The Washington critic., 1886-09-30
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.

THE WAY TO REACH THEM.
Washington is fast becoming the
most attractive city Of the country. AS
the Capital of the Nation it 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 10 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.
tercst 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 usod-one hun
drcd numbers being allotted to each square
or block-commcncng 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-
bcrs are always on the ight-hand side go.
Ing from the Capitol, and the even numbers
On the leit-hand side. The city Il divided
into four quarters or sections, northeast and
northwest, southeast and southwest, the
running north and south numerically, and
those running east and west by the letters
Of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
on MSr nn ad due sPus Tp'S and saob rem
itol and East Capitol street, aud continue
ton 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 edihce
In the country: It's centre marks the Me-
Immediately under the dome, Is tho part
first built. IL was partially destroyed by the
British in 1874, but was completely restored
by 1s27. IL incloses the "crypt"--whcre tho
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 nov, occu-
pied by the Law Branch of the Library.
The cornerstone Of the Capitol extension
the north and south wlngs-was laid July 4,
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the Grafton
of the occasion from the balcony of the
House of Representatives. and the north
wing the Senate Chamber The rotunda Is dis
tineuished for It's historic paintings, for the
reliefs and for Brumidi's frescoings. In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures in
Potomac marble, representing faces of cor
tain, American statesmen-a picturesque
freak of nature. From the little rotunda,
acknowledgement of the great rotunda, the
staircase to the top Of the dome begins its
winding way. From the top of the dome, or
as far as the visitor can ascend, the Wow
of the surrounding country Is magnificent
The Capitol grounds. which formerly were
homely and formal In appearance, have
park and are now most exquisitely beauti.
full. The east base of the Capitol Is SOjG
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 the Goddess of Liberty, 1875
feet, making the total height to the crest of
@ hsLer than 1fs tie West vest gate Of G the oSnds ron
and Ss7 feet above low tide in the Potomac,
or aas feet lower than the apox of the Wash.
ngt1n Mo- Monument S,,G, which j. Tmsdatsly Inn M ely
wide, and covers 3N acres. II Is the finest
and largest public building in tho world,
and in many respects the costllest and
handsomest. 1t is moreover the growth of
less than century-a fact which adds to
its beauty and interest. The original Capt.
,ol, or centre building, is an imitation,
Though II h9 avsh ONE Ts@ OF hs tbs Wsst
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 aud picturesque in the world and
Is well worth journey of thousand miles
The White House.
| From the west balcony oil the Capitol, looking
| uOWH ltHllSyNb1ld tNtliut, lut NlHID
House Is seen rearing its snowyhued walls
| above the dense mass of foliage that en-
bowers IL, Ikea gigantic calla lily sprinngine
up amid Its. enfolding green blades. Were
building the view Of the White House from
the Capitol would be full and complete. The
White House Is the center OF Uptown" q;
the Capitol IL the center of Down town"
II Is beautifully located, the view from the
south windows covering the whole southern
front ofthe 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 a copy of the palace of
the Duke of Leinstcr at Dublin with the
| 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. The
| main entrance Is ON the north, reached by
| the Pennsylvania avenue cars. IL Is two
| stories high on the north, Is built OF white
| freestone, 100 feet long by So wide. 1t CON
tains on the first floor the famous Green
| Red, Blue and East rooms, the State Dining
Room and the great conservatories. The
| Blue Room IL the Presidents Official recep
tionroom and the drawingroom OF the ladies
of his family. The East Room, originally
designed for q banquet hall and so used as
late as 1887 and In the latter part of the
century used as drying-room for clothes
by Mrs. President Adams, Is the largest and
most noted room In tho building, 1t Is ,,
feet high, 50 feet long and 40 wide. 1t Is
open To visitors every day except sundays
Up-stairs are the Cabinet room. the private
| OlllceS, inc lfeslutuI y ONCE, IIt library
and the family apartments. All these
rooms except the latter are open to visitors
by special permission, at suitable hours.
Lafayette Square.
Due north from the White House is Lafayette
Square, the first public reservation In Wash
ington that was improved. IL contains III,
| equestrian statue of Andrew jackson, by
Clark Mills, Many of Its trees are old fores
n nonarchs hundreds of years old. IL Is II
part specimen Of the old formal landscap,
gardening so fashionable In England tive
ported into this country. Lafayette Square
was. one hundred years ago, part Il grave
| yard that enclosed the square north, ol
which ST. Johns Church Is built, and til,
square east ON which are situated tho At
torney Generals office formerly the Freed
mans Bauk), the Surgeon Generals Office
and Riggs Bank tboth Ia the building for
Commodore Decatur's house, corner Fiji
teenth ard a-half and II streets, and tn,
| old Club House, near which Philip Bartoi
Key was killed by Daniel Z. Sickles, Mem
ber of Congress from New York. The las
bodies from this graveyard were not re
moved until 1919.
st. Johns II. u. Church.
ST. Johns =. L. Church, which mas been Otter
called the state Church because more Presi
dents have worshipped there than at an!
otlIer, stands at the corner of II and Six
teonth streets. II was built In 1915 and en-
larged In 1890. In Il have worsh!pped Pres
tdonts Madison, Monroe, John Quinc,
Adams Though the latter was a Congrega
| tionalisO Martin Van Buren, though he be
| longed 20 the Dutch Reformed Church, llal
rlson, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore (thoug
anan aud Arthur. Presidents lincoln
| johnson and Grant have also attended D