Evening star., 1909-05-04
Enormous and Rapid Work.

good citizens with absolute horror and
apprehension. Complaints were many ana
loud. Criticism was severe and bitter
This led TO an investigation by Congress
In 1874 which resulted in acquitting Shep-
herd of all charges involving his personal
honesty and integrity. but practically
conticting him of being too energetic
too farsighted and OF being at least half
century ahead Of his time.
Congress. by act of June 90, 1874. es-
tabished what II termed a temporary
form of government for this District. ~
repealed all provisions of the act of 1871
for a governor, a secretary, Legislative
assembly, board of public works and
delegate toN Congress. every vestige OF
the exercise of the elective franchise
and authorized the appointment of three
act of June II. 1879 providing for the
present form Of government as perma-
nent form.
Retired to Private Life.
shepherd being thus lesislated out of
office. with his personal fortune seriously
impaired by absorbed attention to public
duties retired to private life
I'm 1879 he became interested in a
mining property in Mexico, and in 1880
removed there with his family, to apply
there the same energy and executive abil-
ity in the prosecution CT his work that he
had manifested here.
mer of 1887 it became known that Shep-
herd was coming east on q visit. BY this
time the necessary development of the
vast scheme of improvements Shepherd
had inaugurated made manifest to our
citizens what before they had heard OF
but ha. not appreciated. viz, the grand
plan of l. Enfant for the federal city.
They realized that Shepherd had appre-
ciated the genius of L Enfant, the beauty
and grandeur and appropriateness of his
plan for the Capital city of what would
inevitably be great and powerful ma
tion, controlling the destinies of the west
ern hemisphere. They realized that Shep-
herd had taken this concection of l. En-
fant, evidenced only by a map grown old
and musty among the archives in the
Capitol. and by his own genius, his in
domitable will, his wonderful energy and
perseverance, under the greatest difficult
ties. had crystallized it on the ground and
made 1t visible to the eye.
They realized that this city infused
with the spirit of renewed life, health and
vigor, would necessarily continue to grow
and develop along the lines originally
marked out for II by Washington and
LEnfant. and In the not far distant fu-
ture would become the visible symbol of
the greatness and power and wealth and
genius OF this republic.
Realizing all these things, the citizens
generally at last recognized the fact that
Shepherd was the one man among them
to whom the principal credit for the
achievement was due. Very many of
those who had vigorously opposed him
during the three years of his great labor
became his admirers and friends; many
Of his bitterest enemies made personal
acknowledgment to him that he had been
right and that they had been wrong;
that the great work he had accomplished
could only have been done in the way he
had done it,
This kindly feeling naturally resulted
in the determination that on his return
to the city. after seven years absence
in Mexico some public recognition to the
former vice president OF the board Of pub
lie works and Governor of the District of
Columbia should be made OF the appre-
citation of the citizens of the District of
him and his achievements. At the ex-
pressed request of the citizens generally
extended to him the freedom Of the city.
Demonstration in His Honor.
''On the evening Of October 6. 1887,
grand demonstration in his honor was
given. Pennsylvania avenue from the
Capitol to 18th street was profusely dec
Grated; crowds lined its sidewalks; the
roadway was one mass of light from fire.
works of all kinds as along its broad
organization in the city. members of
various labor organizations and volun-
tary associations. From stand erected
south Of the Treasury Department, 'front.'
lnS -tne avenue Snepncr0 reviewed tnlS
parade, and, in response to loud and re-
peated calls for a speech, said in part as
follows:
My fellow -citizens. you see before
you tonight proud and grateful man.
proud of demonstration that riches
could not buy nor influence command;
grateful for this outpouring of thousands
OF hearts to welcome me back to the city
of my birth and the city which love be-
yond every other spot on earth. You
have city that has just commenced to
grow. During the past seven years it
has grown so that in the little / have
seen of 1t have hardly been able TO rec
ognfze the city so lately left. And your
future is destined to exceed all your CAL
cul0tions and expectations. - You
are on the high road to success and l
want to give you this little bit Of advice:
Don't quarrel among yourselves. When
you do you jeopardize your best interests.
STAND shoulder to shoulder and fight for
the good fthe District. II you do this
you will be power invincible: you can
command and conquer whatever you de-
sire. But If you split up with intestine
troubles, II you quarrel among yourselves
you can effect no srand results.
Three cheers for the maker of Wash
ington. were called for by some one in
Then it was three cheers and tiger
i must take issue with the man who
called for those cheers. said the gov
ernor. 1T is TO Gen. Grant, that dead old
hCio "HoIu VIC ioNcu, tHdt we owe
more than to any other man. To Gen
Babcock, the commissioner Of public
buildings. you owe more than you can
realiE, To dear old Gov. Cooke who
has gone from us, you owe more than you
can ever repay to him and his family
To my associates on the board of public
works. in the board of health and the
District government you and the people
of this country owe a debt which YOU
ought TO be glad to repay. As for me- |
am repaid tonight for all the toll and
trouble ever had in helping to build up
the city of Washington. ! bid you good
night, and God bless you. one and ALL
"On the following evening Gov and
Mrs. Shepherd held reception at the
Willard Hotel to afford their many ad-
nlirers and friends an opportunity to pay
their personal respects, which was large
ly availed Of.
He returned to his work i'm Mexico with
the good wishes of all Some five years
passed by. when, In September 1902 the
city was shocked TO learn that he was Sc
riously ill. followed shortly thereafter by
the sad intelligence that he had died Sep
tember IL. His work there had been ac-
coinplished; he had developed large
mining property; its floating Indebtedness
had all been paid: he felt that his further
presence in Mexico was not essential and
was in pleasant anticipation of returning
10 this city OF his birth and love when.
in the mystery OF Divine Providence, he
was stricken down.
Impression Of Former Governor.
''Of the man Shepherd was and how
he impressed all who came in contact
with him is indicated in letter to me