The Washington critic., 1886-09-20

AY EVENING, SEPTEMB
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hills The building is in the italian Ronas.
sanoe. II " bG7 feet long and 3i3 feot wide.
It's greatest height Is 1913 feet, and the flag,
floating over the central portion, haunts In
the breeze higher mp than any other flag In
tho city, not excepting those above the
Senate and House OF Representatives.. The
cost of the building was five millions Of dol
lars, about three. times as much as the
the Capitol.
Department or Justice.
Immediately north Of the Treasury Building
and Just across the street Is the Depart
ment of Justice. This building was origin.
ally erected as the Frecdmans Bank. The
square In which II is erected Is historic
one. on tho same street, at the east corner,
stands Riggs, Bank, which was built for the
accommodation OF the Washington branch
of the old United States Bank. The greater
part OF II Is now occupied by the clerks of
the surgeon.Gcneral's Office. Around the
erals Office, formerly the old Washington
Club House, in front OF which Philip Barton
Key was shot by sickles., Tho tree, under
wnSh ,se Heaa mans ,aT bSay Tx Is stu
pletoly removed by relic hunters. At the
northwest corner OF the square above the
Commissary. Generals Onicc, is the house
dore Decatur, and where "Dolly" Madison
lived and reigned so long a social Queen
after her husbands term as President ex-
pired.
The Washington Monument.
Immediately south Of the white House stands
the Washington Monument, the loftlest
structure erected by man, and the most i'm
posing, obelisk ever constructed II i 30
feet above It's base, which Is ~ feet above
tide-watcr. Its cornerstone was laid July
q, 1913, and the cap-stone, forming the apex,
was placed In position December O. 1884. In
II are ISL blocks of inserted stones or COP
per, gifts from various countries and so
cieties. The total cost will be over 1880
GOO. IL IL situated In what will ultimately
be beautiful park.
The Naval observatory.
To the West Of the Washington Monument,
on the highest elevation that borders the
north bank of the river, between 81. Eliza
beth's Heights and Georgetown College,
stands the Naval Observatory. The hill on
which VI stands Is famous for having been
the camping ground of Washington, Brad
dock, and the latter's army, when on their
march to the fatal field, where the English
General fell victim to his selt-conccit and
vanity. Tradition also points out this hill
District Indians and the mysterious Susque.
hannas. This observatory contains the
largest refracting telescope In the world,
next to the new equatorial just built for the
Lick Observatory. by its aid that most In.
terestng, u not greatest, astronomical dis
coyery Of the country was made, the moons
OF Mars. The entrance to the observatory
Is at y and Twenty third streets northwest.
The Ierdic cabs go to Twenty second and
G streets.
The Agricultural Department..
This building Is situated east of the Monu-
ment. 1t is enclosed by the most beautiful
and glowing Hover garden in the country
and the grounds contain the most complete
Arboretuin probably in the United States.
Attached to this Department are the Ex.
perimental Gardens, whose Offices are i'm
mediately west of the main building. The
Belt Line cars go right past the grounds.
The Smithsonian.
Across Twelfth street, Immediately east from
the Agricultural Department, are the
Smithsonian Institution and the smithso.
nian Grounds. The former is a specimen of
the most graceful architecture In the city,
and, the latter form the most beautiful
landscape garden In the country. These
grounds of themselves are worth a visit to
Washington to see. They contain the
the park, Andrew J. Downing, and the
bronze statue of Professor Henry. the first
secretary Of the institution. The latter is
at the northwest corner Of the building; the
Downing Urn is In the centre of the grounds,
two hundred yards north of the east wing
The Smithsonian is filled with the most
varied and interesting objects connected
with science. u is reached by the Seventh
Street, the Ninth Street and the Belt Line
of street cars.
The National Museum.
The National Museum Is In the Smithsonian
grounds, q few yards east of the Smithso-
nian building. It contains thousands of the
most interesting ,curiosities, samples of the
life, customs and history of all nations. It,
as well as the Smithsonian, is open daily to
the public from a. IN. to 4 p. IN.
The Botanical Gardens.
Passing eastward from the Museum, over
the railroad bridge that spans Sixth street,
and through the pretty park lying between
Maine and Missouri avenues the visitor
comes to the entrance on Third street, just
south of Pennsylvania avenue, of the Bo-
are open daily from in the morning to
@ In the evening. They were established
80 years ago. The conservatories are filed
with the choicest and rarest foreign plants
Around the gardens are extensive collec.
tons OF trees and shrubs. In the centre of
the lawn facing the centre conservatory Is
the famous Bartholdi Fountain that at
tracted SO much attention at the Phladel-
phia Centennial.
The Peace Monument
Just halt way across the Avenue from the
northeast angle of the Botanical Garden.
And at the west foot of the Capitol Grounds
is the Peace Monument. This was de-
signed by Admiral Porter In honor of the
dead soldiers and sailors of the late war.
II Is of marble and cost with PEDESTAL and
platform 1000 1t is proposed to remove
this monument to one of the squares on the
northwest section.
Retracing our steps We find
The Printing and Engraving Bureau
The great money mill OF the Government Is
located at the corner of Fourteenth and
street southwest, southeast from the Monu
Bureau. II is reached by the Belt Line
Cars, and is opened to visitors every day.
Davy Burns Cottage.
One of the curositles of Washington is old
Davy Burns Cottage, on Seventeenth street
near the river. II may be reached by the
drive south of the Presidents House or by
the Metropolitan or Avenue line of cars.
Next door to IL is General Van Ness once
stately mansion, where he brought his
bride, Marcia Burns, one of the origina
heiresses Of Washington.
COrcOran Art Gallery.
The corcoran. Art Gallery Is az the corner q
Pennsylyania avenue @ yo ana Mav sevehtesati wen Sta
| Department. IL Is open Tuesdays, Thurs
| days and Saturdays free; on other days lex
cept Sundays) small admission fec II
charged. This gallery although not to bt
| compared with the great Old World gal
leries, is nevertheless very credtabe in,
| stitution for so new country as the United
| States. IT contains among other origina
objects Powers great statue Of the "Greeh
Slave"
The Louise Home.
| The Louise Home Is a beautiful building al
| the corner of Massachusetts, avenue anc
Fifteenth street. near Scott Circle. IL ha,
extensive grounds, beautifully embellished
and is a unique establishment. 1t Is a
| memorial to the wife and daughter of Mr.
| W. W, CorcOran, and is intended as HON,
| for ladies of education, birth and refine
| ment, who have been reduced to poverty
from afiluence.
| The Columbian University.
| Coming down Fifteenth street from the Louis,
| Home, at the corner of Fifteenth and i
| streets, the visitor sees the Columbian Uni
| yersity, which occupies the site of the ole
GrisWald mansion. This university was in
| corporated as Columbian College in 1921
| and Is under the special supervision of the
| Baptist Church. II is an institution famous
for the discipline and thoroughness OF IL
| instruction.
| The weather Burenu.
| The Signal Service, or Weather Bureau, II
| about one hundred yards west OF the state
Wal and Navy Departments, ON street. i
is one of the most interesting places IN
| Washington To visit The observers il