The Washington critic., 1886-08-30
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest in and About tho
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens and
other Points of Attraction.
THE WAY TO REACH THEM.

Washington is fast becoming the
most attractive city of the country. AS
the Capital of the Nation It presents
more objects of interest to the visitor
than any other on the continent, and
brief directory of its prominent points
will be of service to the vast number of
persons who annually resort to the DO.
iitical metropolis. For IL is estimated
that over three hundred thousand
strangers pay visit every year TO this
city to behold the varied objects of in.
terest which so thickly stud the his
toric "Ten Miles Square"
The system OF Numbering Houses.
Numbers are displayed over the entrances TO
all houses, and the decimal system, as
adopted in Philadelphia is usod-one hun.
dred numbers being allotted to each square
or block commencing at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
east, A street north, running north, and A
street south, running south, The odd mum
bers are always on the right-hand side 60.
ing from the Capitol, and the even numbers
on the ofthand side. The city l. divided
into four quarters or sections, northeast and
northwest, southeast and southwest, the
streets being DESIGNATED accordingly; those
those running cast and west by the letters
of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
North and South Capitol streets, running
on n line due north aud south from the Cap
itol and East Capitol street, aud a Gontnua.
tion on the same west of the Capitol, rum
ming due east and west,
The Capitol.
| This great building is the central point of the
original District, and Is the largest odiCe
in the country It's centre marks the Me-
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome is tho part
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
n = ~
by 1877. II inCloses the "crypt"-where the
remains of Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library, the Rotunda, the old
Representatives. Hall, now the Gallery Of
| Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
Courtroom, in the first story, is now occu.
pied by the Law Branch of the Library.
| The cornerstone of the Capitol extension
| the north and south wings-was laid July f.
| 1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oration
of the occasion from the balcony of the
| Library. Tho south wing contains the
| House of Representatives, and the north
| wing the Senate Chamber. The rotunda is dis
| tinguished for Its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, with their alto
| rciefs, and for Brumdi's frescoings. In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures In
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
tain, American statesmen-a picturesque
Immediately north of the great rotlnda, the
staircase to the top of the dome begins Its
| winding way From the top OF the dome, or
| as lar as tne NlSltOf can ascend, tne Wow
of the surrounding country Is magnificent
The Capitol grounds which formerly were
homely and formal in appearance, have
been transformed into beautiful
park and are now most eXquisitely beaut
ful. The east base of the Capitol is SOh
feet above ordinary low tide in the Potomac
The total height from east base to the toy
of the temple covering the dome is 2SS feet
the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, l9l,
feet, making the total height to the crest o
the statue 3O516 feet. This crest is 800 fee
higher than the west gate of the grounds
and 397 feet above low tide in the Potomac
| or 24s feet lower than the apex of the Wash
ington Monument, which Is Immediately
west The building Is 15l feet long by 32
wide, and covers 3h acres 1t Is the fines
and largest public building in tho world
and in many respects the costlest and
| handsomest. II is moreover the growth o
| less than a century-a fact which adds L
its beauty and interest. The original Capt
iol, or centre building, Is an imitation
though not slayish one, OF the Masol
| CarIee at Nismes. The view from the ives
portico at night, when the lamps are lit II
| the public grounds and the lights of the cit
illuminate the darkness is one of the mos
beautiful and picturesque in the world and
is well worth u journey OF a thousand mile
|