National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-15
WASHINGTON NOTES.
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CAPITAL.

Now OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Socially md
Politically.
The following interesting notes about
Washington arc taken from Mr.. George
Alfred Townscnd's history Of the city, which
has just been published;
Tho capital was stakcd out the year after
Franklin's death, thirty years before the
death Of George ILL.,, In Gocthe's ffty-secoud
year and schilicr's thirty. second, sixteen
years before the first steamboat, two years
before Louis XVI. was guillotined. when
Louis PHILIPPE was In his nineteenth year,
while Count Rochambeau was commander OF
the French army, two years after Robesplerro
became head deputy, five years after the
Stephenson was boy Of ten, the year SUISSE
gucnt to the death Of Adam Smith, the year
John Wesley and Mlrabeau died, two years
before Brissot was guillotined, In Napoleon's
twenty-sccond year, tho year before Lord
North died, tho year Morse was born and
Mirabcau was buried, In tho third year Of the
London Times, just after Lafayette had been
the most powerful man In France, three years
before the death Of Edward Gibbon, while
Warren Hastings was on trial, In Burke's
sixty-frst year and Fox's forty-second and
Pitts thirty second three years after tho
death Of Chatham, In the Popedom OF Plus
W., while Simon Bolivar was child eight
years old, the year Cowper translated Homer,
aud In Burns prime.
THE OLD CAPITOL,
Including the works OF art which belonged
there, cost about e., 700 900. II covered con-
sidorably more than an acre and q half Of
ground. 1t was 352 feet inches long, 70
feet high to the top Of the balustradc, l45fcot
high to tho top Of the old dome, and the wings
were 12l feet O inches deep. These dimen-
sions show a sufficient edincc for tho period
TO have bcen truly national Capitol. The
part which the British burned had cost about
s7o0,000; to restore those parts cost about
100000; the frecstone centre cost about
tol contained about 221 acres.
TIE COST OF TIM cArIroL.
The cost OF tho Capitol extension was
about SS, 600 900, Of the new dome about 81,
$50 600. and of the new library enough adj
ditlonal TO make the entire cost upwards Of
sl0,000,0OO Works Of art and ornaments
made 100000 more. The extensions are
about one hundred and forty three by two
hundred and thlrty-nlne feet each, exclusive
Of porticoes. The whole Capitol has there.
fore cost about Si3, 100000.
THE DEoIssISe OF THE LOBBY.
The lobby at Washington Ia referred TO by
the architect Latrobe as early as 1905. He
plains that THE lobby Of the House Is &C
separated from II that those who retire to Il
cannot sec and probably will not distinctly
hear what is going forward In It. This ar
rangemcnt," he says, has been made with
the app obation Of the President Of the Uni
ted States. aud also under the advice of tn,
Speakers Of the two Houses at the time when
the designs were made. II Is novel, but II !,
supposed that the Inconvenience to which
the lobby now subjects the House will b.
thereby avoided"
THE FIRST LAND swISDLH.
The State Of Georgia was the nrst to In
augurate land swindle In 1859. Ii sold GU
to these private companies presumption right
to tracts OF land; these companies were calle,
the South Carolina Yazoo, tho Virginli
Yazoo, and the Tennessee Yazoo; tho Who'll,
amount Of land disposed Of was fifteen and |
half millions acres, and the sum agreed TO b,
paid was upwards Of 500, 900. Subsequently
tho same lands were sold to other companle
because the first purchasers insisted upoI
making their payments In deprecated
on the celebrated Yazoo claims, so-called.
NEW TEARS CALLS IN WASHINGTON.
The custom Of making New Years calls Ii
Washington Is Of comparatively recent orr
gin. Mr.. Madison, who had witnessed tn
York, In l7Q0-thon the seat Of government
inauguratcd the custom at the Executiy,
Mansion, when President, January 1, 1910.
