The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-02-05

NOlfS B1 MEDlC. A WALDO CoONI
MAN SIGHTSEEING AT THE NATIONAL CAP
ITAL. VISITS TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE,
ETC.
Correspondence of the journal.
WASHINGTON, d. c.. Jan. 1885 The first
thing that attracts the attention of the stranger
in Washington is the beauty and regularity of
the streets and avenues The plan of the city
is very simple. 1t is built on a triangular piece
of land between the Potomac and the Anacosia,
or Eastern Branch of the Potomac it is call
ed here. The city is divided in four quarters
by two streets which ntersect at the Capitol in
the central part of the triangle on an eminence
called Capitol Hill. The four quarters into
which the city is divided receive the names of
Northeast, Southeast, Northwest and South
| west, according to its direction from the Capt.
tol. All the streets which run north and south
are numbered First ST., Second ST., Third ST.,
ETC., beginning at the Capitol and numbering
each way east and west. All the streets which
run east and west are lettered A St., B St., G
ST. etc. beginning at the Capitol and lettering
each way north and south The numbered and
lettered streets intersect at right angles form
ing squares, which are occupied by residences
and business places. There are one hundred
numbers n each square, so that any number, as
100 +. ST.. may be either n. W., 5. W., n Z. or
5. f. according to its direction from the Capt.
toll. 50 that the letters n W. after a number
do not stand for North Washington, but snow
in what quarter of the city the number is sit
uated.
The Avenues, which are named from the
different states, as Pennsylvania Ave- New
York Ave. &c, radiate from the Capitol and
cross the streets Obliquely. forming by their
intersections, triangular parks which are orna-
mented with fountains. statues, plants, shrubs |
and shade trees and which add much % the
picturesque beauty of the city. Besides these
small parks there are nearly 200 acres in large
parks and public grounds. laid out with walks
and driveways. and abounding in splendid
fountains grand monuments and magnificent
statues. and ornamented with Towering plants
and shrubs and shade trees surrounded by
rustic seats and benches, where one can sit and
breath the delightful perfume of the "Sweet
Magnolia bloom" and listen to the Warbling of
the myrad> of feathered songSters as they it
from bough to bough of the evergreen shrub
berry As we wander through these places on
these warm, bright sunny afternoons. fa>c-
mated by their grandeur and beauty even in
January, we think "what paradise it must
be in the month of June"
or the thousands who come to this city sight
seeing. the first place visited by niue out of
ten. is the National Capitol; and we with the
| rest embrace the first opportunity to visit this
| place of universal interest We take the horse
| ear on Penn>l lvania Ave- which. by the way i
| ue street of Washington, and probably eXcel>
| III magnificent grandeur any street in America
| We pass the large park known as the ''mall''
containing the Smithsonian Institution. the
National Museum. the Botanic Garden-in
! front of which is the famous Bar,holdi Foun-
| tain-wind up over Capitol Hill and leave the
| car in the spacious driveway which leads to
| the central portlco Of the Capitol. The build
| ing occupies lofty seat on Capitol Hill and
| overlook- the official business. and fashionable
parts of the city. 1t is surrounded by Park.
| artlstlcay laid out. and which comprises 81
acres The principal front i to the east but IA
marble terrace is being built on the west side,
| which will greatly add to its air lady imposing
| appearance and when completed the building.
| so to speak. Will front both ways. Some idea of
| the size Of the building may be obtained from
| the fact that the ground floor, to say nothing Of
| the broad flight of stone steps and terraces
| which surround it, covers about g. acres. The
| original building Is of Potomac Free Stone and
| was begun in 1893 and finished in 1878. The
marble wings occupied by the House Of Rep
| resentatlye> and the Senate. We're begun in 1881
| and completed in 1919. The building is sur
mounted by dome Of iron-a gigantic monu-
| nent of mechanical skill. .SS f. in height and
| l353 it. i'll diameter This dome is itself sur
| mounted by a bronze statue of Liberty, 10! fl.
| in height. costing 81 900 but from he ground
| this immense statue appears no larger lhan the
| average woman.
| After viewing the East front went up the
| broad steps of the central portico. Here on
| these steps. during the inauguration ceremon
les, the President of the L. 5. takes the oath of
| office. We cross the landing to the great
| hronze doors at the main entrance to the Capt.
