The Washington critic., 1886-07-15
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects Of Interest in and About the
National Capital,
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens and
other Points of Attraction.
TIE WAY TO REACH THEM.

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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 q
brief directory of its prominent points
will be of service to the vast number of
persons who annually resort to the po-
ltical 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
tcrest 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 uscd-one hun
dred numbers being allotted to each square
or block-commencing at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
east, street north, running north, and A
street south, running south The odd num-
bers are always on the right-hand side go.
ing ibo iron ehe bSapea and bs the even
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 line due north aud south from the Cap.
itol and East Capitol street, and continue
tiOn 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 ediice
In the country; It's centre marks the Me-
ridian OF Washington. The middle. portion,
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first built. 1t was partially destroyed by the
British In 1914, but was completely restored
by 1sg7, 1t incloses the "crypt''-where the
remains of Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library, the Rotunda, the old
Representatives Hail. now the Gallery of
statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom; % r The old Supreme
pied by the Law Branch of the Library.
The cornerstone Of the Capitol extension
the north and south wings-was laid July a.,
| 1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oration
of the occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House, of Representatives, and the north
tinguished for its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, with their alto
| reliefs, and for Brumldi's freseoings. In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures in
| Potomac marble, representing faces of cer-
tain American statesmen-a picturesque
freak of nature. From the little rotunda,
Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
|
| 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 beautiful
| park and are now most exquisitely beauti-
| ful. The east base of the Capitol Is S9lS
| feet above 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, 1915
feet making the total height to the crest of
| the statue 3011h feet This crest Is 800 feet
| higher than the west gate of the grounds,
and 397 feet above low tide in the Potomac,
or 24S feet lower than the apex of the Wash
| ington Monument, which is immediately
| west. The building is 75l feet long by 35i
| wide, and covers 3h acres. 1t Is the finest
and largest public building In the world,
and in many respects the costliest and
handsomest. II Is moreover the growth of
less than century-a fact which adds to
its beauty and interest. The original Capi-
iol, or centre building, is an imitation,
| though not a slavish one, of the Mason
| Carree at Nismes. 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 tho most
beautiful and picturesque in the world and
is well worth journey of thousand miles
to see.