The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-06-02
WASHINGTON LETTER
Nv CARL scHoFIELD. Special corre-
|

merce rooms the other night to discuss
WAYS and means of making Washing
ton the great convention city OF the
country. One of the suggestions was
to raise q permanent fund, which will
be available for campaign work In get
ting conventions to come to Washing
ton and also in helping to entertain
the delegates when they come here.
Anacostia Flats improvement.
The conference committee on the
rivers and harbors bill having agreed
on an appropriation of $23O,OOO Tor
continuing the work of Improvement
| sf the Anacostia river, it may be as
sumed as certain that this sum Tor
| that great betterment will be carried
by the bill as finally enacted. This is
another distinct and Important step to-
ward the abatement of what is almost
A public nuisance and is guarantee
that this improvement, SO essential to
The health and beauty of Washington.
| will be pushed to speedy completion.
This one time clean. clear and ro-
mantle river has been shoaling and
fouIing for many years until 1t has be-
come a serious menace to the health
and happiness of thousands OF citizens
and check on property values In the
southeast section of the city and the
southeast suburban area.
Reclamation Long Delayed.
II is hoped that the time is not
| far off when this long. wide stretch OF
marsh and stagnant water, dirty and
/ disease breeding, will be transformed
/ into park where multitudes will find
sunshine, greenery and good air.
The Improvement has been tHrdy in
the making For years the various citl-
zens' associations have been hammer
ing at congress to drain and reclaim
this extensive cesspool. Everybody
knows that it is often hard to convince
| congress of the need of spending mon
ey for improvements in a place that
happens not to be congressional cleo
lion district. But the weight of public
opinion and the incessant reiteration
Of sound argument and the effective
assistance of good friends of Washing
i ton among our influential legislators
l
are at last producing results.
old Time Washington.
Il 1t was about 1920 when the citizens
Of Washington began to show interest
in upbuilding the city snd surrounding
the government edifices with COM
munity that would be credit to the
capital of the nation. But at that time
\ a. <NE 4 hoe
come. and indeed the people of that
day would have been pronounced in
sane had they predicted the present
| Washington.
May Is. 1920. the charter of the city
Of Washington replaced former acts.
In the lines of the city was popula
ton Of 1900. 10000 being white. Will
the Districts population. including Al
exandria and Georgetown. aggregated
$4,000.
Streets Unimproved.
Before this date neither the local nor
general government had done much
i to improve the avenues or streets. and
few of them were more than mere
passable roads. The public grounds
. west of the capitol extended on the
north side of the avenue to Sixth street
and on the south side to Four and One
i half street. but the square adjoining
the capitol grounds between First and
Second streets interviewed. Along the
south side of the avenue to midway
between Four and One-half and Sixth
streets ran the city canal. The govern
ment had improved the avenue from
the capitol grounds TO the executive
departments. and boarding house keep.
ers in the neighborh0od of the presi-
dents house were accustomed 10 notify
members of congress and others in ad-
vertisements that their houses were lin
easy walking distance of the capitol.
Dress of Other Days.
There yet lived here numbers who
had helped achieve the Independence
of the nation, who were loath 10 give
| up the old style of dress cooked ha
shadbeIly coat and small clothes. With
the government had come numbers al
men prominent in scientific and liter
airy circles. and as there We're nun
Der of residents of like inclinatiens
soon there was a community equal in
intellectual standing to any of its size
Banks and Churches.
The Bank of Washington had not
left its building on New Jersey avenue
for its present location at Louisiana
avenue and Seventh street The Bank
of the United States had located at the
corner of Thirteenth and r streets. the
Patriotic bank on the avenue between
Ninth and Tenth streets and the Blnt
Of the Metropolis at Fifteenth and r
streets. There were ten church build
ings-two Baptist two Catholic. one
Friends or Quaker. two Methodist
two Presbyterian and one colored
Methodist.
Other churches were contemplated.
one each by the Catholics. Episcopal
lians aud Presbyterians The Unita-
rians We're meeting in the long room
over the bath" on G street. had organ
ICED congregation and were prepar
inc to H11ii.l Iaiioi.S,., carvis.aS xxeY.s,