The Washington critic., 1886-10-02
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest in and About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens and
Other Points of Attraction.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
THE WAY TO REACH THEM.

Washington is fast becoming the
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 a
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 "Tcn 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-commencing at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
cast, street north, running north, and
street south, running south. The odd num-
bers are always on the righthand 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
North and South Capitol streets, running
on line due north and south from the Cap
itol and East Capitol street, and continue
ton on the same wost 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. Its 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. 1t lncloses the "crypt"-where the
remains of Washington We're intended to be
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 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, AMI the north
wngthe senate Chamber herotunda is dis
famous bronze doors, with their alto
reliefs, and for Brumldi's frescoings In the
Hall of Statuary are the natural pictures In
Potomac marble, representing faces of Ger
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 We're
| been transformed into beautiful
park and are now most eXquisitely beauti.
ful The east base of the Capitol is 500
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
the statue SOi1a feet. This crest is $50 feet
| higher than the west gate Of the grounds,
and 397 feet above low tide in the Poto mac,
or ais feet lower than the apex OF the Wash
ipgton Monument, which Is mmed lately
west. The building is 75l feet long by 3!i
wide, and covers ~ acres. IL 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 Capt.
| iol or centre building, is an imitation,
though not a slavish one, of the Maison
| CarTee 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
beautiful and picturesque in the world and
Is well worth a journey OF thousand miles
The white House.
From the west balcony OF the Capitol, looking
down Pennsylvania avenue, the White
| House is seen rearing its snowy-hued walls
| above the dense mass of foliage that EN-
bowers It, Ikea gigantic Gala lily springng
|
II not for the partly Intervening Treasury
| building the view of the White House from
the Capitol would beiull and complete. ,rne
| White House IL the center OF "Up-town,h as
| the Capitol il the center of Down town"
II is beautifully located, the view from the
south window, covering the whole southern
front of the city, MS the view from the north
! up sixteenth street west exhibits the best
part of the Northwest section 10 the gaze.
The White House Is copy of the palace of
the Duke of lunstcr at Dublin, with the
addition a. "a .r UDPpl The north frpilt
which was added during Andrew JaCkSOn's
administration, The reservation IN which
II stands embraces nearly ~ acres. The
main entrance i on the north, reached bY
the Pennsylvania avCnuo cars, 10 * Two
stories high ON the north, Is built of white
fee'stonc, li0 feet long by SO wide, II con
tains ON the first floor the famous Green,
Red. Blue and East rooms, the State Dining
Room and the great COusClNatOrirs, The
Blue Room rs the Presidents official rccop.
tiun room and the awingrOOm of the ladies
OF lis family. The East Room, originally
designed for u banquet hall und 50 used as
late as 1881, and In the latter part ot tho
by Mrs President Adams, ia tho largest anl
most noted room in the building II is =!
ictt high, 10 feet long Gnd 40 wide. u X
oltn 10 visitors every day except Sundays.
| Upstairs are the Cabinet room the private
! Offices. the Presidents ONce, tG" library
and the family apartments, All tho'a
rooms except the latter up"n % visitors,
| hy special remission, ut suitable hours.
LatnN eitc square.
| lUo north from tine Nmto House X Lafayette
| square. a., first public ,eryttun In Wash
! inLtuu that was improved. 10 contains The
equestrian status Of Andrew jackson, by
CLARK Mills Mtuv of IT, treD' are ola forest
nWch-, hundreds ul Years Old, Il Is m
! IaIt "a s, s,rcitucu of the p 4 formal landscape
gardening $40 fashionable In Eusllnl Two
! lGrdrcd year, ago, lyle that wts i'm
IUItod MO tldS country. Lafayette square
wus, one lU0drtd years ago part { u -r ave-
yjId that enclosed he squire north on
winch ~ duhn's Church Is bulit. gnI the
square east. on Nhich are situated thi A.
tUTuel Generals Oh (lurmeriy the Freed
mtn's tmXJ, the surgeon. .Guucr y Is n.hra
and ipGs tauk (horh W. lNe hulld NJ lOr
marty use as tie u.itel states Ban, },