The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-03-18
4 Peep at Washington the Night
Before the Inauguration.
WASHINGTON. March 3, 1859.

A Peep at Washington the Nigh
Before the Inauguration.
at WASHINGTON. March 8. 1869.
II the wise old philosopher of the ok
white hat, and his million followers
could engage the celebrated "Devil o,
two sticks, II don't refer to old Blai
and his two sons. 'Gumery and Franz
land unroof Washington at this deaf
hour of midnight, they would have !
realizing sense Of the pressure for Office
now existing, XII day long, Pennsyl
vania avenue has been thronged viii
carpet-baggers, rushing to and fro II
search Of lodgings. At the Capitol, fair
young girls, and homely old ones, some
leaning to the east under the Dispensing
influence of the Grecian Bend, Others
bolt upright, and all with their trunks
empty, and their persons walking adj
vertiemcnts Of folly and cxtravagance;
shrewd; cunning looking men and sim
pie gawks; colored reconstructed Afri-
cans, In the best of broadcloth, soldiers
and sailors, tailors, matters and thinkers
al the lebbIes, galleries and rotunda,
and choke up the narrow doorways that
connect them.
uenE "a the depot 70 receive some
Eel1sn6s, who telegraphsd mo fr0m Nov
ol1f ~ ~ and comfort II Washington.
~ FORK train came in on time =
T. n eass- cr,wdsd to sufYocation, ms
. x(and eight weary hours,
RI - lh tpvc1lbd out, the appear
~ - ! study. Cover
1T ~ - anA cindess, with faces
ysnd voc bsB0ns, they ssyeHiiy
ahslrssck6 md bundles, and
11GI1ed through the hacks, caEs and ON
|nibuses. At tho entrances the uproar
|W0'h.deous. Hackmen shouted and
screamed, stage drivers shouted and
scssamcd, car conductors threatened
themselves with apoplexy imam attempt
10 - heard while all danced and pirou-
stte0, sieaing the passengers and at
tempting to make them captives despite
resistance and the police.
NY friends wero not OH the regular
tratn. but Captain Duncan, formerly Of
CINCINNATI, and lately of the army-he
fought gallantly in the Quartermsster's
Department and is 'perfect gentle
man" I'd. h. told me three other trains
(extra) were Oh the way. And sure
enough they came laundering in to re-
enact the scene OF the first train. When
left, something less than four miles of
baggage was piled up along the track,
with all the stoutest rutlains in the Dis
trict attacking the heap with ferocity
unparalleled. must write you an es-
say some day on the baggage master, or
smasher. see law is pending in
New York to give him employment in
the penitentiary. Lord send it d safe
deliverance.
That extraordinary specimen of self
satisfied humanity called clerk of the
hotel, has a lively time. With a pen
behind both ears and one in his mouth
lie registers with one hand while with
the other he rings that everlasting bell,
and gives orders so wide of the requests
that the enraged passenger is stirred to
evaporation and a disposition to kill
sombody then and there.
"Can you give me room SIR" ask n
pompous overgrown specimen of hui
manitv, perspirng under furs put on in
Northern latitude. The clerk stares
ut him, rings the bell and responds:
boy, show the gentleman cot forty
two in the smoking room.'
Got, sir, cot; good Lord; what do
want with a cote Iye got my wife and
two daughters, sir"
II say, mister can't you give
me an old fire place, or a vacated water
closet. I'm little exclusive" shouts
an unmi:takable Ken,uckian.
We had Government hospital sold
out here not long since. 1t was cor
rupt business, altogether. The land
lords aud boarding house Keepers got to-
gether, and brought about the sale, and
in consequence the supply of iron bed
Steads and mattresses has been sufficient.
1t is n glorious thought that the cots on
which our gallant soldiers sickened and
died are now occupied by the gifted men
1 who seek to serve their coantry-for
| reasonable compensation. The small
| pox has been usually prevalent of late.
Halls have been hired ut heavy rent
In which one can get cot and cold
for the same money. / read sign OH
the avenue, For rent front room ovel
hat store" Why over hat store? What
the devil is the advantage Of room
over Int store? The reason must b,
/ Jsts, not seen. Rather cool, that con
| eidering the hour. "A nice room owe
Tin slpR' would be attractive.
I was'shown huge chamber, former
y : church, later a billiard room, now
u immense dorMitory, Allied with Ill,
hoepital cots. The cots were nearly al
occupied when l walked through.
had NJ opportunity of studying sleep
Eng humanity Of the male gender. Som,
men stretch themselves at full length. :
6Ome curl up. A small number lie o,
their backs-the larger number OH thci
side. Some fellows bundled up to tn
nose. These are mean, selfish rascals