The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-03-02
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, D. O.,
February Is, 1866.

FarrSp DANFoRTH-I purpose. In this ies-
.ar 10 take the reader to the Capitol, up the
.n;r.l steps to the top of the dome and from
ebancs take birds-eye view OF the District
IF Columbia, (nearly every rod of which can
ba seen from that elevation) Washington
Citv- the monument, the executive mansion,
and afar of, down the Potomac. the shade OF
Mount Vernon, within whose shadows repose
the earthly remains of him who was firs'
in war, first In peace, ana nrst IN INC heaE''
of his countrymen.
From this point, top of the capitol dome.
40(l fact from the ground, we behold the dis
trict of Columbia, sui generis tract, neither
state nor territory, but set apart, pro bono
,,,,blico. "a the seat of the federal govern
ment. Ii was ceded to tho United States for
this purpose by Maryland. IL occupies an area
of go SQUARE miles. It once included the city |
of Alexandria, (where Ellsworth flung away |
his life for bar keepers fag) few miles
below the metropolis, on the Potomac. This
part of the cession was, however, retroceded
in the year 1916. The present cities of the
district are Washington and Georgetown.
MARYLAND lies upon all sides, except the
southwest, whore ii is separated from Virgin
gInia by the Potomac river.
This district is governed directly by the
congress of the United States, and Its inhab-
itants have no representation, and no voice
in the federal election.
Living directly about Us, and within a sort
of natural basin, not unlike q saucer, Is
WASHINGTON CITY.
This CITY, the political capital of the Unit.
ed States, is in the District of Columbia, on
the banks of the Potomac river. 1t is 40
miles from Baltimore, 1876 from Philadelphia,
226 from New York, and ITO from Rich
mond, with which cities, as well as with all
the chief towns of the Union, it is connected
by railway. To stranger, the streets and
avenues of W Washington seem an lnexplicable
tumble, devoid of order, system or SENSE
But from this elevation we behold the plan
of the city in all its grandeuer and simphcl'
ty.
There are ITO blocks or squares bounded
by twenty-one avenues and over one hun
dyed streets.
The CapitoI is the division of ell the alpha
beticaI and numeral streets. The A, b, Q,
streets having north" affixed to them, are
on the north side Of the city, running from
east to west, divided by Capitol street from
the A, B, and streets on the south side,
which have "south" affixed to them, aud
which run parallel with the north A, b, C's,
thus making duplicate streets, but particular,
" differing from each other with the"north"
and "south" attached. The mineral streets,
called East LIST, End, &C., and West list, Ind,
60, run north and south, and are divided in
to east and west by Capitol street, which
runs directly through the center OF the city
one end is called South Capitol, the other
North Capitol. The numersl streets cross
the alphabe and the avenues. There
are duplicates of these streets, as well as
those of the alphabetical, but distinguished
from each other by least" aud west"
When the original plan of Washington
sh all be realized, in it's full growth to the
proportions it was dosig ned to reach, 1t Will
be, in its own right, and without the aid OF
its official position, one of the greatest cities
of the Union. 1t would be difficult TO invent
more magnificent scheme than that of the
founder OF Washington, or to find location
more eligible for it's successful execution
It's easy access from the sea gives 1t every IA
cility for commercial greatness, and It's vari-
ed topography almost compels picturesque et-
feet and beauty.
The site was chosen by Washington him
self The scene, from the lofty position OF the
DOME or from the high terrace upon which
this magnificent edIhce stands, Is one Of un-
rivalled beauty, and it gives the visitor at
once and thoroughly clear ideas of the natur-
al advantages of the region and of the char
aoter, extent and possibilities of this city
Looking eastward, for the space of mile or
more, over plain yet scarcely occupied. the
eve falls upon the broad and beautiful waters
of the Potomac, leading by Alexandria and
the grove of Mount Vernon to the sea- Turn
ing westward, it overlookes the city ss it at
present exists, upon the great highway of
Pennsylvania Avenue, to the edifces of the
state and treasury departments and the pres
idents house. the avenue dropping towards
It's centre, as hammock might swing be
tween the two elevated points. Around, on
nth thn ID.
fees ars seen with fine effect, and, turning
again to the left the eye takes in the broad
acres of the new National Park, in which are
the many unique buildings of the Smithsoni-
an Institute and the soaring shaft of the
Washington Monument, while off in the dis,
stance, across Rocky Greek are the ancient.
looking walls of Georgetown. Georgetown is
so near as to be almost part and parcel of the
capital. It is the head of navigation on the
the Potomac, on high and broken ground
Many elegant mansions, the residences OF
some OF the foreign ministers among them,
occupying the"Heights"of the city. An i'm
porsant catholic college, with both male and
female schools are located here.
Alexandria, Va, Is upon the banks OF the
Potomac, seven miles below the capital.
was once within the District of Column bia ,ou,
was retroceded to Virginia IN 1870 Win al
the territory of that state which hao peer
before portion of the national grounds
The population of Alexandria is about II,
900.
About miles below Alexandria on th'
west bank of the Potomac, Is miles below the
capital, is seen dimly in the distance
MOUNT VERNON,
Sacred as the home and tomb of Washing
ton. The old tomb which is fast going to dc
cav. occupies more picturesque situation
than the present one, being upon an elevatio,
in full view of the river. The new tomb, int,
which the remains were removed in 1880. ant