The Washington critic., 1886-09-17
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects Of Interest in and About tho
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 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 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 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-Commcncing 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 right.hand side go.
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, and
those running east and west by the letters
Of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
on a line due north and south from the Cap.
itol and East Capitol street, and q continila
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 edifce
in 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
tgh m mi n n - M
by 1S27. 1t iDcloscs the "crypt"-where the
remains of Washington were 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
Court room, 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 wings-was laid July 4
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
wing the Senate Chamber. The rotunda is dis
tinguished for its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, with their alto
| reliefs, and for Brumidis frescoings. In thu
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures IL
Potomac MARBLE representing faces of Ger
tain American statesmen-a picturesque
freak of nature. From the little rotunda
Immediately north of the great rotunda, tht
staircase to the top of the dome begins III
| winding way. From the top of the dome, ol
as far as the visitor can ascend, tho view
of the surrounding country Is magnificent
The Capitol grounds. which formerly wer,
homely and formal in appearance, hav'
been transformed into a beautiful
park and are now most exquisitely beauti
iul. The east base of the Capitol Is S9l
feet above ordinary low tide in the Potomac
The total height from east base to the to-
of the temple covering the dome is 2SS feet
| the statue of the Goddess of Liberty, 10L
feet, making the total height to the crest o
the statue 30i16 feet. This crest is 36O fee
higher than the west gate of the grounds
and 307 feet above low tide in the Poto mac
or 2is feet lower than the apex Of the Wash
ington Monument, which Is Immediately
west. The building Is 75l feet long by 81
wide, and covers 81 acres. IL Is the fines
and largest public building in the world
and in many respects the costliest AM
handsomest. 1t Is moreover the growth o
less than century-a fact which adds :
its beauty and interest. The original Capi
tol, or centre building, Is an imitation
though not a slavish one, of the Maiso
| Canee at Nismes. The view from the wes
portico at night, when the lamps are lit 1
the public grounds and the lights of the cit
illuminate the darkness is one of the mo-
beautiful and picturesque In the world am
Is well worth journey of a thousand mile
| IN