The Washington critic., 1886-06-09

clly W DeuOlu Jlc NuIlCu ODlcClS Ol III
tcrest which so thickly stud the his
toric "Ten Miles Square" or these
objects the most conspicuous are Of
course the Government buildings.
Chief among those is, first
The Capitol.
This great building is the central point of the
original District and is the largest edihco
~ the country; Its centre marks the Me
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
British In 1874, but was completely restored
by 1897. 1t incoses the "crypt'-where the
remains of Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library the Rotuuda, the old
Representatives Hall, now tho Gallery of
Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. The old supreme
Court room, 10 the first story, Is nov, occu.
pied by the Law Branch of the Library.
The cornerstone of the Capitol extension
the north and south wings-wGs laid July 4,
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the Grafton
of the occasion from the balcony OF the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives, and the north
wing the Senate Chamber. The rotunda IS dis.
tinguishcd for Its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, with their alto
relcfs, and for Brumdl's frescolngs. In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures In
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
freak of nature. From the little rotnnda,
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
staircase to the top of the dome begins its
winding way From the top of the dome, or
as far as the visitor can ascend, the view
OF the surrounding. country Is MAGNIFICENT
The Capitol grounds, which formerly were
homely and formal In appearance, have
pssR pssR and are So% most S exaoy F5 Sean
ful. The east base of tho Capitol Is sOI6
feet above ordinary low tide In the Potomac
The total height from cast base TO the top
of the temple covering the dome Is 2SS feet
the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, 1gH
feet, making the total height to tho crest OF
the statue 3Ot1e feet. This crest Is 800 feet
higher than the west gate Of tho grounds,
and 800 feet above low tide in the Potomac,
or sis feet lower than the apex Of the Wash.
incton Monument, which Is Immediately
west. The building is 75l feet long by 3@i
wide, and covers 3K acres. II Is the finest
and largest public building in the world;
and In many respects the costliest and
handsomest. 1t is moreover the growth of
less than ceptury-a fact which adds to
its beauty and Interest. The original Capl-
iol, or centre building, is an imitation,
though not a slavsh one, of the Nlason
Carroe at Nismes. The view from the west
portico at night, when the lamps are lit in
illuminate the darkness Is one of the most
beautiful and picturesque In the world and
is well worth u journey Of thousand miles
TO see.
The Whife HOUSE.
From the west balcony of the Capitol, looking
down Pennsylvania avenue, the White
House Is seen rearing its snowy-hued walls
above the dense mass of opening that en-
bowers II, like gigantic Gala lily sprnging
up amid its enfoding green blades. We're
building the view Of the White House from
the Capitol would be full and complete. The
White House is the center Of Uptown" as
the Capitol is the center Of Down town.
10 haunfffpllx- TAt a
south windows covering the whole southern
front of the city, as the view from the north
up Sixteenth street west exhibits the best
part of tho Northwest section to the gaze.
The White House Is copy of the palace of
the Duke OF Leinster at Dublin, with the
addition.of a large porch on the north front,
which was added during Andrew Jackson 3
administration. The reservation in which
1t stands embraces nearly 81 acres The
main entrance Is on the north, reached by
the pennsylvania avenue cars. 1t Is two
stories high on the north, is built of white
free-stone, 40 feet long by SO wide. II con
tans on the first floor the famous Green,
Red, Blue and East rooms, the state Dining
Room and the great Conservatories. The
Blue Room Is the Presidents Official roGep
tlonroom and the edrawing-room of the ladies
of his family. The East Room, originally
designed for banquet hall and so used as
late as 1887, and In the latter part of the
century used as drylng-room for clothes
by Mrs. President Adams, Is the largest and
most noted room IN the building. It Is 2,
feet high, 50 feet long and 40 wide, 1t Il
open to visitors every day except Sundays
offices. the Presidents Office, the librar!
and the family apartments. All thes(
rooms except the latter are open to visitors
by special permission. at suitable hours.
Lafayette Square.
| Due north from the White House Is Lafayette
Square, the first public reservation In Wash
ineton that was improved, 1t contains tn,
nnVngfrfun a hnI1nNU
| Clark Mills. Many of It's trees are old foros
| monarchs hundreds of years old, 1t Is II
| part specimen Of the old formal landscap
| gardening so fashionable In England twt
hundred years ago, style that was I'm
| ported into this country, Lafayette SquGr
| was, one hundred years ago part ef grave
| yard that enclosed tho square north, OF
| which st. Johns Church Is built, and til
| square east, on which are situated the Al
| torney.General's Office Qormcrly the Freed
mans Bank), the Surgeon Generals oitic
and Riggs Bank (hoth IN the building for
| Commodore Dccatur's house, corner I'll
teenth ard a-half and IL streets, and tn
| old Club House; near which Philip Barto
Key was killed by Daniel u. Sloklcs, Men
her of Congress from New York. The las
bodies from this graveyard were not re
moved until 1910.
st. Johns n. II. Church.
St. Johns p, Il. Church, which has been o'te
called the state Church because moro Pres
| dents have Worshipped there than az an
other, stands ut the corner of IL and Six
teenth streets. II was built in 1916 and eI
larged In 1890 In Il have worshippcd Pre-
idents Madison, Monroe, John Quinc
Adams UhOugh the latter was a Congregi
| tionalisD Martin Van Burcn, though he b'
longed to the Dutch Reformed Church, lIa
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore (thOug
the latter was n Unitarian), Pierce, Buoi
anan and Arthur. Presidents Lincoln
johnson and Grant have also attended d
vine services here although not steadily, Il
| interior reminds one very forcibly OF Il
old, dim English country Episcopal churche
The Treasury Department..
Tho Treasury Department IS east of the Whit
| House and extends the whole length OF tl
| front between Pennsylvania and New Sor
avenues. 1t is 5S2 feet long by 800 feet wild
| The central east portion IL built of iroostOn
rebuilt In ls36-il, while the other parts WEI
commenced In 1856 and built OF grant
The Cash Room IN this building Is bea
| tiful apartment In. tho north wing, the e
trance 10 which is from the north pore
The vaults are under the Cash Room an
| can be seen on a written permit given I