Empire of mud : the secret history of Washington, DC

Washington, DC, gleams with stately columns and neoclassical temples, a pulsing hub of political power and prowess. But for decades it was one of the worst excuses for a capital city the world had ever seen. Before America became a world power in the twentieth century, Washington City was an eyesore at best and a disgrace at worst. Unfilled swamps, filthy canals, and rutted horse trails littered its landscape. Political bosses hired hooligans and thugs to conduct the nation's affairs. Legendary madams entertained clients from all stations of society and politicians of every party. The police served and protected with the aid of bribes and protection money. Beneath pestilential air, the city’s muddy roads led to a stumpy, half-finished obelisk to Washington here, a domeless Capitol Building there. Lining the streets stood boarding houses, tanneries, and slums. Deadly horse races gouged dusty streets, and opposing factions of volunteer firefighters battled one another like violent gangs rather than life-saving heroes. The city’s turbulent history set a precedent for the dishonesty, corruption, and mismanagement that have led generations to look suspiciously on the various sin--both real and imagined--of Washington politicians. Empire of Mud unearths and untangles the roots of our capital’s story and explores how the city was tainted from the outset, nearly stifled from becoming the proud citadel of the republic that George Washington and Pierre L'Enfant envisioned more than two centuries ago. Today, Washington, DC, gleams with stately columns and neoclassical memorials, but for decades it was one of the worst excuses for a capital city the world had ever seen. Before America became a world power, Washington City--as it was known for most of the nineteenth century--was an eyesore at best and a disgrace at worst. Unfilled swamps, filthy canals, and rutted horse trails littered its landscape. Beneath pestilential air, the town's muddy roads led to a half-finished Washington Monument, a domeless Capitol Building, and the wasteland of the National Mall. Boarding houses and slums lined the streets. Legendary madams entertained clients from all stations of society. Mobs and duelists ran amok with near impunity, and political bosses dispatched hooligans and thugs to conduct the nation's affairs. Featuring a rich cast of characters from radical journalists to slave traders and enterprising criminals, this book untangles the roots of our capital's beginnings to explore how the city was tainted from the start, setting a precedent for the dishonesty and mismanagement that have prompted generations to look suspiciously on the deeds of its politicians ever since.--From publisher description Washington, DC, gleams with stately columns and neoclassical memorials today, but for decades it was one of the worst excuses for a capital city the world had ever seen. Unfilled swamps, filthy canals, and rutted horse trails littered its landscape. Beneath pestilential air, the towns muddy roads led to a stumpy, half-finished Washington Monument and the wasteland of the national Mall. Boarding houses and slums lined the streets, and opposing factions of volunteer firefighters battled one another in gang warfare. Legendary madams entertained clients from all stations of society, duelists killed one another and mobs ran riot, and political bosses dispatched hooligans and thugs to conduct the nations affairs. Featuring a rich cast of characters from radical journalists and political demagogues to corrupt policemen and insidious slave traders, Empire of Mud unearths and untangles the roots of our capitals beginnings and explores how the city was tainted from the start, its turbulent history setting a precedent for the dishonesty and mismanagement that have prompted generations to look suspiciously on the deeds of Washington politicians ever since. Introduction: Capital movers The Capital archipelago A plague of waters A mechanic's guide to Washington City Driving souls The company they kept Coming to the scratch Illicit congress Seeing the elephant Suspicious characters The fall of Washington City A gilded cage Epilogue: The sea of pavement.