The Washington critic., 1886-10-26
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
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.

Washington Is fast becoming the
most attractive city of the country. As
the Capital of the Nation 1t presents
more objects of interest to the visitor
than any other on the continent, and o
brief directory of It's prominent points
will be of service to the vast number of
persons who annually resort to the DO.
litical metropolis. For It is estimated
that over three hundred thousand
strangers pay a 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 used-one hun
or block-cornmencing 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 GO
ing from tho Capitol, and the even numbers
ON the left.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 east and west by the letters
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.
The Capitol.
This great building is the central point of the
original District, and is the largest edlhce
In the country. Its ccntro marks the Me-
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, Is tho part
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
British in 1874. but was completely restored
by ls27. 1t incloses the "crypt''-whero the
placed, the Library, tho 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, IL now occu-
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 oratlon
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
reliefs and for Brumidi's irescoings. In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures in
Potomac marble, representing faces of Ger.
tain, American statesmen-a picturesque
freak of nature. From the little rotuuda,
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
staircase to the top of the dome begins its
WinulnB way. FROM IHe top OF Iic 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 eXquisitely beautl-
tul, The east base of the Capitol is S9ll
feet above ordinary low tide In the 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, 1914
feet making the total height to the crest of
the statue 307la feet. This crest is 800 feet
higher than the west gate of the grounds,
and 800 feet above low tide in the Potomac,
or 2iS feet lower than the apex of the Wash.
ington Monument, which Is Immediately
west. The building Is 75l feet long by 33i
wide, and covers 3h acres. 1t Is the finest
and largest public building In the world,
and In many respects the costest and
handsomest. It Is moreover the growth of
less than century-a fact which adds To
Its beauty and interest. The original Capt.
tol, or centre building, Is an imitation,
though not a savish one, of the Maisor
CarIee 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 mos
beautiful and picturesque In tho world and
Is well worth journey of thousand miles
Tho WHITE Eunuso