The Washington critic., 1886-07-06
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 1t presents
more objects of interest to the visitor
than any other on the continent, and a
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 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 "Tcn 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 Is the largest edihce
IN the country: Its centre marks the Me.
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, is the part
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
British in lsi4, but was completely restored
by 1897. It inclosos the "crypt"-where the
remains OF Washington We're 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
Court room, In the first story, Is now occu.
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
l.. 4. .xst.. !. -.
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
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures in
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
tain, American statesmen-a picturesque
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
staircase to the top of the dome begins 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 a beautiful
park and are now most exqui.itely beauti.
full. The east base Of tho Capitol Is 500
feet above ordinary low tide In the Potomac.
The total height from east base to the top
of the temple covering the dome IL eSS feet
the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, 1915
feet, making the total height to the crest OF
the statue S0I1b feet. This crest Is 800 feet
higher than the west gate of the grounds,
and 800 feet above low tide in the Potomac
or PAS feet lower than the apex of the Wash.
ington Monumept which is immediately
west. The building is 751 feet long by 32i
wide, and covers 3h acres. 1t is the finest
and largest public building In the world,
and in many respects the costliest and
handsomcst 1t Is moreover the growth of
less than century-a fact which adds to
its beauty and interest. The original Capt.
iol, or centre building, is an imitation,
thatInh N Naignn
Carree at Nisnes. 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
beautiful and picturesque in tho world and
Is well worth a journey of thousand miles
to see.
The White House.
From the west balcony OF the Capitol, lookins
down Pennsylvania avenue, the Whitg
House Is seen rearing its snowy-hued walle
above the dense mass of opening that en-
bowers It, like a gigantic Gala lily springing
no al for IT the H'i msrS
building the view of the White House from
the Capitol would be full and complete. The
White House is the center of uptown" as
the Capitol is the center of Down town.
1t is beautifully located, the view from the
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 n copy of the palace of
the Duke of Lenster at Dublin, with the
addition of 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 Pennsylyania avenue cars. 1t is two
free.stonc, 40 feet long by SO wide. II con.
tains on the first floor the famous Green,
Red, Blue and East rooms, the State Dining
Room and the great Conservatives. The
RnpIn IL IA - nn in1 pna
tionroom and the drawing-room of the ladies'
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
by Mrs. President Adams, Is the largest and
most noted room in the building. 1t is 2!
feet high 50 feet long and 40 wide. 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,
by special permission, ut 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 the
equestrian statue of Andrew jackson, by
Clark Mills. Many of its trees are old forest
nonarchs, hundreds of years old. 1t is In
gardening so fashionable in England two
hundred years ago, a style that was i'm
ported into this country, Lafayette Square
was; one hundred years ago, part ST grave
yard that enclosed the square north, on
which st. Johns Church Is built, and the
square east, on which are situated the At
torney' Generals office formerly the Freed
mans Bank, the Surgeon Generals Office
and Riggs Bank (both in the build ng for
merly used as the United States Bank
Commodore pecatur's house, corner Flf
teenth ard a'half and IL streets, and the
old Club House, near which Philip Barton
Key was killed by Daniel r. scSles, Mem
her of Congress from New York. The last
bodies from this graveyard were not re
moved until 1919.
st. Johns e.. IL. Church.
st. Johns p. f. Church, which has been often
called the state Church because more Prcsi
dents have worshipped there than at any
other, stands at the corner of II and six
teenth streets. II was built in 1916 and en-
larged in lS2O. In II have worshipped Pres
idents Madison, Monroe, John Quincy
tionalsD Martin Van Buren,, though he be
lunged to the Dutch Reformed Church, lIar-
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore (thougll
the latter, was a unitarian), Pierce, Buch-
johnson and Grant have also attended hi
vine services here although not steadily. Il,
interior reminds ono very forcibly OF the
old, dim English country Episcopal churches
The Treasury Department.
The Treasury Department Is east of the White
House and extends the whole length of the
front between Pennsylvania and New York
avenues, II Is AS2 feet long by 800 feet wide
The central east portion is built of lrcostono
rebuilt in 1861, while the other parts were
commenced In 1855 and built of granite
The Cash Room In this building Is a beau
tiful apartment in the north wing, the en-
trance To which is from the north porch
The vaults are under the Cash Room and
can he seen ON a written permit given 10y
the treasurer of the United Statos whose
AN l. ~ la ..t, tlt.,t ttsg