stately public buildings, each occupy
ing an entire block, and all having some re-
lation with the legislative work of the gov
errment. OF these the House and Senate
office buildings, facing each other from op-
posite sides of the park. are already well
under way. These classic twins reminds
cent of the ministry Of marine and its
mate. to which the Place de la Concorde
at Paris owes so much OF its distinction
have been carefully designed TO harmonize
with the Capitol and lead the eye to it
without competing with 1t for the attention
of the spectator. AS each has a frontage
Of 476 feet on the Capitol grounds the two
together contribute 952 feet toward the
completion Of fitting frame for the park
The Capitol itself is ISL feet inches long,
and the Library of Congress 40 feet SO
that in buildings already constructed or
under way there is a superb architectural
frontage of 2,1T3 feet or over two-Afths of
a mile, on the eastern half of the Capitol
grounds. A building for the Supreme Court
is expected to fill one of the remaining
spaces and then only two large and two
small sites will need to be occupied to make
the framing of that part of the picture
complete We shall then have a place"
fifty per cent larger than the Place de la
Concorde, and incomparably more imposing
in its general effect. What it is already be-
ginning to be may be realized from Mr..