Arizona citizen., 1878-02-01
WILMINGTON CITY.
Its Public Buildings and Sur
 rOundinSs.
lFrom our Special Correspondent.

EDIIOR ClTILEN: haVlng expressed your desire through your paper for
 items from every section, make an
 effort to comply by submitting a few
 Capitol notes. Just as l am beginning
 I remember that 1878 is here. hence I
 may suggest happy new year to the readers of THE CITIZEN. I also find that Congress is not in session, most of. the members having gone home, and
 politics "slow" Nothing of much
 interest save the revelations by the
 Hon. Wm. F. Chandler of Connecticut, regarding the electoral count And so, in the absence of news of special i'm portance, and as many of your readers have never been in Washington, have thought that a simple description of tie city with its surroundings, public
 buildings, grounds, &c., might be of. interest.
 The location of Washington in one respect resembles that of the City of.
 New York-the latter has the Hudson river on the west and the East river opposite, while Washington has theI
 Potomac river on the west and theI Eastern Branch opposite These two last named rivers are crossed by six long and substantial bridges oyer which ! pass the main thoToughfares leading to the Nations Capitol The upper bridge OF the Potomac, known as the 1 Chain bridge, is on the old Georgetown turnpike and about three miles above 1 the latter place. This leads through a fine farming and grazing country toI Leasburg, Va. It was built many years ago at great cost, having been mac ademized with large stones the whole distance-some forty miles-but now IS | in a most miserable condition. The country along this road for about ten miles from Washington looks as though . 1t had been forsaken It Is stripped of all farming improvements, the build ings and fences never having been re placed since the war.
 The Acqueduct bridge crosses the Potomac from Georgetown to the foot of Arlington Flights, and is on the road to Falls Church, Va. This struct- ure answers a double purpose, the Georgetown canal passing underneath and roadway above The other and last bridge on this side of the city is designated as the Long bridge, and is on the highway leading from the south part of Washington to Alexandria This bridge also answers two purposes, having railway track and a wagon road side by side.
 The Navy Yard bridge crossing the East Branch from the foot of Eleventh street southeast 10 Anacostla, Maryland, Is fine, new iron structure, built by the Government some two years since at cost of $2OO,0OO About a mile further up Is the bridge of the Balti- more and Potomac Railroad; and still another mile up this Branch Is Ben ning's Bridge From the north the city is approached by several roads from Montgomery and Prince George counties.
 Washington is built in valley, and beautiful and commanding views of the city may be had from the summit of Arlington, Good Hope and other points east and west. Among the many public buildings, the Capitol stands out bold, prominent and grand, and is one of the most magnificent and imposing structures in the world. From Lhe lofty summit of its dome may be had another most beautiful view of the city and surroundings. The Capitol is occupied by the two Houses of Con- yress, the Supreme Court room, the Presidents room, Committee Rooms, he National Library, the ROtunda and he old Hall of the House of Repre- ;entalives. The remainder of the build ing Is occupied principally by offices for the transaction of public business, &c The Rotunda is or . by a dozen or more large and beautifully executed oil paintings, winch represent some of the most i'm 1ortant and interesting scenes in Amer can history, such as the Discovery of. America, Landing of the Pilgrims, Baptism ot Pocahontas, Surrender of. Lord Cornwallls, Signing of the Dec 1 araIion of Independence, and many , others equally suggestive. The old Hall of Representatives contains large number of statues of our country's i heroes and statesmen, among which ( noticed Washington, Putnam, Webster, | Hay, the lamented Lincoln and many |, ,thers.
 The next building of note is the home, popularly called the ' White House. This is large, plain e with a spacious porch in front T by massive pillars, situated ! ID the south side of Pennsylvania Av- f,
 ue. between Fifteenth and Eighteenth treets. southwest The building is urrounded by extensive and handsome U V ornamen,ed grounds, containing S rees with rich, dense foliage, affording t
 most beautiful shade, sparkling loun- y
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