Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-09-07
CITY OF WASHINGTON.

|
Mr.. John Sessford, has furnished the
Editors of the National Inteiiigsncer,
with an historical and descriptive me-
NOR of the City of Washington, from
which we have selected the following
items. NJ 7. Daily IdUertiaer.
Washington City in the District OF Co
lumba, the metropolis OF the United
States, is situated ON the left bank Of The
Potomac and the right bank of the Ana
costa, in latitude SO degrees and So
minutes, Longitude 60. being intended for
first meridian The Tyber runs
through the middle of the city, and may
be conveyed 10 the high ground on which
the Capitol s,ands--and the water OF the
Tyber aud the Rcedy Branch may be
conveyed to the Capitol and the Presi-
dents House the avenues, and such
streets as lead Immediately to public
places, are from 80 to 100 feet wide,
divided into foot ways, walks OF trees, and
carriage ways; the others are OF various
widths, from 7oto / b feet; the avenues
and streets, of 100 fee and upwards, have
iootways OF 90 ieet wide; those under
loo and over 50, have tootways II feet
vide; and, under 80 feet, / . feet foot
ways. The ground on which the ,,iV
stands was coded by the state of Mary
land to the United States in fall sore
reign'y, and the proprictors of the soil
surrendered their lands TO be laid out as
4 city, gave up one half to The United
States, and subjected o;I,er parts to De
sold to raise money as a donation to be
tnployed. and constitute fluid for The
public buildings. a
The buildings belonging to the United
States are:
|. The Capitol, large and massy
building of the Cuiinthan order, OF free
stone, composedof central and wings
the Whole front of the building is about
$50 feet; the wings were nearly COM
pleted when the British army, under
Gen Ross, (sho was afterwards slain in
battle near Bal,imore,) in August, IA,
made a sudden incurson, gained posses
sion of the city, setting fire to the Capt.
tol, Presidents House, Public OMces,
sc. not connected with the operations OF
war, reducing the whole to ashes, to-
gether with a valuable and extensive
library belonging to Congress the wings
are rebuilt and the centre nearly com
ple,ed. The foundation of the north
wing was laid in the presence of Presi-
dent Washington, on the 10th Of Septem-
Der, 1898, and that OF the centre on the
oath Of August, 1918. being the anniver-
sary of its destruction 10y the British.
2. The Presidents House, built Of
free stone, two stories high, the Ionic
order, and covered with copper, and dis
lant from the Capitol about one and
half miles.
IS. Four buildings, erected in line
east and west of the Presidents House,
tor the accommodation OF the principal
departments Of government and subordi-
nale Offices the whole are oil brick two
stories high, with frecstone easements
and covered with slate the two new ones
| are handsome editces, with free stone
porticos on the north front, in the Ionic
order. .aA
a. The General Post Office, where
the Patent Office IS also kept, is Iares
and handsome building, three Stories
high, and 100 feet in length, is si,uate,
on high ground, about eqpi-distant iroh
the Capitol andthe Presidents House.
5. A very extensive Navy Yard, com
ple'ely enclosed with a lofty brick wall.
with handsome gateway with guard
rooms; a neat dwelling for the com.
mandant and others, for different officer
OF The yard extensive warehouses, shon
Tor blacksmiths, cooPers, turner's, plumb