The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-02-11
PLAN CIVIC CENTER
FOR WASHINGTON
NATIONAL CAPITAL TO BE MADE
OVER FOR INAUGURAL CERE-
MONIES IN 1921.
WILL SPEND S5O,OOO,OOO.
Land Between Potomac River and Penn
sylvania Avenue to Be Con-
verted Into Park
NOW AN EYESoRE TO THE NATION.

WASHINGTON. u. c., Feb. c.
SPECIAL. I-"On March 4, 1921, there
will not be Il single private structure be
tween the United States capitol and the
treasury and from the south side of
pennsylvania avenue, to the Potomac
river, All of this great area will be Il
park, Il government reservation, a con
tinuous lawn, dotted here ana there with
government buildings and wound about
with roadwayS and drives. Washington
will then be entering upon its existence
as Il city of magnificent realities. in con
tradiStmc!ion to its undeniable municipal
position during SC much of the past, as
the city of magnificent distances
One of the leaders of Congress, one
Of the really big men of the House of
Representatives made this statement to
newspaper man the other day. He
was commenting upon the coming in
augural festivities and upon the disap-
pointment that is felt by nine out of
ten of the ordinary olks-iirSt-tilne Wis
ltors To the national capitaI-upon their
first glimpse of that historic thorough
fare, Pennsylvania avenue.
VIII Take Twelve Years.
Now, come to think of it. 1921 isn't
years-a threc-time trip around the pres
ldcntial Quadrennial event. In that time
much can and will be accomplished and
many visitors to the coming festivities
upon the occasion of the induction into
office of William Howard Taft and
John Schoolcraft Sherman, will live to
marvel twelve years hence. ut the
changes that have come over things in
Washington, the national capital, des-
tined some day to be the foremost city
of the civilized world.
Last year Congress appropriated 81
100000 TO buy five blocks between Four
teenth and Fifteenth streets and Penn
sylvania avenue and the Mall. Thus Il
start has been made. The two and Il
half millions won't but the five blocks
within these boundaries and a further
appropriation Of a million or more will
be necessary. But it is generally con
Sidered that i'll authorizing the purchase
of this initial tract, the Congress took
the first step in the policy that, eN-
tended through the near future, will
make this Washington of l. Enfant's
and the man after whom il was named.
dream of beauty.
Is a $5o,ooo,o0 Project.
1t is estimated by men with a knowl-
edge of local real estate values that it
Will take at least S5O,OOOOUO to carry
out the project outlined above of having
the government acquire ali the land from
the capitol to the treasury measured
mile-and from the south side of Penn
Sylvania avenue To the river. The dis
trict commissioners estimated that about
S2J,OOo,uDO would do the trick but it
turns out that they were too conservative
by at least one-half. But whatever the
proposition will cost, it is generally real
lied now that this land must be acquired
and that now is the time to do il, or ut
least to make a sizeablc beginning For
property is approaching, not depreciat-
ing, III value, all the time and the land
can be bought in now cheaper than at
any time in the future.
1t was a mistake, and is now
recognized as such, that this particular
area was not taken in hand years ago
But many mistakes have been made with
respect To Washington by the Congress
of the United States and this probably
the most expensive one of the lot
People who live in the national capi-
tai and who take pride in everything
connected with its present and its fut-
ure, are anxious that inaugural visitors
who gaze upon pcnnsy lvania see il first
as it is today, and then, through the
eye of the imagination, rs it will be on
that inaugural occasion of 1921. Per
hapS if everyone of the many thousands
o1 NlSltorS would DO TINS, some members
of Congress who now look with dis.
favor upon the small purchase. on the
ground that their constituents wouldn't
stand for what they are pleased TO
term "such extravaganza" would have
their eyes opened by these very con
Stituents themselves. Local people
think it is Il contamination devoutly to be
wished and look upon the coming inaug-
uraton as one of the means to n de.
srable end, when all is said and done,
an inevitable end