Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-18
wAsHINGTON IN 1901.
The National Capital as Albert
Galiaiin Described IL.

Henry Adams, in his Life of Albert
Gallatin, gives the following descrip-
ton of Washington in 1871, taken
from IA letter written by Mr.. Gallatin
to his wife
| arrived here on Saturday last.
The weather was intensely cold the
Saturday | crossed the Allegheny
Mountains, and atterward | was de-
tanned one day and a half by rain and
snow. Il \ Our local situation
is far from being pleasant or even con
venient Around the capitol are
seven or eight boarding houses, one
tailor, one shoemaker, one printer. a
washerwOman. a grocery shop. a dry
goods shop. and an oyster house.
This makes the whole Of the
Federal city as connected with the
capitol. At the distance of three
fourths OF a mile, on or near the
Eastern Branch, lie scattered the
Indications Of MIR. Law and of Mr..
Carroll, the principal proprietaries of
the ground, half a dozen houses. a
very large but perfectly empty ware
house, and a wharf graced by not a
single vessel. And this makes the
whole intended commercial part of
the city, unless VIC include in it what
is called the Twenty Buildings, being
so many unfinished houses commenced
by Morris and Nicholson, and perhaps
as many undertaken by Groenleaf,
both of which groups lie, at the dis
tanee of hslf-mile from each other.
near the mouth Of the Eastern Branch
and the Potowmack, and are divided
by a large swamp from the Capitol
Hill and the little village connected
with it, Taking a contrary di-
rection from the capitol to.
ward the Presidents house. the
same swamp interyeucs, and a straight
causewIy, which measures one mile
and Il half and seventeen perches.
forms the communication betweenthe
two buildings. A small stream. about
the size Of the largest Of the two runs
between Clare's and our house. and
decorated with the pompous appella-
ton OF "Tyber, feeds without drain
ing the swamps, and along that cause
way (called the P~ennsylvania avenue)
between the capitol and Presidents
house, not a single house intervenes or
can intervene without devoting its
wretched tenant to perpetual fevers.
From the Presidents house 10 George.
town the distance is not quite a mile
and a half; the ground is high and
level the public offices and from
fifty TO one hundred good houses are
finished the Presidents house is a
very elegant building, and this part of
the city on account of its natural
situation, or its vicinity to George.
town, with which it communicates
over Rock creek by two bridges. and
by the c%oncourse of people drawn by
having business with the public
offices, will improve considerably and
may, within a short time, form a town
equal in size aud population to Ian
caster or Annapolis. But we are
not there the distance is too
great for convenience from thence
TO the capitol six or seven of
the members have taken lodgings
at Georgetown, three near the Pres
ldents house, and all the others
are crowded in the eight boarding
houses near the capitol. am at Con.
rad and Mediums, where | share the
room OF Mr.. Varnum, aud pay az the
rate, ! think, includi,g at,endance.
wood, candles and liquors. of SIS per
week. At the table, | believe. we are
from twenty-fou to thirty, aud. were
ltnot for the presence OF Mrs. Bailey
and Mrs. Brown, would look Ike \
%reteetory OF monks. The two Nicbo.
lases, Mr.. Langdon. Mr.. ,JefFcrson
General Smith, Mr.. Baldwin. etc
make part of our mess. The company
is good enough, but it is always liz
same, and, unless in my own family, I
had rather now and then see some
other persons. Our not being able IN
have room. each is a greater i%aeonyen.
fence. As to our fare, we have hardly
any vegetables, the people being
obliged to resort to Alexandra fop
supplies our beef is not very good
mutton and poultry good the price
OF provisions and wool about the same
as in Philadelphia. As to rents. /
have not yet been able to ascertain
anything precise, but. on the whole.
living must Re somewhat dcarer here
than either in Philadelphia OF New
York.
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