176 WRIGHT 



modic efforts of the city government at various times to develop 

 and beautify the city met with little encouragement from the in- 

 habitants through investment or otherwise, although many efforts 

 were made to secure proper administration of local law. Con- 

 gress gave but little attention to the affairs of the District. So 

 when the war came, in 1861, Washington was a shabby town, 

 with little or no architecture to attract attention, other than that 

 displayed in the public buildings, its dwellings and business 

 blocks being built along the lines of what was popularly known 

 in those days as " carpenters' architecture." There is much of 

 this style of building still remaining, the plain front, fiat roof, 

 and unornamental coping sufficiently characterizing the style 

 prevailing in the olden days. Values had not appreciated in 

 any degree at all commensurate with the importance of the 

 place. 



With the notoriety gained by the presence of many strangers 

 during the Civil War the country itself began to feel somewhat 

 ashamed of its capital city. My own personal recollections 

 date from 1862. The sights familiar in Washington then, com- 

 mon as they were, would be considered absolutely disgraceful 

 at the present time. There was but one street car line, poorly 

 equipped and badly managed. There were very few paved streets 

 and avenues, and although the city possessed all the elements 

 out of which a beautiful town could be created, they had not 

 been utilized. Cattle and swine roamed the streets, and con- 

 tinued to until 187 1. Citizens and strangers familiar with Wash- 

 ington at that time will remember well the presence of swine, 

 even in places near this hall — no farther away, in fact, than 

 New York avenue — and a heavy army wagon would often sink 

 to the hubs in the mud of the same avenue. All these things 

 brought numerous petitions for improved local government and 

 the inauguration of general improvements. The Board of 

 Health had but little power under the old charters and possessed 

 but little activity. Prior to the act of February 21, 187 1, estab- 

 lishing the territorial government, under which was created the 

 Board of Public Works and the Board of Health given fairly 

 increased powers, patriotic and public-spirited citizens had done 

 all they could to secure from the city government an ordinance 