In 1922, the Marine Dand performed at tn,
White House on New Years day, Us the Gus
tom has been ever since. In 1894 the door
OF the White House were thrown open 70
the first time on the LIST Of January to tn
public. The Int Rigencer Of tho next da.
congratuates Its leaders on the dccorous de
pertinent Of the people on that occasion.
THE WINTER OF 1895
was one OF the most brilliant ever known II
Washington. II was the period Of the ex
tives, when Mr.. Adams, Mr.. Clay and Gen
eral Jackson were candidates for the Presi
dency. The Marquis de 10 Lafayette wa
here Us the guest Of Congress, and occupies
apartments ut Browns hotel. In the las
week of December, 1924, Congress- had vote,
him the munifcent sum OF $500, 900 for hi
Revolutionary services. On the LIST Of Jan
uary, the reception at the Presidents wa
unusually brilliant-for among the guest
were the Marquis de la Faycttc and bis son
George Washington Lafayette, Harrison
Gray Otis, of Boston, the northern Chester
field, Governor Gore, Of Massachusetts
Stephen Van Rensselaer, tho PATRON, Ruff
King. Mr.. Lowell and Mr.. Graham, Of Bos
Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Webster, Mr.. Calhoun, MI
Crawford, Mr.. Everett, Mr.. Wilde, o
Georgia, Mr.. Hay ne, Of South Carolina, Gen
jackson, and many other distinguished per
sons, with the ladies Of their households-al
resident In Washington during that memor
able winter and forming galaxy Of talent
beauty and Accomplishment which has move
been surpassed In any subsequent period o
Washington society.
WASHINGTON IN NApIsos's TINE.
In Mr.. Madison's time Washington was
trsaggling village, without paycinents, stree
lamps, or other signs OF civilization. Tn
White House itself was incosed by common
post and rail fence, while all the other rescr
vations were unlnclosed and destitute Of tree
or any improvement. Even In Mr.. Monroe
time carriages were frequently mired on Penn
sylyania avenue In rainy weather. In l8l
the population Of Washington was less tha
that OF Georgetown or Alexandria, whic
then each contained eight thousand inhablt
ants. All those adventurous spirits like Law
Morris, Grcenloaf, and others, who had mad
here large Investments In real estate, wer
ruined. Mr.. Bush, Of Philadelphia, writinj
rs late as 1S+1, said he had long before los
all confidence In Washington property. /
was not until the commencement OF the Cap
ltol extension, In 1851, that the city began {,
show signs OF substantial prosperity and l.
afford an earnest Of Its subsequent GREATNESS
and strength. In all the past years Of II
history no improvements equal to those Of tn
year 1873 have been made. At least Ave hun
dred elegant houses have been erected by pri
vatc enterprise, to say nothing Of the mile
Of pavement and drives constructed by tn,
District government. A few years more o
equal enterprise, and Washington will reacl
rank among tho most beautiful cities on thi
continent,
THE FIRST PAPER
started under tho Federal Government wa
John Fenno's Gazette ofhs Unitet States, a
New York. Il was indirectly controlled b.
the Treasury Department, then the only De
partment with much pap, and was the orgai
of Hamilton. John Adams was q CORE
sponden. for 1t, under the name Of "Dayilla.
To offset this paper, Madison gave assistance
to Freneau In establishing the National Ga
sette, and Jefferson gave Philip Freneau, VIII,
was college graduate, the only disposabl
ONCE In the State Department, translatinI
clerk.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BUILDER OF TIL
CAPITOL DOME.
ION what principle Is that dome set up
Mr.. Fowler ?"
'on this principle; There Is a skeleton
series OF ribs within; they extrude support
for the outer dome; the figure on the top, tn
Government guaranteed 10 furnish, as II after
wards did from Clark Mills designs ant
castings. Tho scales on the dome are boltct
together. There Is no structure In tho worl,
more enduring than that dome. You ma.
call 1t eternal, II you like. II weighs owe