Arizona republican., 1917-01-27
Shepherd and Sheppard

The prohibition bill for the District of Columbia whose author is United States Senator Morris Shep- pard of Texas, recalls earlier effort by of similar name for the improvement of the District If Senator Sheppards effort produces marvellous re- suits as that earlier did, it will not have been in vain.
 The man who rebuilt Washington and made it one of the most beautiful cities in the world and certainly the most beautiful of capital cities, Alexander R. shepherd. who was once well known Boss" Shepherd The opprobrious epithet be- slowed upon him by his enemies has been forgotten by the present generation in the glory of his great achievement
 Shepherd a native of Washington City and received a common school education there. He be- plumber. After the civil in which he served throughout having been among the first to enlist. he returned to Washington and was elected president of the common council He was president of the Citizens Reform association after having sisted in drafting the bill of District of Columbia
 Shepherd elected alderman in 1867; the year he became a member of the board of public works and it's vice president. It was then that he began the development of his great plan. While he in office, Washington transformed in ap- pearance from old into a city, and to his energy, executive ability and unfnching courage the people of the United States indebted for a capto! which is the pride of the nation In 1873 he ap- pointed second governor of the District Columbia It is said that he erected thousand houses at a cost of $5,O0O000. He lost his wealth in real estate speculatons in Washington. He then became interested in Mexican silver mines.
 Shepherd seems have been the first man in this country to grasp the civic idea. At any rate he the first to apply it Until then American cities chaotic agglomeratons. They emerged from towns which had earlier been villages or ham, lets whose unattractive houses been built along convenient country roads still more convenient cow-paths When the need of public buildings arose they were erected without regard their convenience and without thought of the future The them usually influenced by selfishly interested parties by a false notion of economy.
 Though Washington had been planned by dis tnguished French artist in the early part of the nine teenth century his plan did definitely contem- plate official architecture the location official buildings Washington as late the civil period as national capital was not a thing of beauty It was not until 1867 that Shepherd began dream of making it But when he began to dream the vision rapidly developed into reality
 The influence of his great work extended and is yet extending, throughout the country Cities began to eXpend great of money repair the effects of their lack of foresight in the beginning things The civic center idea though was not at first so called found lodgment in forward looking cities and towns which owe their present beauty directly to the man who e-nade Washington and made enemies suppose among the mossbacks and the selfish who visited their vengeance upon him by joining in the outcry against Boss" Shepherd
 It has been noted that the work of Alexander R. Shepherd began in 1S67-the rebuilding of the na- uonal capital It is just half century later to the very year that the work of Senator Morris Sheppard was begun This coincidence is not disturbed by circumstance that their names slightly differently spelled. The dream of both was a new Washington. One has been fulfilled, other is in process of fulfillmeut