Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1839-01-10
WASHINGTON cTTY.

VI COuStQGt4UAe interest a WoSntN&toMs nc !
arrival Of members from aii parts Of the |
country anxious to secure good lodgings and !
the zoal Of the boarding house keepers TO Sc
Cafe dodgers and make up messes. AFFORD at
times quite field for amusement. The Ou-
Siness of the nation is the last thing 40 the |
minds of Legislators OF people, ana the COM
fort Of the body reigns paramount 10 all other
considerations. Perhaps our readers have
but a faint idea Of the capital Of the United
Statess and we wall endeavor to give them
one in as few words as possible. PennsyIva-
mia Avenue is the main street, for promenade
and business, and is in fact, almost the whole
city. II is a mile and quarter in length,
running east and west. At the east end is
the capitol situated on the rising ground a
tOlerable good looking building of brown
and stone, painted white. On the west end
Is the Presidents House, n handsome dwell
ling of the same material and color. Nct
much can be said of the architectural beau
~ Of these buildings. though they slow to
advantage from the Avenue. which Is perfect
~ level, about hundred feet ia width, with
wide sidewalks. and a comy.,odious carriage.
way. and row OF trees recently planted up
on each side. The grounds around the Cap
itol and the President House, are handsome
~ laid out, and ornamental with trees and
shrubs, and "howers in their season." Ta-
king a view from the capital westward to the
left bordering the Potomac river, with few
scattered dwellings; and on the right is an
extensive rising ground, with gradual slope,
laid out into streets running diagonally and
having common centres, and the whole Is
covered with buildings, for the most part Of
wretched style and character. A large part
Of the city has been miserabiy constructed,
and already bears the marks of dilapidation
and poverty. In the most conspicuous and
valuable places are novels, that would hard
ly find q parallel in the most despicable parts
of Boston and New-York. There are, how.
ever, some better structures; but the best
would be considered hardly decent in any
other city. The City Hall was planned
with good taste, and is located north of the
Avenue, upon the rising ground. About halt
Of the building has been erected that is OF
brick, badly put together, but intended to have
been plaster'd. The city, however. is so poor
that the building is LEFT, looking liee heap
and the nation. If it depends on the city 70
finish il, a halfa century at least must elapse
before any thing can be done, and long be-
fore then the part now standing will have
tumbled to pieces.
Such is the character Of the city: but what
can be said Of the inhabitants The popu-
lation is Of the most shiftless, indolent kind
that ever collected 10 any city Of the world.
They have no means to employ enterprise
Of any sort whatever. Commerce they con
never have, in consequences OF the interior
location of the city and though vast sum
of money has been expended upon the Ches-
apeake and Ohio Canal, yet nothing substan.
Maa s% ~ $500. - sro1e froro center;nc IN
W SsIs snv "es ss.a ..aJer. can Command
.,ans o..,,, &c i,coI h,,s;,,es. ~ tha c;sv
;,Sele ,~h;ch :ycarc ~ s,fIices - keen tham
s1;,,. 800 - M ms. e,,crnno,,a charves
~. NO. ,,rschsn;c trv ~ live 10 mnkif,r re.
na;ss ,,,,c, wnr, o,,. hn;Iainos hnraa.shoeinp.