The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-01-02
FREDERICKSBURG, va, THURSDAY, JANUARY 2. 1eos.
WASHINGTON LETTER

More than ever before visiting Amer
leans express enthusiasm over the
growing grandeur of their nations can
ital Recently such progress has been
made on the marble walls Of the public
buildings in course of erection that IL
IS possible to form an idea Of their
beauty when completed. On either
flank Of the park. which connects the
capitol and the library Of congress. is
~ annex. one of the senate and the
other Of the house. The exterior Of the
latter has been pushed to the cornlce
after three years work.
The City Beautiful.
The person who arrives by train ut
either Of the old depots does not re-
ceive pleasing impression OF the city.
hut from the mammoth doorway Of the
new depot the stranger may view that
which will confirm any high opinion he
may have cherished regarding the
splendor Of Washington. He will see
the magnificent dome of the capitol.
the golden top OF the library, the an
nexes cleaning through the dark green
OF the parks rare trees, the long shaft
of the monument. a corner of the new
Smithsonian structure. the tall tower
OF the unsightly city pOstofiice and fur
ther TO his right the red buildings OF
the pension bureau and the public
printing establishment.
Buildings Of Marble.
Much private property has been ac-
Quired FOR the new buildings and the
connecting parks. and in time much
more will be absorbed by the govern
ment. That great extent OF park from
the library 10 the monument and be-
yOnd. including the horticultural gar
dens. will he widened In many places.
thus wiping out much that is hideous
Within the limits OF this park there
are besides the anncxes the new Smith
sonian building the long building OF
the department OF agriculture and the
new District building. all OF marble
and I'm classic design OF enduring beau
ty and all conforming In style to the
capitol, the treasury and the White
House.
Marsh Transformed.
The new government buildings, cost
Ing though they do some $l5O.OO0.OOO.
and the widened parks do not exhaust
the present features Of the scheme for
beautifying the national capital. or
hardly less interest Is the wrestling OF
superb park from the marsh this side
OF the historic Long bridge. over which
fled the panic stricken army from Bull
Run-thc marsh where were born the
swarms OF mosquitoes which tortured
,he Washington people and from
which. too. flowed the streams OF mala-
ria germs. Thousands OF loads OF
earth have filed I'm the bed OF many
acres, and around the long, widened
water front substantial stone sea
wall protects the greensward Wide
drives. fountains. flower beds and
young trees have transformed the place.
The Riverside Park.
Preservation Of the large willows
along the rivers margin and that OF the
bay shows the taste and artfulness OF
man. Massive stone viaducts span an
arm Of the bay. and a fine road leads
to the long and costly steel bridge
which crosses to Virginia. From this
pask and this bridge Washington IN
deed becomes the city OF magnificent
distances. Nearly all that is striking
IN the way OF buildings stands out IN
plain sight, and I'm the light OF the
afternoon sun the whole city and the
faraway hills are like a vision. the
Lee home on the Virginia side. with
It's large white pillars, resembling
Greek temple on the hillside There
Is still much to be done with this river
side park. which VIII include the con-
siderable island now cut OF from the
mainland.
Walked Down Monument on Hands.
Max Duffek, a professional athlete
OF Munich. Germany, performed the re-
markable feat of walking on his hands
from the top landing In the Washing
ton monument to the ground, a perpen-
dicular distance of 500 feet, which ex-
tended to near S25 feet by the stair
way. Dunfek "palmed" every one OF
the $40 steps In fifty-eight minutes and
thirty seconds and established a new
record for tests of endurance.
Misplaced the Olive.
They are telling a good story on a
United States senator-who may be
called Smith-who gave dinner a few
nights ago. He. having a small estab-
lishment himself, borrowed the butler
from friend and called In hired wait
ers. He conceived the idea of having
the cocktails served In the drawing
room before the dinner and gave care
ful instructions that olives be placed
In each.
The cocktails were brought into the
drawing room. They were as clear as
in them. But when
the guests were escorted in to dinner
the first course was oyster cocktails
and there was an olive in each. Sena-
tor Smith. so the story goes. has been
greatly embarrassed since then and
cannot look a cocktail In the face with
out blushing.
Hospitality Abused.
Chief among the questions now agl-
tating the wives Of the members OF the
cabinet IS whether they shall revive
the custom OF serving refreshments m