The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-05-07

twelve months. The trees were in full
leaf, the grass green, tulips and hya'
cinths in bloom in the many parks and
reservations, and the broad streets and
avenues with their asphalt pavements,
.he wide sidewalks with their smooth
tagging, the handsome public and prl
vate buildings, the charming vlStas at
forded by the tree shaded streets,
avenues and parks, with soft blue sky
overhead, made the National Capitol
appear to the northern visitor dream
land or fairyland. To one who recalls
it as it was forty years ago, with its
unpaved streets, its dilapidated brick
walks, the many ancient wooden
buildings and the negro shantles IN
what is now the fashionable quarter
the transformation seems even more
wonderful than those wrought by
Aladdin's lamp. 1t is also recalled that
in the late COS or early T0's a deter
mined effort was made to have the
National Capitol removed to st. Louis.
No one would venture to even make
such a suggestion now. Washington
is growing and will continue to
grow, in population and IN attrac-
tiveness. 1t is already a literary and
an art center. The Congressional l.
brary. the Corcoran Art Gallery, the
| National Museum, the Smithsonian
Institute, the Agricultural Depart
ment. the Army Medical Museum and
| the Botanical Gardens are among the
attractions. Then the sessions of Coll
gress afford much of interest, and when
the United States Supreme Court is in
! session one may listen to arguments by
| the leading lawyers of the land. The
places of amusement are many and the
! best musical and dramatic attractions
are presented here. The markets are
not excelled elsewhere in the country
The city is convenient of access by raj
and river from every direction, and is
| only five hours from New York by rail
| 1t is bfcomlng the winter home OF 6
fast increasing number of wealthy PEG
pie, whose palatial residences are point
ed out by the guides on the Seeing
Washington" electric touring cars
| The cost of one of these residences anc
| its contents, which includes many
works of art, was 1000, 600, SO mucl
for the Washington of today. No on'
! who has not visited the National Capt
tol should fail to do so. In no othe
way can one get such a realizing
sense of the greatness and glory of oul
country.
Walking down Pennsylvania avenue
Friday morning, April 18th, man.
changes were noted. On the soutl
side of the avenue near I4th street thu
new District building is nearing com
pletion. At no distant day all thu
private buildings on this side of thu
avenue are to be removed to make
continuous park from the White Hous
to the Capitol grounds and afford site
for future public buildings. In Thu
square Oh E street between 14th ant
18th streets, facing the avenue, but two
familiar objects were Seen-Shoomak
ers wine and liquor store and thu
Greason House, an old-fashioned bricl
building, but with its first floor mod
ernized In this block is the tall build
ing of The Washington Post, and thu
stately Munsey building, in which the
Washington Times is printed. Penn
sylvania avenue is no longer the prln
! cipal business street, and the Cochran
cigar store and the Gait jewelry store
are about all that remain of the old
time concerns. T street is now the
chief shopping center, and G street bids
: fair to also be transformed from resi-
dence to business street. About the
only changes in buildings on the avenue
ners and the handsome marble building
of the Washington Evening Star
! Cigar stores, souvenir post card, etc,
| stores, an occasional saloon, and, as
you near the capitol, the secondhand
| bookstores-the latter familiar of old
comprise about all the business or
this side of the avenue. Shillington's
bookstore, once the resort of DAME
Webster and the fellow statesman Of
his day, has disappeared, but the ole
National Hotel, the scene of the poison
ing affair at the time of Buckanan's
Inauguration in 1857, and the Metro
politan Hotel remain. On the soutf
side of the avenue is the building of thu
post office department and the familiar
Harvey's restaurant, where steamed
| oysters originated and which is still
literally patronized. There are man!
Chinese curio stores and restaurants OF
this side, new feature. A landmark no
to be overlooked is the restaurant, ba
and museum dating back to Webster
who with his companions ate and dranl
there, and known as Hancocks. Johl
Hancock, the proprietor 40 years age
and later, and "Dick," the colored mar
who dispensed the liquids, are both dead