The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1907-07-12
LETTER FROM
WASHINGTON
B. T. tlardesty Writes of His
SOjOurn at the Capitol.
SEES BEAUTIFUL PARKS
Interesting Communication from Florida
Man Who is Making the Most
OF Ills Vacation.
EDITOR TRIBUNE.

EDITOR TRIBUNE;
In writing these letters am doing 80
for the pleasure and information of the
many of my ncghbors and friends in
the county who have never seen and
perhaps never will see this city, and
especially do write for my boys and
girls all over the county, and in my
next will give something concerning the
wonderful works of art to be seen here,
and the buildings that contain them.
Since my arrival here | have been
trying to see the town." This express
sion necessarily means far more than it
does when used in connection with any
other city in our country. And, while
in segregated respects, there are many
points of beauty and interest in cities
of the sold World" that surpass this,
yet IT there is any one city anywhere
that in all points of beauty and interest
can surpass this. it seems to me that
the human mind would not be able to
appreciate il in its entirety.
The first thing that addressed itself
to my esthetic and hygicnic sense was
the streets parks and grassy shaded
points! All over the city, toa great extent
even in the business" streets both sides
are shaded with trees, in which the diff
ferent varieties of ash ndpopIarpredom-
mate; so that | can only describe it as a
city built in the forest The streets are
all wide, all paved and none of the pave
ment is allowed to be seriously worn be-
fore it is repaired. see places being
"cut OUT and repaired that to my UNI
practiced eye seemed to he all right,
but the district" authorities do not
seem to think that anything but the
best is good enough for their people
and us crackers who come to visit them
There are shaded, grassy parks and
"circles" all over the city, with cques-
trian or column statues in bronze or
granite or the two combined, and "cir-
cles' and parks that have lovely SER
pentne walks. either paved entirely
with asphalt, or asphalt in the middle
and gravel on both sides and separated
from the grass by curved curb stones.
In all of these parks and circles are
lovely flower beds, bordered with low
iron fences. There are also trees and
shrubbery with fountains of delicious
distilled water! And benches where if
over heated or wearied one might sit
and rest the body, the eye and the
mind. The peculiar plan of the city,
resembling somewhat the structure of
a wagon wheel, the spokes represent
ing the avenues named after the states,
and intervening streets between the
avenues, and the cross streets which
intersect the avenues and intervening
streets, create numberless sharp points
varying in length from 200 to iOO tcet
and on the wide ends from l25 to go
feet, with grass and flower plats, AID
walks, and benches and fountains.
Within four blocks in Il circle sur
rounding the house in which ! am writ
ing there are twelve of these beautiful
and restful points, besides Logan Circle
about four acres, Thomas Circle. over
one acre, and Frank lin Park, about four
acres. OF the parks inside the city
limits, the Mall is Of course the princi.
pal, leading from the Capitol to the
White House, about mile, and at least
a thousand feet wide.
There are drinking troughs Of iron by
the side walk curbs in all parts of the
city, through which water is continually
flowing, for watering horses. All these
things considered, one will conclude
that this is very pleasant city to live in.
While the "sky scraper' as it is in
the north, east and west, has not vet
invaded Washington, its architecture il
by no means squatty. In exterior and
interior design and finish its stores,
residences. hotels, churches and print
ing establishments are studies of grand
eur and beauty. Yours truly,
Is. i. HARDESTY.
Washington, d. c., June 7, 1907.
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