, 1873-04-06
WASHINGTON.
Strolls Out Of Doors--Hints and
"reminiscences Of the
Capital.
Peeks into Nooks.--Threads Of Old
Lives Taken Up--.Excursions
in the Recess.


From Our Otrn Correspondent. .,
WAsHNe1os, March 20, 1873.
Caldwell has gone up like bubble without q
tint. Patterson gets in no eulogiun upon the
record. Clayton ia declared simon-pure which
makes M think Of John G. Riyes' remark on
Cameron: "He mag be Simon Cameron" said
Riyes, shut I'll be whanged if he is simon
pure" = !.
In this ugly March weather, We scribes and
Pha1isees get on best We see Congress go
without protest, and hope they may stay away
as long as they can. We now hitch up our car
riage-animal, and go or into the suburbs, look
ing for sights and sweets, for early shad and
frcsh-broiled heuing-roe, for old landmarks md
new Developments. Thank God for eyesight, to-
see things which cool the brain and blow across
the mind! In this queer old nook Of billy
Maryland, where tho Capitol got to bo through
processes Of the picturesque and inevitable
there is q memory to every old gable-roof and
guilty rayine. Let us get riding-WhiP and
parcel Of cigars, and go meander7ng:
At oAK HILL CEMETERY,
which many think to be the handsomest place OF
eepulture in the world, I walked last Sunday to
soc the old Yan Ness Mausoleum, which had
been set up precisely as it used to be. The work
had been done with admirable nicety, and the
spot Was in vale far below Georgetown
Heights While standing there, I looked round
and found myself beside Secretary Stantons
tomb, q granite structure, under which are
buried the man whom Seward had said "organ-
ized victory better than Carnot," and his infant
daughter. The inscription was simple, and the
spot eligible and high. 4 few PAGES
Tho t.,111
WAS the marble shaft to Gen. Reno, killed
at South Mountain, the top of the shaft
carved like mourning drapery. Between these
two monuments, the eye roved down. the steep
decliTities and terraces OF the noble cemetery,
whore every memorial-stone vas shaft,-no
slabs OF vaults being permitted On the highest
ground stood the beautiful chapel, lu1uriant
with ivy, which covered all the buttresses, and
barely left space for the great sculptured win
dow at the end. On mound in the dell Of the
Cemetery is the elegant white marble pavilion Of
the Co1coran family.
1ln. CoRCoRAN. .''
is the richest man in Washington City, and the
iahabitant Of the most extensive and COM
p1ete mansion. It stands opposite Deca-
tur's old mansion. and iB by many thought
to be the proper site for q new E1ecu-
tive Mansion. Mr. Co1cofan is a descendant
Of an Irishman who lived at Georgetown before
the Capital City was established. He is said to
hare made his first success as banker in ad-
yances to Government employees. Mr. Riggs,
rich Ma1ylander,= being desirous OF finding
suitable businesB-partner for his son, chose Cor
coran- Their banking house wsa for some time
in the Paymaster,s building, on Fifteenth street,
opposite the Treasury but they took the United
States Bank building at . later date, where Mr.
Riggs still conducts the business, Mr.. Corcoran
h.vfno a ronun thnre TprcOrRu wAH h1VAyH 4
man Of large ideas and worldly observation. At
the present time, when his sands OF life seem to
be running out he is in appearance large,
portly, refned-loohng person; with square head
Of neat and respectable Dress He made large
portion Of his fortune-which is BY some esti-
mated at Sc 000, 900, and BY Some at &12 o00, COO
by taking tho National loans, particularly dur
ing the Mexican War. He shared the eonserya-
tive prejudices Of the old class OF Washington
iaus, but had the good sense to keep out Of the
Rebellion and not to antagonize the Go7ern-
nent. 1t relatively early period, he bought .
sion, and also several OF the noblest farm-lends
and hiIl-sites around tie city. He has given to
Washington about S, ,o00, 900 Of benetactions IN
art and philanthropy: During US IRE ne ne ms n
misfortune Of losing his wife at an carly pc;
Rod: he has been reverent and devoted
to her memory. Such is the richest Washing
tonian His fanily-tomb at Georgetown is the
mOGt 6Eu1neLr1CA1 aEQ Ele6dAk OOlcCt A11 eoA1-
etery, which he also bestowed upon the city
Near by it runs Rock Creek, winding through
tie hills, and, making the Soothing music OF .
cascade, whose pleasant plash can be heard an
over the cemetery.
VIII SHOULD WE WONDER :,
that people and parvenuea seek to push into
public life when its associations are 30 lnspir-
ing? Here, III the cemetery, one might well
wish to rest, with the associations OF the Capital
around him. Here the poor scribe might take
pleasure in the anticipation Of lying down close
By the spot where he has fretted out the years
Of lis youth, seeking to turn aside g. foreordaln-
cd nationality moving under irresstible impulse,
with the little dam of Observation-Disclosures.
RIDE TO GREAT FALLS.
# this country had no Niagara, the Great
Falls Of the Potomac would be one OF its most
celebrated ornaments: It is astonishing to know
how few people Of Washington has ever visited
level OF the great aqueduct, and is charming
succession Of sights, prospects, and lonesome
stretches but the road is unfortunately IN
paved, and, therefore, in wet weather, Is hardly
pas9abs SLOW but agre9s493e t43a Wy o1 eeth
runs up the canal, carrying mails and passen-
gers to Point Of Rocks, every alternate day.
The locks on this canal are among the most
magnificent in the world and the entire trip to
hours Of daylight, is one Of the most agree
able in our landscapes. It passes the
Little and tho Great Falls the great arch over
Cabin John Run, the Seneca quarries, the bat
ue-fe1ds Of Balls Bluff and Monocacy, and along
the whole line Of that haunted etream which
seems to echo forever those deep and olden
tones :" All quiet on the Potomac"
The Great Falls itself is something OF canal
village. There is large and commodious house
for the Canal Company, md a storehouBe and
come shanties put up to accommodate 1nhorers
on the aqueduct. The canal and the creek
must be crossed to get to the Falls. which are
situated quarter Of 8 mile from the village.
The Fall itself can be beheld from the rocky
precipices which ipclose it, in all the
solen1nitv Of nature and loneliness. A
series Of strong and heady rapids deck
the wide river as it come narrowing down
to series Of strewn rocks, some Of them OF
formidable size. Between some Of the greatest
Of these, the river tunables in albow-form, and,
proceeding few feet farther, dashes again into
i dark gorge, surrounded with naked sleeps,
along which the frs and forest-trees are revealed
In thu heck-cround Eernrninp in the Lonesome