The Washington critic., 1886-08-06
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects Of Interest in and About th}
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 q
brief directory of its prominent points
will be of service to the vast number of
persons who annually resort to the po-
1itical metropolis. For IL 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 "'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.
dred numbers being allotted to each square
or block-commencing 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 righthand side 90.
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. aud
those running east and west by the letters
Of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
North and South Capitol streets, running
on Il line due north and south from the Cap.
itol and East Capitol street, aud a continue
tion on the same west of the Capitol, run
ming due cast and west.
The Capitol.
Ian 10 ,n1 S,r,
original District, and IL the largest edifce
in the country. Its centre marks the Me-
rdian OF Washington, The middle portion,
first built. II was partially destroyed by the
British in 1874, but was completely restored
by 1877. II incloses the "crypt'-where the
remains OF Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library, the Rotunca the old
Representatives Hall, now the Gallery of
StHtuary, and the old Senate Chamber. now
the supreme Court room. The old supreme
Court,room, 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,
1871, 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
tineuished for its historic paintings, for tho
rellcfs, and for Brumidi's frescolngs 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 rotunda,
Immediately north 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 view
of the surrounding country Is magnificent.
The Capitol grounds, which formerly were
homely and formal in appearance, have
6eSR and n most SS eHSu to9
full. The east base Of the Capitol Is S9l5
feet aboye 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, 1919
feet, making the total height to the crest of
the statue SO,I2 feet This crest Is 800 feet
M higher ed. than han tpg west gate Of M the grounds
or PAS feet lower than the apex of the Wash
west. The building is 75i feet long by 8@l
and largest public building in the world,
and In many respects the costliest 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 not slavish one, of tho Maison
Carlee at Nisnes. The view from the west
portlco ct night, when the lamps are lit IN
illuminate the darkness Is one of the most
beautiful and picturesque in tho world and
Is wei worth journey of thousand miles
to see.
The White House.
From the west balcony OF the capitol, looking
down Pennsylvania avenue, the White
House Is seen rearing its snowy-hucd walls
above the dense mass of foliage that EN-
bowers II, likea gigantic Gala lily springlng
up amid its enfoldmg green blades. Were
II not for the partly interyenin: Treasury
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 copy of the palace OF
the Duke of ,Leinster at Dublin with the
addition of large porch on the north front
which was added during Andrew Jackson'-
administration. The reservation in which
II stands embraces nearly 81 acres. The
main entrance Is on the north, reached bg
the IcnnsylNania avenue ears. 1t Is tive
stories high ON the north, IL built of white
free.stonc, 10 feet long by SO wide. IT con
tains on the first floor the famous Green
Red, Blue and East rooms, the State Dining
Room and the great cOnsCrvatOries. The
Blue Room is the Presidents official rccep
tion room and the drawing'room OF the ladie:
of his family. The East Room, originally
designed for banquet hall and so used a.
late as 1887, and IN the latter part of thl
century used Us drying-room for clothes
by Mrs. President Adams, is the largest am
feet high, 50 feet long and 40 wide. 1t Il
open TO visitors every day except Sundays
Upstairs are the Cabinet room, the private
Offices, the Presidents office, the lbrar!
and the family apartments. All thest
rooms except the latter are open to visitors
by special permission, at suitable hours.
Lafayette square.
| Due north from the " mite House IS Lafayett,
square, no first public reservation In Wash
ingtUn that was impro cd. lt contains IN,
# AnIrRNy
| Clark Mills. Many OF its trees are old tOreS
onarch', hundreds ut years old. II Is II
part n spccimcn of the old formal landscagI
gardening so fashionable in England two
hundred years ago, Il style that was i'm
ported into this country. Lafayette Square
waa, one hundred years ago part # Il grave
yard that enclosed the square north, or
which St. Johns Church Is built, and th'
square east, on which are situated the At
torncyGeneral's Office formcrly the Freed
mans Hank, the surgeon. Generals oilic'
and higgs Eank thOth IN the build ng fOr
merly used rs the United States Bangl
Commodore pecatur's house, corner Fiji
teehth ard a-halt and II streets, and th,
old Grub House, near which Philip Barto'
Key was He'd by Daniel y. Sickles, Mem
Der OF Congress from New York. The las
bodies lruln this graveyard were not 10
moved until 1919
81. .sohn's s.. 81. Church.
| 81. johns =. Il, (1lurcn, Which has been Otter
| called tIe state Ihurch because moro Picsl
dent, mtyc Tog,hpprl thure than al aul
other, stunts at the corner of ii and SiN
teenth streets. II was butt In 1915 ana on
lurrod IN $50, In Il have WOrshippel Pres
iGonts Madison. Monroe, John Quinr!
Adams Uhuugh the latter was n Congrust
tionnlstl Martin Van Burcn, though he he
lOugtd to the Dutch Reformed Church, liar
rison, tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore tthougl
the luttcr was unitariauD, Pierce, Buch
Rnan and Arthur, Presidents Lincoln
johnson and Grant have also attended III
| vine services here although not steadily, II
| interior reminds one very torulbly ut tn
Old, dim English country Episcopal churches
Che Treasury Department.
| The Treasury Department Is east of the Whit
| House and eNtouds the whole length of IN
front between Pennsylvania AMI New IOri
| avenues, II Is rs! feet long by 100 feet wide
a H.