The Washington critic., 1886-08-23
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest in and About the
National Capital,
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
THE WAY TO REACH THEM.

Washington is fast becoming the
most attractive city of the country. AS
the Capital of the Nation IL presents
more objects of interest to the visitor
than any other on the continent, and n
brief directory of its prominent points
will be of service TO the vast number OF
persons who annually resort to the po.
liical metropolis. For 1t 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 thicllly stud tho his
toric "Ten Miles Square"
The System OF Numbering Houses.
Numbers are displayed over the entrances to
all houses. aud the decimal system. as
adopted IN Philadelphia, is uscd-onc hun
utcd numbers being allotted to each square
or b!ock-cOinmoucing 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.
herg are alway9 ON the right.hand side 20.
ing from the Capitol, and the even numbers
ON the leit.hand side. The city Is divided
into four quarters or sections, northeast and
northwest, southeast and southwest, the
streets being designated accordingly; those
running north and south numerically. and
those running cast and west by the ictters
Of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
North and South Capitol streets, running
on a line due north aud south from the Cap.
itol and East Capitol street, and a continua.
tion ON the same west of the Capitol, run
ming due east and west.
T'hc Capitol.
This great building Is the central point Of the
original District, and Is tho largest edico
IN the country: Its centre marks the Ne
ridian OF Washington, The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, Is tho part
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
British IN 1914, but was completely restored
by lss1 10 incloses the "crypt'-wherc the
remains of Washington We're intended to be
placed, the Library, the Rutunda the old
Representatives Hall, now the Gallery of
Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the supreme COURTROOM, The, old supreme
Courtroom, ia 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 t.
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the OratiOn
of the occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives. and the north
wing gthc Senate Chamber The rotunda is dis.
tinguished for its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, with their alto
rclcfs and for Brumldi's frescoings In the
nan OF Statuary are the natural pictures In
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
tain American statcsmen-a picturesque
freak of nature. From the little rotunda,
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
sluutuSt 10 llb lOl OF Ille uONle OtglnS It's
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
been transformed into beautiful
park and are now most eXquisitcy beauti-
full. The east base of the Capitol Is S0l6
feet above ordinary low tide in tho Potomac
The total height from east base to the top
OF the temple covering the dome Is 2SS feet;
the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, 1915
feet, making the total height to the crest Of
the statue 30i1l feet This crest is 800 feet
higher than the west gate of the grounds,
and 80i feet above low tide in the Potomac,
or 2lS feet lower than the apex of the Wash
west. The building is 75l feet loug by 32i
wide, and covers ~ acres. 1t Is the finest
and largest public building in the world,
and in many respects the costliest and
less than century-a fact which adds to
lis beauty and interest. The original Capt.
tiol, or centre building, is an imitation,
Carree at Nismes. The view from the west
portico at night, when the lamps are lit In
the public grounds and the lights of the city
illuminate the darkness Is one of the most
bcautiiuland picturesque in the world aud
IS well worth journey of thousand miles
to see.
The white House.
From the west balcony OF the capitol, looking
down Pennsylvania avenue, the White
i',.' ~ '-' - ~ ~ i''t N'tl'
@ w " ugi5o .i,ass ol ioi1Io i tli.tL Gi
u /; nv ~, q iIai''du Cnaii Ky srluISg
il not for the partly Intervening Treasury
nuhdIlnB the NleW, OF th9 Nmte llou3e IRON
NJ uIitUi @ MJu.H ~ w i,ll uha CpihpleLe uo
" W my ioIsV - Iilc ru!tcl VI P.toMh, ~
nv NHin.oii is,i ~ .Hc % %cCllGr ~ DOW puWn IoW!i.
~ ~ pvIiutilu,Iy locat;eu' ine SlcM from lne
s Sout. W,nuoNs oOn tIiS @ ,iiu Gmoc Suulu ue.u
iiN5i ~ tile ot!, aS lilo We" it2iu % Wy llprl
w ~ ~ S.tSUC Most V@,iuIts tilo puau
& ~ tilo iI IL, 80. aSv.oH io tnJ Sa"e
Nv ny mmitto ttI"So I - q voPy vi hno Paiicv ot
o,o ,iuNv % au,nsIor ~ DtiUi HiIn ~ @ Iuo
,,. W. " i3SV @ luIvi. G' I,u lroiit
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w. Wv tCuhSsS,N @ III uulu HVenuG GaTa,, ls tWO
stories hlih 20 on l the north Is built of white
tlJcatui'&S, a. l'V lcsu lolS ~ ~ Mlue' ~ con
iais Ijd1 3i on tlo 4rSt ~ !oor inc iannuS 6rGeh,
ii npui puu @ "I'l Easl rooms IuC 2'uto pliiilE
NOON I', unu ne ErG,I ~ Na5otieS, rue
i"Oiii III ~ tuo n iuI,,.ei.l M , u..y't' II IuJG
of hs famiy % rSe Ea.t pon, CrS
" Hla i Iai'silg, NY, lno Laht i'ooui' or!slhilly
late ms is37 and IN the latter mart of the
century used as n dryiug-roOm for clothes
by Mrs. President Adams, Is the largest and
most noted room in the building. II Is 2!
feet high, SO feet long and 40 wde. II 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,