The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-29

AID OUT CAPITOL
nv VICTOR ELLIOTT.

WASHINGTON, NOV @s'-" ne"
George Washington resigned his corn
mission as commander-in-ch Of the
continental army after the Treaty
nf Paris had stablished the United
states OF America as 4 new nation,
the Father If his Country went into
the real estate business. There was
then an abundance of real estate
which invited Improvement. In fact.
the entire Atlantic seaboard offered
opportunity for development. AS
General Washington had lived rather
close to the land ali his life 1t was
only natural that he should feei
call TO do what he could to help
the real estate Improvement of his
country along.
In this role he did his utmost to
bring the capital city OF the United
states to the banks of the Potomac,
succeeding in spite of prcdigious
amount of opposition from those who
favored Philadelphia as the capital
city.
Goes I'm For Real Estate.
Following that he went In for real
estate development with very
hearty good will and hailed over from
France one of the most talented OF
the civil engineers of that country,
Major Pierre Charles rEnfant, and
together they drew plans for the city
of Washington. the capital of the
United States.
Because Major rEnfant had seen
how very efficacious the squares and
circles In the city of Paris were dur
ing the days of the barricades, he
favored the plan for the capital city
OF the new nation. In Paris the
soldiery formed n habit of planting
batteries in the squares and circles
and sweeping the long streets CLEAN
OF white-cockaded citizen. Such a
neat Job were they able to make that
the appreciative French major, be-
l1eving that Washington would in
due course see its own revolution,
drew fairly out on paper plan for
Washington city. honeycombed with
squares and circles
City Has Troubles.
The real estate business. however
went very slowly. The plans look ed
I very nice. but the District Of Column
bia itself presented A more luguhrious
appearance AT length the govern
ment managed To get q capitol build
ing and an executive mansion erect
ed In the new city of Washington
After that few enterprising citizens
began to build houses and the FIRST
{
gave good promise
Now. we drift through great
many years. Calm and troubled times
passed over Washington. but despit,
all predictions the glorious city grew
but slowly in the comparison to some
Of the more thriving Western towns
II WAS not until after the Civil war
In Governor Alexander sheppard's
administration Of District affairs
that the plan Of squares and circles
conceived by Major fEnfant wa'
completed and the contamination sc
deyoutly wished for by Genera
Washington arrived.
Then another period OF depression
IN real estate values brooded ovel
Washington. But now the com.
plexion OF things has changed and
Washington city Is having its fir.
real boom.
Hilionaires Come In.
Many millionaires have, Of late
decided to make Washington one o
their Fairgrounds. and this has don'
great deal toward the realization
& OF General Washington's dream
These millionaires are building ma
sions in the city and villas on tbs
IordIy banks Of the Potomac. If tn.
boom endures and makes Zip II
ENERGY for its hundred years della,
the banks of the Potomac may pos
sibly rival those OF the Hudson. In
deed the banks of the Potomac prob
ably exceed in natural beauty thos'
Of the Hudson river.
Below Washington the Potomac
flows between rolling hills. Airing
ton. the home of General Robert II
Lee, liz the frst house on the rive
below the city. From Arlington
down both sides of the river ar
tined with country houses. Artists
actors. playwrights and other folk
are coionizing the riverside all tn
way down to Mount Vernon.
II this sort of immigration con
finues for many years the old Poto
mac. river. which bore the barge o
General Washington so often. will be
rome d most delightful region.