The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-16

washington as an Instance
Take Washington for instance. If the
sum total of the money which the gov
ernment has spent on the city of Wash
ington in public buildings parks, streets
and other improvements could be OBJ
tanned the figures would be staggering.
If this colossal sum was on hand in the
treasury it would pay for the Panama
canal, and have enough left to build bat
tleships sufficient to make the United
States the supreme master of the seas.
1t has long been the purpose of Congress
and it is laudable purpose, to make
the capital of the nation,
the most beautiful city. of the United
states. They want to make 1t the. pride
OF the republic, and Will take pains to
dodge certain incongruities and incon-
sistencies and will close both eyes and
hold his fingers over his nostrils when in
certain localities. -
Washington is full of great buildings,
beautiful parks, elegant drives and inter-
esting attractions which will occupy the
time and attention of the tourist for days
and weeks and send him away from the
city filled with patriotic pride in the
and grandeur of the capital.
The capitol itself, a grand pile of stone
and marble with its historic traditions
and filled with human interest at all
times, is an education to the visitor The
National Library. said to be the most
beautiful building In the world inside, a
veritable storehouse of wonders and of
richness and beauty. The House and Sem
ate office buildings. with their grand cor
ridors, magnificent columns, richly ap-
pointed offices and imposing committee
rooms. The grand park on all sides of
the capitol, and between the office build
ings and in front of the National Library.
filled with great trees gathered from all
countries of the world. with beautiful
walks, we'll kept grass flowing fountains;
the home of countless squirrels and birds.
One can spend hours enjoying the beauty
and freshness of this park alone.
Other Beautiful Buildings
The Corcoran Art Gallery, with its
costly paintings, and its magnificent speci-
mems of the sculptor's art. One can spend
days il one has an artistic temperament
in enjoying the treasures of this building.
The Pan-American Union, the pride of
John Barrett, the director general, where
of any kind can be obtained
the q American republics. The
various public buildings, the many monu-
ments erected to men who have carved
their names and deeds into the history of
the nation. The Smithsonian institute.
with its many interesting and educational
the Botanical Gardens, with
their wealth of natures treasures; the
fisheries. the treasury, the Bureau of
Printing and Engraving, Rock Creek
park, one of the most picturesque spots
in the country, with it's geological collec-
ton of rare animals and birds.
But with all these Washington has its
novels. its poverty. its dives, its tumbling
down buildings, its disreputable shacks.
its bad streets, and they are scattered all
over the. city, mixed in with fine resi-
dences and public buildings, and in the
grand total presenting TO the visitor a
not altogether harmonious effect.
Pennsylvania Avenue Disappointing
Probably there is not citizen Of the
republic who has mastered the art Of
reading his native language but what has
read of the inaugural ceremonies and
the parade beginning at the
capitol and proceeding along Pennsyl-
vania avenue. In glowing terms this
pageant is described, together with the
iluminations. etc., along the
avenue. He will picture in his mind Penn
sylvania avenue, and he draws picture
of that great artery of travel in the ma
tional capitol which extends from the
southeast section of the city to the north
west, and into Georgetown, located on
which is the capitol itself. the Congress
sional Library. the Treasury building, the
White House, the War and Navy build
ing, and Other, less pretentious public and
privately owned buildings. He has COM
pared. in his imagination. Pennsylvania
avenue. with the Champ de Elysis. or LIE
Grande boulevarde In Paris, or the ia
nous Broadway in New York, or Picadilly
in London.
But when he comes to Washington he
is destined to be bitterly disappointed In
Pennsylvania avenue. Beginning at the
foot of Capitol hill at the Peace monu-
ment. Pennsylvania avenue would be a
disappointment to the most optimistic
and patriotic citizen of the republic.
With the exception of probably eight or
ten buildings. the avenue from the capi-
tol to the White House would not be
pointed to with pride for its magnificent
structures by any town OF village in the
country. Particularly that portion of it
lying next to the capitol. A job lot of
old one, two and three story structures,
with broken window panes. crowded and
jumbled together in confusion of disor-
der and dirt approaching squalidness,
one or two frame houses built years and
years ago. Cheap pawn shops and SOU
venir stores, Chinese laundries, saloons.i
bsheries and general assortment of the
cheapest kind of stores. Certainly Peach-
tree street in Atlanta or any OF the
downtown business streets of Birmingham,
New Orleans. Memphis. Fort Worth or
any of the other larger southern or west
ern cities will compare favorably with
Pennsylvania avenue when the general
tout ensemble is taken into consideration.
Neighb0r of the Capitol
On Capitol hill, right across from the
magnificent capitol grounds, is marble
works in the yard of a dilapidated and
antiquated old building. With its COM
pleted and half completed tombstones it
stands there an unlovely horror and re-
minder to our national legislators OF the
political fate which awaits them il they
should betray the interests of their con-
stituency. or fail to get a suitable appro-
pira tion for public buildings and improve
nents in their districts.
a hovel with the picbets off the fence
with the yard full Of tin cans. and paper
pasted over broken window panes is with
in less than two blocks OF the Capitol.
and a person standing In the northwest