The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-02-08
Washington as it is Today
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daily, whenever step outside the con-
fines OF our rooms, is its streets, and the
air of spaciousness everywhere. Every
street and avenue is asphalt, broad and
smooth as our finest boulevards and
speedways in the East. Not a bit of
mud to be found in the confines of the
CITY, except one steps aside onto avacant
lot, or new made land. Paving blocks
are used in some localities, and between
street car tracks, but the universal paw
ing of streets and sidewalks IS or as
phaltine, and most perfect streets they
are, measuring in width from thirty 10
sixty feet, and the avenues much wider.
Where streets intersect, In many places
the large paved square holds In lis CEN
ter a memorial statue, there being some
46 of these set in streets and parks.
Nearly every street in some section OF
it. has a small park, most of them con-
tanning a statue and pretty iron park
seats, or a fountain surrounded by seats,
cement walks, and shrubs of numerous
varieties. No other city has such large
number of these "breathing spots, and
these combined with the width of the
streets, and the fact that there are no
high buildings towering into the sky as
in New York, give the spaciousness
which every visitor to this citv must
notice at once.
Standing adjacent to the Union Station
is the new Post Office, another magntl-
cent structure, in white marble, built at
a cost of So, 600, 900, and the building
site of TIA, 600 square feet cost S45O, ooo
Above two entrances are these IN
scriptions: Carrier of news and knoWl-
edge. instrument of trade and industry,
promoter of mutual acquaintance, OF
peace and good will among men and ma
tions." messenger of sympathy and
love, serv ant of parted friends, CONSIDER
of the lonely, bond of the scattered fam
ily, enlarger OF common life" Both
these buildings stand facing the capitol,
which is but a short distance away. This
Post Office should not be confused with
the Post Office Department building OF
gray granite, which is a striking feature
of Pennsylvania avenue. 1t has unique
interest because here is the heart of the
one department of the Government with
which each one of us Is in close and con-
slant touch.
As one stands in front of the Union
Station. or Post Office, looking across
the plaza the land rises and the enorm-
Gus white structure of our capitol looms,
surrounded bv broad acres OF beautifully
laid out grounds. This building needs
but little description of course as to its
exterior, and every school child should
he familiar with its outlines, but there
NAV be some things of interest concern
ing it not SO we'll known to ALL The
building itself covers 3 1-2 acres, and in
its stately dignity and architectural beau
tv ranks among the noblest in the world.
Standing like glistening white gem In
the midst of acres of smooth lawns and
terraces, with winding walks masses of
shruhbery. and broad avenues of fine old
trees-a marvel of landscape gardening
it is a sight of which | never tire, and
rarely day but | stroll through the
grounds, or stand in front of the grand
pile with swelling enthusiasm and pride.
There is a something about this, our
capitol, which one must see to under
stand this feeling, which never fails to
inspire me with sense of patriotism and
love of country: such a feeling as we
have when looking on vast numbers OF
marching men-our country's defenders.
The main building is of Virginia sand
stone, painted white, and was finished
in 1877, the corner stone being laid by
President George Washington in 1893.
Above it is bronze tablet inscribed,
"Beneath this tablet the cornerstone of
the capitol of the United States was
laid by George Washington, First Presi
dent, December 18th, 1893. On the hun
dredth anniversary, in the year 1893, in
presence of the Congress, the Executive
and the Judiciary, vast concourse of
the grateful people of the District of Co.
lurnbia commemorated the event. Grover
Cleveland, President of the United
States"
The Senate and House extension
wings of Massachusetts marble were
completed in 1911, and were partially
burned by the British in 1914. Later
on these extensions were rebuilt and &C.
cupied by Congress in 1857. On this
corner stone is the memorial tablet with
the words of the great orator, Daniel
Webster, then Secretary of State: "lf,
therefore, it shall be hereafter the will
of God that this structure shall fall from
its bsse. that its foundations be upturn-
ed, and this deposit brought to the eyes
of men, be it known that on this day the
Union of the United States of America
stands firm; that their Constitution still
exists unimpaired, and with all its orig
inal usefulness and glory, growing every
day stronger and stronger in the affec-
tions of the great body of the American
people, and attracting more and more
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