The Republican journal., 1907-05-16
WASHINGTON REVISITED.

National Capital. Those who hav,
visited Washington once will want t.
visit it again. Competent authoritie
say it is the handsomest city in TIL,
world. 1t grows more beautiful an(
adds to its attractions every year
Since the writer's last visit, II year!
ago, the Congressional library, the new
Corcoran Art Gallery, the New vii
lard hotel, the Munsey and Daily Pos
buildings and hundreds of big business
buildings, hotels and private residences
have been built, the iron fences re
moved that surrounded the parks anC
the reservations at the intersections OF
streets and avenues, many statues add
ed to those in the parks, and other i'm
provements made too numerous tc
mention. 1t is hard to realize that IS
years ago the streets were unpaved
and the only street cars, those running
from Georgetown to the Navy Yard on
on Pennsylvania avenue and the It'll
street line were drawn by horses.
Some of the changes do not seem for
the better. Around the capitol asphalt
and artificial stone have largely taken
the place of verdure The grounds on
the west side were then completely
shaded in summer time by magnificent
Old trees. The work of reconstruction
began in my day, and went on despite
many protests. Senator Charles Sum-
ner succeeded in saving for a time a
line tree at the southern end of the
capitol, but the earth was removed
from around 1t and it finally died. The
only familiar object is the statue of
Washington by Greenough, fronting
the capitol, the granite pedestal Of
which bears the words, George Wash
lngton: First in war, first in peace,
first in the hearts of his countrymen."
This stood in park enclosed by an
iron fence where the Marine Band
played Wednesday afternoons. In rear
of the park was a building where
political prisoners were held during the
Civil War, and around the park were
ordinary brick and wooden residences.
Between the Capitol and the b.
Il O. station were one or two story
wooden buildings, many of them little
better than shanties, occupied as cheap
restaurants and beer saloons. All this
al,
Congressional library, OF which further
mention will be made, now adorns this
section and handsome buildings have
taken the place of the former antiquat-
ed and dilapidated structures. Many of
the Old buildings were bought by the
government. but we noticed one house
still standing around which the grade
had been lowered so that flight of
steps was required to reach it. The
union railway station now in course of
construction near the old B. & O.
station, and which will cost many mil
lions, will add greatly to the attractive
ness of this part of the city
III WANING dbodl VIC ClCg lew ldulllIdI
names were seen. Two drug stores bore
the names of their original proprietors.
one ON Pennsylvania avenue recalled as
the lone of cat weighing 80 pounds.
\ ear the b. & 0. station big -four and
feed store bore the name Of w. M. Calf
* Co. MI Gait built the fine residence
d ri+ Icl
owned by Mrs. Hubbard, mother of
Mrs. Alexander Graham Bell. NJ. w.
Galts jeWelry store on Pennsylvania
avenue the Tiftanys Of Washington,
is now Gait & Bro. Geo. W. Corcoran,
who had the cigar stand in old Wizards
Hotel, occupies the old stand OH Penn
Sylvania avenue, and the Metropolitan
and National hotels, the latter the old
est AoteI i'll Washington, are still doing
business, While several lesser hostelries
have gone out of existence. Harvey's
on the south side of the avenue, noted
as the place where steamed oysters
stands unchanged, but Mr..
Harvey las retired. Farther up the
avenue is Hancock's, established in
1910, a restaurant and bar much fire.
quented by Daniel Webster and other
statesmen of his day. and later In the
near future all the buildings on this
side of the avenue and back to the Mall
will be removed and government build
lngS take their places. The new district
building, now in course of erection
south of the avenue, is move in this
direction. The big business houses for
merly on Pennsylvania avenue are now
to be found on F street and are already
invading G street, and ''the avenue" is
becoming street of small shops.
Washington has large and increas.
ing number of hotels. In the war time.
and before and after, Wizards Hotel
was the most noted hostelry. 1t was
for everybody. 1t was an
old fashioned brick building extending
from Pennsylvania avenue to F street
on 14th street, plainly, even shabbily,
furnished. Sykes q Chadwick, land
lords of the old school, were the pro-
prletors, The Corcoran was the first
swell hotel built, the highest priced