Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24

OF COURSE, after the war had been over for
10 to Is years the Police Department main-
tanned pretty good control over this area, and
Of course 1t Is now q very quiet neighborho0ds
and as soon IS the Government buildings re-
place the miscellaneous assortment Of struc.
lures in this once notorious, district it VIII
undoubtedly be one Of Washington's most beau
Eful spots.
What wonderful place the Mall would have
been the old original trees had not been
cut from 1t IN the first few years Of the city.
An old authority tells us that on either side
Of the Ma1l-east and west Of Seventh street.
there were several acres Of elegant forest trees.
This was around 1900
Very little was done toward improving the
Mall until after the Smithsonian Institution
came into existence, when immediate measures
were taken 10 beautify the 80 acres to which
Congress gave the regents title, and even before
the laying Of the corner stone of that building
providing for improving the attractiveness Of
the grounds surrounding their building in the
following resolution:
Resolved, That among the trees to
be planted within the grounds Of the
institution there be included the follow
ing: Elm, birch, oak, oSage-orange,
pecan, sugar maple, silver-leafed maple,
weeping willow, silver leafed willow, mag
nolia grandidora, pride of China, COM
mon laurel, tulip tree, dogwood, holly,
chestnut, walnut, hickory, mountain ash,
lime tree, evergreens Cincluding the sew
eral varieties CT pines), aspen and syca-
more"
From time to time since then many beau-
tiful native and foreign trees have been added
10 those planted while the building was under
construction. and so years ago perhaps the
grounds were ct their height Of attractiyeneSSs
since there were then ever so many more kinds
Of trees to be found there. In recent years
~ n1G haNJ haaV f1aatP
by storms, and many have been removed
through necessity, the seemingly unfortunate
condition being that the rarer species are not
replaced In kind, but that they are replaced
IL replaced ct abby the hardy trees peculiar
to this locality.
T~HE Mali is susceptible of being made the
grandest park in all the world. and un.
doubtedly it win be in course Of time, espe-
cially If we are to continue to have the serve
ices of such sterling men as Col. o. s. Grant,
Sd, who Is so thoroughly interested in every.
thing pertaining to the Capital City. During
the presidency Of his distinguished grand.
father, Gen. q. 8. Grant, from 1869 to 1877.
extensive improvements took place in Wash.
ington, for which he was In a large measure
responsible. It was during his first term that
the mayoralty form OF government here was
changed to O territorial FORM when he ap.
pointed to serve as governor Hon. Henry d.
Cooke who rendered excellent service during
the two years and q half OF his incumbencys
ard until he resigned. when the President APP
pointed that wonderful man of action, Hon.
Alexander r. Shepherd.
Gen. Grant could always be depended upon
to support and back up his Governors Of the
District Of Columbia, and there Is little doubt
that the present Director Of Public Buildings
and Parks Of the National Capital inheritS
lot Of his grandfathsr's love and interest for
washington, for the eternal preservation OF
which he acted such noble and notable part.
It was during Gen. Grants term OF once
that Brevet Brig. Gen. Orvile E. Babcock served