The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-07-16
A KENOSHA LADY WRITES
FROM WASHINGTON

la0y, VINO mas been several weeks in
Washington on tour of observation.
The letter is quite long, describing
many objects of interest she saw in
the capital city of the Republic. We
publish at this time only so much OF it
as describes her visit to the Washing
ton monument, with some additional
short paragraphs:
WASHINGTON, July, 1885.
Yesterday my little niece and nv.
self, equipped with two candles and a
supply of matches, started out, first
getting a pass from Col. Casey, whose
office is in the War Department.
From thence we walked to the monu-
ment, perhaps half a mile, where we
duly presented our passes, and bega n
the ascent of the nine hundred, or, to
be more strictly accurate, the eight
hundred and ninety-eight steps leading
to the top of the monument. Although
we were quite early there, we found
many others as prompt as ourselves,
for several parties passed us, and still
others met us on our way up. Some
who were not so fortunate as ourselves
had no candles with them, and it was
laughable when we met them, or pass.
ed those who were cropping their way
in the dark. On my return down. I
divided my candles with those who
had no light, and growing more mercen-
airy as | parted with each remnant of
candle / traded off the last with a
young man for blank leaf from his
book, which used in copying the in
scriptions on the blocks of granite and
marble that had been contributed by
different states and countries for the
monument. These inscriptions are in
teresting quotations and sentiments;
they extend up about two-thirds of the
distance towards the top of the monu-
ment. Many Of them are almost OBJ
liberated by having lain out, exposed
to all sorts of weather for some years,
before being used in the monument,
and others are not readable from being
covered with dust and plaster which
fell upon them while the work ON the
monument was in progress. 1t is in
tended to have the inscriptions entirely
cleared from the accumulations, which
now obscure the reading of them, and
the monument will be lighted by cleo
tricity before many months. Besides
there will be an elevator, which will
dispense with the now wearisome as
cent, and afford easy transport to the
highest work of man in the world.
These conveniences will he soon real
lied. A visit to Washington now, if
it were only to see the monument and
enjoy the view from it's lofty summit,
would we'll pay the visitor for his
laboriOus task. | have met with no
one who has not felt amply repaid for
the labor of going to the top of the
| monument to see the grand view
| which is obtained of the surrounding
country. The beautiful Potomac, a
mile in width, can be traced for long
distance down towards the sea. The
old city of Alexandria, seven miles
down the river, on the Virginia side,
years before the war, was the greatest
slave market in the United States.
West, on the Virginia side, is seen Ar
lingtOn Heights, with its many men,
cries, and where is the largest national
cemetery of the Union dead in this
country. Near by on the west is seen
Georgetown, an older city than Wash
ingtOn, now incorporated with the
latter. A few miles to the east is seen
the old town of Bladensburg, with its
few dilapidated buildings and churches.
This tomp moo row rod 70 ~, o,,c or 81 =
old dueling ground where so many
prominent men met in mortal combat
to obtain satisfaction for wounded
honor, by resort to pistols and rifles,
instead of appealing to reason. On
the east is also seen the Anacosta flow
ing down from Maryland, uniting with
the Potomac near the Navy Yard. On
the north, a couple of miles outside
the city, looms up conspicuously the
Soldiers Home, the grounds covering
several hundred acres, handsomely
laid out with drives and walks. But
it would tire to name all the objects Of
interest viewed from the top of the
monument. Washington, the capital
city of the nation, lies spread out like
a map. Its fine public buildings.
churches, parks and avenues, present a
scene not easily forgotten.
No place have visited, unless it be
Mount Vernon, has filled me with half
the enthusiasm, or reused in me the
pride of country, as has my trip to the
monument, erected to the memory of
the father Of his country.
At have attended the sessions of the
House quite frequently, and have
about come to the conclusion that Mr.,
Caswell, of our state, although not so
much of talker as some, is about as
hard a worker as I have observed, and
nothing seems to escape him that will
be of benefit to his constituents.
Congress is rapidly disposing of bust
ness, and the prospect is favorable for
an adjournment soon. AS things now
look, the present administration, not.
withstandlng its boosted pretentions
of economy, is likely to prove more of
spendthrift than any which have
preceded it. Much dissatisfaction is
expressed here by friends of the
soldiers at the summary manner in
which the President has vetoed so
many of the special pensions bills.
b. S. L.