The Washington critic., 1886-08-26
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest in and About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens and
other PoiIds 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 IL 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 it is estimated
that over three hundred thousand
strangers pay a visit every year to this
city to behold the varied objects of in
tcrcst 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-onc hun.
drCd numbers being allotted to each square
or bluCk-COmmCnCing at First street west,
running west, FIRST street cast, running
cast, y street north, running north, and A
street south, running south, The odd num-
hers are always on the right hlud side 60.
ing from the Capitol, aud the even numbers
On the icft.huud side. The city Is divided
into four quarters or sections. northeast aud
northwest, southeast gnd southwest, the
street. b,lug utsl mated uccordlnslyi those
running norm anu Soulu uuncrl"ally, and
lnosG tuhnuE cast |uu "eSt ny thc letters
ni the hpb9ptt ne uiLldng linos being
Nor'n un9 Sout! ,Np,iol streets, running
itOl and East Capitol street, and continue
llon on lhc sumo West ol the capitol, run
ming due cast and west.
phc Capitol.
This great building is the central point Of the
i'm the country. lis centre marks the Mo
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under tho dome. is the pqri
first built II was partially DESTROYED bV the
BritIsh In iSiI Gut VA, comuIatclv restored
hy isl5, II inrlosos The "Crvnt 'Lyyhnre the
remains of Washington were intended to bo
placed, tho Library, tho Rotun1a, the old
Statuary. and the Old Senate Chamber now
the supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
Court room, in the first story, Is now occu-
pird by the Law Eranch Of tLe Tibrarv.
The cornerstone Of the Capitol extensionI
thcnortb and south yingsLyas laid Iuly 4
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oration
of the occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
Ilouse of Represpntntiyps and tho north
wing thc Senate Chamber The rotundn IL liz.
tinguishcd for its historic paintings. for the
lannon's bron2e doors with fheir alto
relefs, and for Brumdi's frescoings. I'm the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures in
Potomac marble, representing faces of Ger.
tain American stDtpsmpn-n uictllres suue
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
been transformed into Il beautiful
park and are now most eXquistely beauti.
iul. The east base of the Capitol Is 1915
feet llnNp ordinary pptpmun
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, 1875
feet making the total height to the crest of
the statue 3Ui15 feet. This crest Is 500 feet
higher than the west gate Of the grounds,
and 500 feet above low tide IN the Potomac,
inRtOn Monument, which Is Immediately
west. The building Is 751 feet long by 32i
wide, and covers 3H acres, 1t Is the finest
and largest public building IN the world,
and in many respects the costlest and
handsomest. 1t is moreover the growth of
less than u ccntury-a fact which adds to
its beauty and interest. The original Capt.
,ol, or centre building, is an imitation,
though not a slaysh one, of the Mason
Carroe 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 the most
IL well worth journey OF thousand miles
to see.
The white House.
From ,be vvos, naIconv n, tbe t-an,toI Iool;pg
down Prnnsvlyonia nycnuc tho Wbite
House Is seen rearing lis snowv.hued wall,
above the dense mass of folialre that oIn.
bowers il. like n Gigantic Gala liiy sprinring
up amid It's Gnfolding green blades. Were
II not lor the party .inteTTHienlnE treasury
the CaT,itoi wGnid ho ft,II and comnleto Tba
White JIousC IL the center of "Irn.tnvn - a :
tLe Canitol Is the center of "D6wn town y
II l. heautifnlly IoratnJ tho Wow from thp
sonth windows Covering the whole southern
front ofthe CITY as the view from the north
mn Sixicrnth Street west exhibits the hast
part of Inc Northwest section TO the gaZe
The White House IL a copy of the palace of
thn nnI{o Of Ieinster MT DubIin with tho
addition of n large porch ON the uorth front
which was added dlIriur Andrevy IarLson's
administration. The reservation In which
il stands embraces nearly 81 acres. The
moin Cnt1nnCe is on the Hortb reached Inv
the Pennsylyauin avenue cars II is two
stories high ON the north, is built of white
free.stonC, lGO feet long by SO wide. II CON
tains ON tie first floor tile famous Green,
Red, Blue and East rooms, the state Dining
Blue Room is the Presidents 0fliciai recep,
tion room and the edrawinc.room of the ladies
of his family. The East Room originally
designed for a banquet hall and so used rs
late as 1887, and IN the latter part of the
GGltu! M! uscu a. Es . iur clotnv1
5t ~ ~ o. @ IN t =, III t' a! ~
osI rnt & iI,ou uo 'Sot' Sont M 'nv ~ Vii, is
Tpout ~ ~ d. 20 10y ,, S y,
oRs,nIs uio p sme taD,Iiet tVoai' nv NY R'lnaag .
@ ny 20 iIu9'ounr or',So' Wy ' "tiatS S
', a,u tno lat'iS ~ ~ ituso
iuoliIs GAYScll, Wy l'..cl uluui,H w. n,at'ors'
u! speo'a' Peln''SS'oi' ~ su''oo'o "oors'
Lafayette Suuare.
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sonore tho Hrst uuiin rcse"vati9n In Gos