The Washington critic., 1886-09-14
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
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 tbickly 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
dfed numbers being allotted to each square
or ELECTROMAGNETIC at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
east, A street north, running north, and A
street south, running south. The odd num-
bers are always on the right. side GO
Ing from the. 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
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 II continue
tion ON the same west of the Capitol, run
ming due east aud west.
The Capitol.
This great building is the central point of the
original District, and Is the largest editico
IN the country. Its centre marks the Me-
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the, dome, Is the part
British in 1874, but was completely restored
by 1s.1. 1t incloses the pt''-where the
remains OF Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library, the Rotunda, the old
Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
Courtroom, in 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 4,
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the Grafton
of the occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives. and the north
wing the Senate Chamber. The rOtunda is dis
tinguished for Us historic paintings, for tho
famous bronze doors, with their, alto
reliefs. and for Brumidi's frescoings. In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures In
Potomac marble, representing faces of GER
tain, American statosmen-a picturesque
freak OF nature From the little rotunda,
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
staircase to the top of the domo begins Its
winding way. From the top of the dome, or
as far as the visitor can ascend, the view
The Capitol grounds, which formerly Were
homcly and formal in appearance, have
been transformed into q beautiful
park and and are now most exqusite!y beanti;
feet above ordinary low tide In the Potomac.
The total height from east base to the top
of the temple covering the dome Is 2S5 feet
the statue of tho Goddess of Liberty. 1915
feet making the total height to the crest of
the statue 30716 feet. This crest is $50 feet
higher than the west gate of the grounds,
and 80; feet above low tide in the Poto nae,
or PAS feet lower than the apex of the Wash
ington Monument, which Is inmed lately
west. The building Is ;5i feet long by 32i
wide, and covers IN acres IL Is the hnest
and LARGEST public building In the world
lhndsomest. II Is moreover the growth OF
less than century-a fact which adds to
its beauty and interest. The original Capt.
though not a slavish one, of the Malson
Carree at Nismcs. 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 the world and
is well worth journey of thousand mile
The White House.
| From the west balcony OF the Capitol, lookiu.
down Pennsylvania avenue, the Whit,
| House Is seen rearing Its snowy-hucd WALL
above the dense mass of foliage that EN-
| bowers IL, like gigantic Gala lily springin!
up amid its enfolding green blades. Wer'
II not for the partly Intervening Treasur!
| building the view of the White House from
| the Capitol would be tull and complete. Tht
| White House Is the center of Uptown" a
the Capitol is the center OF Down town.
| 1t is beautifully located, the view from thC
south windows covering the whole southern
front of the city, as the view from the nortl
up Sixteenth street west exhibits the beS
part of the Northwest section to the gaze
| The White House Is Il copy of the palace o
| the Duke of Leinster at Dublin, with tht
addition of large porch on the north front
| which was added during Andrew jackson
| administration, The reservation in which
| 1t stands embraces nearly 81 acres Tht
| main entrance Is on the north, reached b.
| the Pennsylvania avenue cars. 1t Is tw'
| stories high on the north, Is built OF whit
| necstone, 100 feet long by So wide. IL con
| tains on the first floor The famous Green
| Red, Blue and East rooms, the state Dnint
| Room and the great conservatories. Tn
| tonro and the drawing-room of the ladie
| of his family. The East Room, originall
designed for banquet hall and so used q
late as 1897, and IN the latter part of tn
by Mrs. President Adams, is the largest ant
most noted room in the building: 1t IL
feet high, so feet long and 30 wide. 1t /
| open TO visitors every day except sundays
| Upstairs are the Cabinet room, the privat
offices. the Presidents office, the librar
and the family apartments. All thes
rooms except the latter are open to visitor:
by special permission, at suitable hours.
Lafayette square.
Due north from the White House Is Lafayett
Square, the first public reservation IN Wasi
ineton that was improved. 1t contains IN
| equestrian statue Of Andrew jackson, b
Clark Mills. Many OF It's trees are old fores