| tol. The doors are - #. high weigh 10000 lbs,
| and cost S2S.OO0. On their surface raised
| rgures, etc., representing the important events
| i'll the life of Columbus. We enter this door
| and hnd ourselves in the vast rotunda of the
| National Capitol. Never have we beheld such
IA grand spectacle. 1t would require ADLER
| pen than mine to do justice to the scene; and
| t,E,
| one would obtain very faint conception of
| the awe Inspiring impression made upon the
| stranger, as he stands for the first time in this
| vast circular rotunda, 96 fit. in diameter. sur
| rounded by costly works of celebrated painters.
| >cul ptors and architects, and looks upward
| nearly 200 1T. to the beautiful painted canopy
| in the arch of the dome above him. This can
| opy was executed by the celebrated Brumd, is
| 6o3 #. in diameter and cost $4,000, Washing
| ton is portrayed in the center. with the figure
| Free.om on his right and Victory on his left,
| surrounded by circle of IL female figures
| representing the 13 original colonies. Opposite
| tn man entrance is the entrance TO the Lib
| rary OF Congress and on the right and left are
| the entrances to the north and south wings.
| Between these. or on either side of each en-
| trance are the celebrated historical paintings.
| One who has never seen these paintings
| could have no idea of their size. We could not
| ascertain the exact dimensions but should
Judge that they Were, at least, ID it, by 10 it, Each
painting Is surrounded by an engraved gilt
! frame II or IA inches deep. The first rep
resent> the landing of Columbus in 1892. and
was painted by John Vanderlyn in 1912 and
cost $4,000. The second represents the dis
cnverl of the Mississippi river by De Soto in
lo4l and was painted by W. Ii. Powell IN 1880
and cost $4,000. The third is representation
Of the baptism of Pneahonas in 1913, and was
| painted by }. q. Chapman in 1886, al Il cost of
| Sl0,OoO. The fourth represents the enibarka-
ton of the Pilgrims in 1920. and was painted
| by Robert Wier in 1910, and also cost $4,000.
| The remaining four We're all painted by John
| Trumhull at cost of $32 900 and represent a>
| follows: he signing of the Declaration of
Independence. July 4, 1776. The surrender of
| Burgoyne at Saratoga in III. The surrender
| of CornwalIis in ISL. and General Washington
| re>lgning his commission in 1888. Between
and just above these paintings are busts in
"Alto Rellevo," believe it is called, of Column
| bus. La Sale, Raleigh and Cabot.
We leave the Rotunda by the west door and
| enter The Library of Congress. This library
| now comprises $50. 600 books and 200 900 pam
| phlets. 1t is TIE largest in the United States
and there are only six larger in the world. Per-
| haps my readers can get Il better idea of the i'm
mense number Of books when tell them thai
| THIS library occupies main hall 81 IT. long, 81
ft. wide, and Two wings 95 #. long and 295 fl.
wide, each 3S ft. high and that the walls
literally covered with books; besides more than
half Of the floor is occupied by bookcases and
tables loaded with books and pamphlets.
Returning to the Rotunda we pass out at the
| uoltil uopi anu up lut SldiTWhS-Nlnulug ul
| through the iron frame work to the top of the
dome. About half way up door opens from
the stairs to platform running around The out
side of the dome. Resting here a few moments
we continue our upward flight until we reach
the landing running around the inside of the
| dome just below the painted canopy. We are
| surprised at the large >ize and coarsenesSof the
| figures which described as so beautiful
when seen from below. But we readily under
stand why this is 50, we look over the rafting
| down nearly 200 ft. to the marble pavement be-
low, on the crowd of people, Tho appear like
many little school children engaged in their
MONDAY sport. After buying some memen oe>
to take home and paying a high price-due |
suppose to the high stuation-we proceed up
to the top of the dome and look out over the
city and surrounding country. 1t is magnt-
cent picture. Over 800 feet below us is spread
out the busy city. with its stately edices and
magnificent public buildings, dotted here and
there with beautiful parks and pubic gardens,
with its wide avenues, thronged with people
and vehicles of every description, radating
from the circle of the Capitol grounds ami
stretching in all directions until they terminate
at the boundary lines of the city. Beyond the
city, across the Potomac, stretches the pictur-
esque land of Old Virginia. After noticing the