The Washington critic., 1886-09-07
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects Of Interest in and About tht
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 II 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 70 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 hun
drcd 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 60.
ing from the Capitol, and the even numbers
on the left.hand side The city i divided
into four quarters or sections, northeast aud
northwest, southeast and southwest, the
streets being designated accordingly; those
running north and south numerically, and
those running cast 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 Gan.
itol and Fast Capitol street, aud u coutnua.
tion on the same west of tho Capitol, run
ming due east and west.
The Capitol.
This great building is the central point Of the
original District, and Is tho largest cdlhCe
i'm the country It's 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 1874, but was completely restored
by 1877. II incloses the crypt 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
| 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 isdis
tnguished for its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, with their altc
rciefs, and for Brumdi's frescoings. In the
| Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures IN
Potomac marble, representing faces OF Ger
tain American statcsmen-a picturesque
freak of nature. From the little rOtunda
| Immediately north of the great rotunda, the
staircase to the top Of the dome begins It,
| winding way From tho top of the dome, OF
as far as the visitor can ascend, the view
of the surrounding country is magnificent
| The Capitol grounds, which formerly wert
| humely and formal in appearance, have
been transformed into beautiiu
park and are now most eXqul,itely beautl
| iul. The east base of the Capitol Is s9li
feet above ordinary low tide in the Potomac
| The total height from east base to the tor
| of the temple covering the dome Is 2SS feet
| the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, l0l
feet, making the total height to the crest o
| the statue 3O,l6 feet. This crest Il 800 fee
| higher than the west gate of the grounds
| and 3H feet above low tide in the Potomac
| or PAS feet lower than the apex Of the Wash
| ington Monument, which Is immedatol'
west. The building is 15l feet long by 3!
| wide, and covers 81 acres. II Is the fines
and largest public building I'm the world
and in many respects the costliest am
| handsomest. II Is moreover the growth o
| less than a century-a fact which adds {,
| its beauty and interest. The original Capi
,ol, or centre building, is an imitation
though not Il slavish one of the Maiso
| CauCc at Ni>mes. The view from the ives
| portico at night, when the lamps are lit II
| the public grounds and the lights of the cit
| illuminate the darkness Is one of the mos
beautiful and picturesque in tho world Hn.
| Is well worth journey ot thousand mile
| to see.