Evening star., 1925-03-29
PLANS
URGED YEARS AGO.
Article Printed in 1897 Pro.
tested Use of Avenue for
Business Purposes.


One of the foremost advocates of
this parking development has been
Col. Archibald Hopkins, who as long
ago as 1897 deplored the developm ent
by commercial interests of the prop
erty south of the Avenue in the down
town 1ection.
Co. Hopkins, in an article in
Harper's Weekly of March 13, 1897,
wrote of the historic associations of
Pennsylvania avenue and of its evo-
luton from an unpretentious drive
way to a business thoroughfare. The
article, which had to do with the his
tory Of inaugural parades, pointed
out that Pennsylvania avenue really
ssould never have been touched by
private interests, but should have
been lined to the north by Federal
edifices. overlooking a magnificent
parkway to the south.
Gives Interesting Data.
Excerpts from this article follow:
IF now we could take our stand at
some central point on Pennsylvania
avenue, which previous to Madison's
assumption of office In 1909 had be-
come a passable highway, and sup
pose that all the inaugural process
sions which have marched over 1t
from that time till now were to pass,
without intervals of time or breaks
of line between them, we might have,
with some knowledge of the attend
ant incidents Of an inauguration,
very good idea in living pictorial
form of the change and progress of
the country, and we should see most
of the great men of its early period
who made II, and all those later ones
who have added to It's renown and
helped to save 1t, as part of the
parade or mingling in the ceremonies.
March 4, 1909 Washington has grown
to be a struggling village OF 5,O0O In
habitants. and Pennsylvania avenue,
cleared of trees and bushes, shows
wide roadway, along which MT. Je1-
ferson has caused to be planted rows
of Lombardy poplars, which are be-
ginning to be noticeable.
Before we come to his (Lincoln's)
inauguration let US take a look at
Pennsylvania avenue. No other street
is so closely associated with the his
tory of any government as 1t Is with
ours. Washington traversed 1t when
it was but a woodland path: John
Adams made his way in state through
its stumps and bog holes; JEFFERSON
set out trees along it's line when
the city site had been stripped OF
forest, and every other President,
with his varying escort, has passed
along it to assume his office. 1t has
seen more such pageantry than any
street in the world, and, measured
by it, goes back to venerable an
tiquity with Mr.. Mckinley's, "a
inaugurations have taken place here,
and "a coronations in England, with
their corresponding show and cere-
monial, would take US back to the
reign of Edward III, in the four
teenth century.
Past its few and scattered houses
in 1914 fed our routed forces from
Bladensburg, with the exultant Red
coats in close pursuit, and with the
Capitol bursting into flames at one
end of 1t and the White House soon
to follow at the other. Down its
somber length, covered like pail
with emblems of grief, passed the
no head covered and no heart un-
moved of all the vast multitude that
gathered to mourn his tragic end.
Along its dusty highway tramped,
with the swinging step that had car
ried them from Atlanta to the sea,
Shermans gallant, indomitable men
of the West, looking bronzed and
hardy as Indians, and all elate with
victory. Up through its thronging
thousands, too, came the grand old
Army of the Potomac, war-worn vet
Grams who for years had been the
bulwark of the Capital, but all with
elastic tread and soldierly bearing
as they were greeted with welcoming
shouts, their tattered flags fluttering
in the Summer wind. Never since
history began has such an army.
having fought voluntarily and con-
sciously for a great and noble cause,
made so joyous a holiday for any
capital as when 1t trod in triumphant
hnr oil mi
nue.. Slowly over its smooth pave
ment. on a hot September morning,
no other vehicle and no street car
visible down all its length, pathetic
in its isolation, the focus of the SYM
pathies of all the world, passed the
! ambulance bearing the wasted, strick-
en- form of Garfield, never TO return
Let US take out stand on the
south porch of the Treasury and,
leaning against one of its huge
| monolithic columns, look down the
Avenues level surface, stretching a
mile away to the Capitol; with a
glass we can see plainly everything
| on it. 1t is broad and straight and
smoothly paved, but its very breadth
|, makes the rows of cheap buildings,
! with irregular skyline and no preten-
sion to architecture, look most of the
| way like second-rate Bowery, with
II
| now that the south side should never
| have been built upon, leaving all on
| that side park; and that on the other
side all the Government buildings
| should have been put, which would
| have made the finest, most imposing
street in the world. Even now the
south side might and should be
| cleared of houses.
| Describes Grant Inaugural.
Today, however, it is looking its
best Long, black lines of people
pack it's sidewalks, and they crowd
every window and swarm on the
roofs. Flags innumerable drape all
the houses, till the whole street glows
| with color and seems exalted and
| glorifed. Listen; that far-off drum
beat tells us the head of the column
| has turned into the Avenue down by
the Peace Monument, near the Capt.
| tol and as we gaze, 1t slowly fills
| from end to end and from curb to
| curb with host of armed men. They
are coming back from Grants inau-
| guration, and move down upon us a
| living stream, with a rhythmic beat
! that thrills US, above the clashing
| bands, with a CLINT of bayonets and
glow of flags along it's pulsating
length like the gorgeous tints of sun
| set. All arms of the service are
there, and almost all the States are
represented. Pennsylvania sends her
| thousands in sober blue, like regu-
lars; crack city regiments in snowy
uniforms, glittering militia colonels
| the dancing yellow plumes of the
/ cavalry, and the red capes of the ar
tillerymen lighting up their frown-
! ing guns blend in everchanging hues
and when the long line of the mill
tary has passed. there comes in close
succession, from all parts of the land
civic bodies and political clubs, each
/ with its own dress and insignia, till
thu aua iS con infused and the ear ,xaar