The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-10-16
LOCAL GIRL HELPING
THE GOVERNMENT
AT WASHINGTON
WRITES OF IMPRESSIONS OF Ma
TIONAL CAPITOL LIFE AS
SHE EXPERIENCES 1T.

The following letter, received by
Mrs. K. A. Cook and her daughter.
Minnie, from Maggie Nash, formerly
bookkeeper in the Spencer Electric
Light a. Power Co. office, has been
handed to the Banner News for publ
cation:
AS my friends have been wishing
| might send Letter telling how i
have been impressed with Washing
ton, ID. c., / am sending you this let
ter:
Washington, d. c., Oct. 3, 1918.
Dear Friends:
In the first place Washington is a
busy, overcrowded city. Everything
is being done to make room fer, the
thousands that come into the city ev-
cry month, but still accommodations
are very hard to find. The District
has been laid out according to per-
manent plan. with a place for parks
and beauty spots which make any city
a pleasure to live in. But these plots
which are set aside for parks are be-
ing rapidly turned into building plac-
es. Several square blocks of park
space have already beep built up ito
ordnance and war work offices, while
such buildings as the museum are
turned over into office rooms and
closed to the public for the time be-
ing. There is a great army of wo-
men here and many more will come
within the next few months, all en-
gagged in government work. The
population of Washington is now
roughly estimated at 100000 with
several thousands coming here every
month. 1t is estimated that about
half of these coming here return to
their homes. To house those coming
into the city, the government is put
ting up dormitories or park space for
the women, each room, | understand.
to have private bath. A number of
these dormatories on the plot of
ground just south of the station are
being at the present writing rushed
TO completion. NOther dormitories on
14th street near the Washington mon
urfent will also be ready for occu-
pancy soon.
Strangers coming into the city can
find temporary accommodations
Tense located in the Union station,
then permanent rooms may be found
by visiting the same council at their
headquarters down town. People in
the city who have room for rent
tell the council about it, inspectors
are sent to visit the room, place the
price, and if satisfactory it is listed
among the desirable rooms and sub
ject to rent. In this way the girl is
protected by the government.
Solder boys are TO be seen on every
hand as Camp Megs and Camp Meade
are both located here near Washing
ton. Many young women are here
training in the Naval Reserve corps.
They are distinguished from other
war workers by their hats, which have
a band bearing the words "Naval Re-
serve" around the crown. Otherwise
the women war workers wear civilian
clothes.
Expenses here are high; | think on
the whole higher than in any other
city IN the United States, but every
thing is being done to standardize
prices SO as to stop profteering.
Board and room range in price from
$50 to $50 per MONTH.
To those who have never had the
privilege of visiting Washington our
Capital City, will say that | sincere
ly hope you may some day, for it is
well worth the time and expense of
the trip to see first the Allegheny
Mountains as the train curves and
climbs to the heights, with the valleys
on one side and the peaks on the
other. Them ost beautiful part Of
the route | took was called Horseshoe
Bend. l dent wonder poets are
inspired when they see such grandeur.
1t makes us think with the Psalmist,
"The Heavens declare the Glory of
God, and the armament showeth His
handiwork." The stately buildings
like the capitol, the Congressional
Library, the station, the postoffice.
the new Museum, the Pan-American
Union, the Lincoln Memorial, Wash
ington's Monument the treasury,
Uncle Sans Big Pccketbook," the
Art museum, the state war and navy
building, the hundred great statues,
the Botanical Gardens and Mount
Vernon, looking out upon the Potomac
all give one sensation of. the great
ness of the nation and times in which
we live.
With kind regards to all, 1 am,
Yours sincerely,
Mannia II Naob :