Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-11
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Capital Letter-Qunine and the Quiii-Pub-
lie Buildings and Works-streets-
Historical and Reflective.
Dome OF THE CAPITOL, July 3, 1871.


sent you, long ere this, second ar
ticle, had not our process of acclma-
| ton been so severe that we have had
but little time or strength to WELD a
weapon which is mightier than the
sword. Thanks to kind Provi-
denee, to quinine and the glorious
breezes which have swept down from
the Northland, we are now compar-
atively well, and must attempt a
duty too long delayed.
We confess the joke on us that
tho Washington we were to write up,
so far as the genus homo is concerned
has taken its flight, following the
Executive head, if not to Long
Branch. to the mountains of Virgin
ia and New England, or distributing
its representatives all along shore
from Baltimore to Cape Cod, thus
swelling in each popular place of re-
sort the tide of beauty, fashion and
wealth. Not to 90 to the springs, to
the mountains, or somewhere else
away from home, and spend the sum-
mer in indulging the Injuries of
sea baths, breezes, champagne, ice
cream, matchmaking, gossip and
scandal. is enough to put family
outside the circle Of upper tendon s
ring" in Washington. SO general
has been the stampede this season
that there are left here only govern
ment clerks, fifteenth amendments"
and the philanthropic sistcrhood who
run tho boarding houses of this
boarding town.
In the absence of humanity, lot us
attempt a pen picture of the city as
viewed from the dome Of the Capitol,
as we have climbed up, up, around
the vast rotunda, through the laby-
rinths Of iron, and over the noun
tain of marble, until at distance of
22O feet from the earth, we look out,
as We take these notes, upon one of
the finest pictures of town, river and
country ever spread at the feet of an
enrapturtd beholder. Looking down
upon the vast structure under us, we
sympathize with the Indian chiefs
who recently stood where we do.
and who would not believe it the
work of human hands, but who said
it must be the gift of the Great Spir-
it, thought which speaks volumes
in praise of the building and the
architect, if it was expressed by a
red savage from the pains.
From this height we get our first
intelligent ideas of the laws which
governed in laying out the place
And first we see ten broad avenues
going out from the Capitol park at
the same angle as 40 rays of light
from picture Of the sun; and
through the best portions of the city
run two or three others without re-
gard to points of compass, while over
the whole, as if by a happy after
thought, is seen regular system OF
streets which cross each otLer at
right angles. The Presidents house
is the center of another system of
streets similar to those at the Cap.
itol, and this plan was the design OF
Washington, who had in view the
defense of the city by artilery-a
precaution which came very near be-
ing timely one at the outbreak OF
the rebellion.
But to particulars. Looking west.
ward, Pennsylvania Avenue with its
street cars, carriages. pedestrian:
and handsome shade trees, is before
US in all its beauty, and at its farther
end we catch glimpses Of the White
House, which is 80 much coveted by
ambitious statesmen as q place OF
residence. Even Mr. Chase in his
dotage bows down to the traitor Val.
landigham, hoping the act would
nelp to carry him there. "Alas
how are the mighty fallen.
Adjoining the White House grounds
and on the avenue, is the Treasury
building, one Of the largest and cost.
lest public odifices in the world and
one in which Uncle Sam" employs
a thousand clerks in erecting and
manipulating the currency which il
the basis of all the commercial and
business transactions of this grea,
nation. Near the Treasury are the
War end Navy Department build
ings, and the contracts have Just
been made for the construction of Q
State Department in the same local.
ty, at a cost of four or five milior
dollars No wonder tho poet sung
"For Uncle Sam is rich enough tC
buy us all farm" if he had seer
how lavish that uncle is with biz
wealth, and yet his resources never
fail. About half way down the av.
enue and short distance to the
right of it, are the Post Office anc
Patent Office buildings, each an i'm
mense marble structure. In the for
mer are examined and settled all the
multitudinous accounts Of the 30, 00(
offices of the country wilhelm tn,
latter are models of all the machines
| which the tireless brain Of the think
ing and schemiDg American has ever
invented. In the Patent building
are also the Pension and Genera
Land Office, the latter now under
the Commissionership of Willis
Drummond, recently of McGregor
Iowa, and gentleman who is win.
ming golden opinions for the energy
efficiency and impartiality shown il
the discharge of his duties. Chosen
for the place without his nowled ge
because his veracity and integrity
in his own State were unimpeached
he has done here only what it wa.
expected ho would do, viz: recon
structed his office on basis of so,
briefly, industry, competency anc
loyalty and this he has done
without fear or favor, until he is now
I at the head of, as We believe, tn,
best conducted department of the
government.
South of the avenue and adjoining
, the Capitol Park, are the Botanica
Gardens and green houses with theil
rare and numerous collections o
nlQnta and nOwara and hayopd tb;a