Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-01
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN The STAR

In The star Of August %. 1858. IL
an article relative to improvements
under way under
Soma pnhlio Gen. Michlsr. su-
Improvements. puhiIe hu,,a,n..
and grounds. showing the condition Of
the Capital fifty years ago in certain
respects:
'.At Lincoln Square, at the head Of
East Capitol street. force of about
forty mon are employed in hllinE in
and grading. preparatory to laying out
the walks. and at the proper time shade
trees and choice shrubs will be plant
cd. A great drawback to this other
wise attractive portion Of the city is
the large pools Of stasnant water there.
one of these being of sufficient size to
take the name Of Lake Shinar. This
staEnant water has proved . source of
disease and no little annoyance at Lin
coin barracks and that vicinity. and
Me hear that Cen ;,i Mishlsr has made
handing the Infantry at the barracks,
by which the latter with his men will
undertake the important sanitary work
ing h he s snsse es hi. dans
may expect to sec this part of the city
improving rapidly.
,roa las ,h soon na.. as the PIPE is Eecsived
mence the work Of laying the twenty
inch water main from North street
to connect with the main on LIST street.
SO as to increase the supply of water
on Capitol Hill and the navy yard. In
consequence of the tax upon the water
supply to furnish the water requisite
az me navy yard during the working
hours. from a. m. to Z p. M. there
has been a very inadequate supply for
private use In those hours, the water
dwelling houses on the higher ground
IN all that part of the city.
1.-THE work Of completing the impor-
tsnt culvest through the Botanic Gar
dens which, owing
Conservatives to the appropria-
ns- ton giving out, was
Under Way. left unf,nished last
summer. Is again under way. as is also
tho botanical conservatory. which
will be finished to receive tho plants
this autumn.
"The work Of repairing and finish
Ing tho conservatory at the Presi-
dents house. where a choice selection
Of plants will replace those destroyed
by fire few winters ago. is also pro-
crossing rapidly. The different con-
servatories are now undergoing q
thorough cleaning; the fences are be-
ing whitewashed. ratings painted,
benches repaired. etc. At the Smith
sonian grounds | the fence Is being
whitewashed and some few men are
employed In cleaning up the walks.
With the very small amount appro-
priated for these grounds. it is i'm
possible to put them in the condition
they should be.
THE pavement through the Mall
along 9Th street will soon be COM
menced. Now let the corporation do
the canal on Sth street and a very
important. useful and handsome line
OF communication with South Wash
ington will be made.
The repairs on the Long bridge will
be completed about the 18th of Sep
TENDER and DO as thorough as is pos
sible on such an old structure. A
new and modern draw will replace
the one on the north side, which is
rather antique in its style and is said
to have been built from design made
in the year 100 by an Augustine
monk named Nichols. We do not
! know that this is SO. but its venerable
and primitive appearance makes it
extremely probable. 1t was doubtless
q very superior style Of draw in 100,
but seems to have outlived its use