Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-24
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor Scenes and Incidents sketched
the SnOt.


on the Spot.
In a short time three sides OF the ma
tional capitol will have public buildings I'm
harmony with the dignity of the central
masterpiece. There yet remains the
scrubby and slummy eyesores on Pennsyl-
vania avenue directly on the west front of
the capitol grounds, and almost within the
shadow of the Peace monument. Here are
several blocks of ramshackle buildings so
poor to look upon that even frebugs pass
them up as unfit for business. These must
go in a short time, giving way to structures
BETTING the surroundings. Gradually
Pennsylvania avenue is taking on arohitec-
tural dignity. One OF the latest additions
to its imposing vista is the marble and
granite municipal building now under way.
The site is a corner diagonaly opposite
the new Willard hotel. This building,
which will contain the Offices of the CONF
missioners OF the District of Columbia and
otherwise house the municipal government
of Washington, will cost $9.5OO0OO, and while
not as large as some Of the city halls in the
biggest of our American cities, will be, per-
haps. the finest of them all, both as re-
CARDS its architectural effect and its in
terror equipment The building is designed
in the style of the French renaissance, and
the feature which will most attract the eye
is the colonnade of marble columns, fifty
four in all, which adorns each of the four
facades. These columns are forty feet
high The facades themselves, as well as
the columns, are of white marble, which
comes from South Dover. l.. l. The base
of the building is of white granite. Sur
rounding the building at the height of the
fifth story will be a series Of twenty-eight
marble statues These statues, which are
ship, etc, are by a young italian sculptor, |
Adolfo de Nesti, and are considered re-
markedly fine by good critics. The build |
ing will have a frontage of 243 feet on
Pennsylvania avenue and will be of five |
stories and basement, containing altogether |
2O5,0Oo feet of floor space, or about five |
acres.
Living in Washington is a man 80 years
old, who has passed nearly eighty years
here and has never set foot inside the
capitol.
At the Virginia end Of the Aqueduct
bridge, across the upper Potomac, is a
woman past so, who, living within half
mile of Washington all her life. has never
been in Washington.
The old Washingtonian, who Is hale and
intelligent, said when questioned, that he'd
NEVER CdICu " ~ lilt Odpihbls lhcAG
was no business calling him there. He'd
always been perfectly willing to let the
folks inside the capitol go their ways, II
they'd only mind their own business and
let him alone.
The old woman at the other end of the |
Aqueduct bridge observed. in response to
an interviewer's inquiries, that she'd never
crossed to Washington because she'd never
cared to- She'd always had enough work |
to prevent her from gadding about.
These two old persons. says the Wash
ington Post, fairly represent the lack of
inquisitveness which is perhaps the
strongest characteristic OF the people who
live in and around Washington. Washing
tonlans are probably the least curious peo-
pie on earth.
On New Years day. when the president
received the general public, the double
line of people eager to grasp his hand
curved in two directions out of the White
House grounds and upon the streets till
4 or o'clock in the afternoon. though the
reception began at noon. OF the thousands
in those two patient lines, hardly any were
Washingtonians
John Sharp williams. the democratic
leader of the house, and Senator Daniel
Of Virginia were discussing the fortifica-
lions bill while riding in o street car 90
the capitol. The Mississippian favored