The Washington critic., 1886-06-03
Objects of Interest in and About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens and
Other Points of Attraction.
THE WAY TO REACH THEM.

lne Capltul OF inc NullOu III 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 po-
litical metropolis. For 1t is estimated
that over one 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" 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 IL the largest edihco
In the country; Its centre marks tho Me-
Immediately under the. dome, is the part
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
British In 1874. but was completely restored
by 1877. 1t incloses the "crypt''-wherc the
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
pied by the Law Branch of the Library.
The cornerstone of the Capitol extension
the north and south wings-was laid July 4,
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oration
of the occasion from the balcony Of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives, ami the north
wing the Senate Chamber The rotunda Is dis.
tnguished for its historic paintings, for tho
famous bronze doors, with their alto
reliets, and for Brumidi's frescoings. In the
Hall of statuary are the natural pictures in
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
tain. American statesmeu-a picturesque
freak Of nature. From the little rotunda,
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
SSeR besR and sre 9cW most pS Ssa
full. The east base of the Capitol Is 500
feet above ordinary low tide in the Potomac.
The total height from east base to the top
the statue of the Goddess Of Liberty 1915
feet, making the total height to the crest OF
the statue 50,11 feet This crest Is 800 feet
higher than the west gate of the grounds,
or PAS feet lower than the apex of the Wash.
ington Monument, which is Immediately
west. The building Is 75l feet long by 3si
wide, and covers ~ acres. 1t is the finest
and in many respects the costlest and
handsomest. 1t is moreover the growth of
less than ccntury-a fact which adds to
It's beauty and Interest. The original Capt.
though not slavish one, OF the Maison
Carree at Nismes. The view from the west
portico at night, when, the lamps are lit 10
illuminate the darkness is one Of the most
beautiful and picturesque in the world and
is well worth journey Of u thousand miles
to see.
The White House.
From the west balcony of the Capitol, looking
down PENNSYLVANIA avenue, the White
House is seen rearing It's snOwy-hued walls
above the dense mass OF opening that em-
bowers It, like gigantic Gala lily springing
up amid its enfolding green blades. We're
uss Sr te se ss% pSty s WSea s ayy
the Capitol would be full and complete. The
White House is the center of Uptown" as
the Capitol is the center of Down town"
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 the 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's
administration. The reservation In which
1t stands embraces nearly 81 acres, The
main entrance Is on the north, reached by
the Pennsylvania avenue cars. It is two
stories high on the north, is built OF white
tains 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 recep-
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 a drying-room for clothes
hx,h hrg A do to tln 1ar. - "A
most noted room in the building: 1t Is q
feet high 50 feet long and 40 wide. 1t Is
open to visitors every day except Sundays
Upstairs are the Cabinet room, the private
offices. the Presidents office, the library
and the family apartments. All these
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
ington that was improved. 1t contains tho
eS,s equestrian T,I statue Of Andrew Jackson. by
monarchs, hundreds OF years old. 1t Is II
part u specimen of the old formal landscap,
gardening SO fashionable In England tw'
hundred years ago, n style that was i'm
ported into this country. Lafayette Squar,
was. one hundred years ago. part " Il grave
yard that enclosed the square north, OF
which st. Johns Church Is built, and tn,
square east, on which are situated the At
torney'General's Office formerly the Freed
mans Bank, the Surgeon Generals onic
and Riggs Bank (both Ia the building for
mtrly used as the United States Bank)
Commodore Decatur's house, corner FIJI
teenth and a-half and IL streets, and tn
old Club House; near which Philip Bartol
| Key was killed by Daniel e. Sickles, Mem
ber of Congress from New York. The las
bodies from this graveyard were not re
moved until 1910.
st. Johns T.. T.. Church.
| xplt oh hn f,ff
called the State Church because more Pres
dents have worshipped there than at an
other, stands at the corner of II and Six
Ieenth sreets so l. built in isG and en-
| idents Madison, Monroe, John Quinc
| Adams (though the latter was n Congrega
| tionalist Martin Van Bnren, though he bC
| rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor Fillmore (thoug
the latter was n Unitarian), Pierce, Bucl
| anan and Arthur. Presidents Lincoln
johnson and Grant have also attended D
| vine services. here although not steadily. II
| interior reminds one very forcibly OF tn
old, dim English country Episcopal churches
The Treasury Department..
| The Treasury Department is east of the Whit
House and extends the whole length of til
| front hstween Pennsylvania and New Yor
avenues. II Is 5s2 feet long. by 800 feet wid'
| The central cast portion Is built of froestont
| rebuilt In 1864, while the other parts wer
commenced in 1865 and built of grant,
The Cash Room In this building Is beat
tiful apartment in the north wing, the el
trance to which is from the north porcl
| The vaults are under the Cash Room an
can he seen on q written permit given b
the treasurer of the United States, who's
Office Is In the north east angle on the drt
floor. This permit must be shown the casl
Ter who will detail guides to take the Wis
| tor into the great bullion chests of the coui
try. The old State Department used to b
on the site occupied by the northeast co
ner Of the Treasury.
War, Navy ana state DEPARTMENT.
This edifce. once named by Washingto
Journalist the "'Iriune Building,n occupit
the west side of the Presidents reservation
| Immediately west of the White House III
State Department occupies the south par
| the Navy Is located north of the State, Will
the War Department occupies the entir
northern half, IL Is new and very hanC
,..lnln