The Washington critic., 1888-06-22

building Is a beautiful apartment in the
north wing, the entrance TO which Is from
the north porch. The vaults are under the
Cash Room and can be seen on written
permit, given by theTreasurer Of the Uni.
ted States, whose ofiice is in the northeast
angle on the first floor This permit must
be shown the cashier, who will detail
guides TO take the visitor into the great
bullion chests Of the country. The old State
Department used 10 be on the site occupied
by the northeast corner of the Treasury.
The Rogues' Gallery and Museum OF the Sc
cret Service Bureau are on the second floor
and open To the public, and this and the
vaults. Including the new steel vaults for
the storage Of silver dollars, are the points
of most interest. About $500 people are en-
ployed In this building.
Department OF Justice.
Immediately north Of the Treasury Building
and Just across the street Is the Department
OF Justice. This building was originally
erected as the Frecdman's Bank. The square
In which II Is erected Is a historic one On
Riggs Bank, which was built for the acoom.
mediation Of the Washington branch Of the
old United States Bank. The greater part
81 3 SqGqsa oy Ss S' so q se
to the. VESTS the Commissary- Generals
Office, formerly the. old Washington Club
House in front of which b philip Barton r6Sn
which the dead mans body lay, Is still stand
ing, although It's bark had been completely
removed by relic hunters, Az the northwest
sary,General's Office, Is the house made ia
nous by the ownership OF Commodore De.
catur, and where "Dol1y" Madison lived and
reigned so long a social queen after her
husbands term as President expired. sixty
people are employed in the Department Of
Justice.
War, Navy and state Departments
This edihce. once named by Washington
journalist the "Trune Building" occupies
the west side of the Presidents reservation,
Immediately west of the White House. The
State Department occupies the south part
the Navy is located north of the State
while the War Department occupies the
entire northern half. II Is al new and very
handsome structure The most beautiful
room In the whole building is conceded to
be the library OF the state Department, with
south front, from vlose windows the eye
can sweep uninterir atedly down the Poto-
mac. mac to S, ~. & TsTnS, ana lar over the w
Renaissance. IL Is fGafeet long and 3i3 feet
wide: Its greatest 'ight is 12S feet, and the
flag floating over th" central portion, flaunts
| IN the breeze hightr un than any other flag
| In the city, not ext "ptins those above the
Senate and House Representatives. The
cost of the building was five millions of dol
White House. lie old Wlnder building,
across Seventeenth street from the west
front OF this building. Is occupied by part
of the War Department and In IL is the
Ordnance Museum containing relics Of the
late war, especially interesting to soldiers.
One hundred people are employed here un-
|
Secretary Of War and 300 under the Secre-
tary OF the Navy.
CorcOrnn Art Gallery.
The Corcoran Art Gallery is at the corner OF
Pennsylvania avenue and Seventeenth st
opposite the War, Navy and state Depart,
Saturdays free; on other days (except Sun
days. a small admission fee Is charged. This
gallery, although not to be compared with
| the great Old World galleries, Is nevertheless
very creditable Institution for so new a
country as the United States. II contains
| among other original objects Powers great
statue OF the Greek Slave"
The weather Bureau.
| The Signal Service, or Weather Bureau, is
about one hundred yards west of the State,
War and Navy Departments, on @ street. II
Is one of the most interesting places in WASH
ington to. visit. The observers in charge,
showing visitors how they manufacture
| weather"
Davy Burns Cottage.
One OF the curiosities OF Washington is old
| Davy Burns Cottage, 'on seventeenth street,
near the river. 1t may be reached by the
drive south Of the Presidents House or by
the Metropolitan or Avenue line Of cars.
Next door to II is General Van Ness once
stately mansion, where he brought his bride,
Marcia Burns, one OF the original helreSSeS
| OF Washington.
| The Naval Observatory.
To the West OF the Washington Monument,
on the highest elevation that borders the
| north bank of the river, between st. Eliza
beth's Heights and Georgetown College,
| stands the Naval Observatory The hill on
| whchlt stands is famous for having been
| the camping groundof Washington, Brad
dock, and the latter's army, when on their
| General fell victim to his selfconceit aud
vanity. Tradition also points out this hill as
the decisive battle ground between the
| District Indians and the mysterious Susque.
| lanmaa observatory conf thalarQeSt
refracting telescope in the world neXtto the
| new equatorial Just built for the Lick
| Observatory. by Its aid that most interest
Ing, II not greatest, astronomical discovery
| Of the country was made, the moons of
Mars. The entrance to the observatory Is at
i and Twenty third streets northwest. The
| herdic cabs 60 TO Twenty-second and q
street.
The Agricultural Department.
This building is situated east of the Monu.
ment. II Is inclosed by the most beautiful
and glowing Hover garden in the country
and the grounds contain the most complete
arboretum probably in the United States.
| Attached to this Department are the Exper-
mental Gardens, whose offices are inme-
diately west 9i the main building % The Bel Belt
ry and the second past the grounds. On
the first floor OF the floor of the centre Of the
building devoted TO an extensive agrlcultu'
+, raj museum.
The Printing ana Engraving Bureau
The great money mill OF the Government is
| located at the corner of Fourteenth and b
streets southwest, southeast from the Monu-
ment and southwest from the Agriculture
Bureau. II is reached by theBelt Line Cars,
and is opened to visitors on Saturdays only.
Here are engraved and printed the paper
money, bonds, postage and revenuestamps,
etc., used by the Government.
The Smithsonian.
Across Twelfth street, Immediately east from
| the Agricultural Department, ARE the Smith
sonian Institution and the Smithsonian
Grounds The former Is q 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
the artist who designed the park, Andrew
j. Downing, and the bronze statue of Pro-
fessor Henry. the first secretary of the in.
corner Of the building; the Downing Urn
is in the centre of the grounds, two hundred
yards north of the east wing The Smith
teresting objects connected with science.
The building was finished 30 years ago at a
cost Of nearly half million of dollars This
sum was beqneathed by James smithson,
an English scientist, to form an establish
ment for the increase and diffusion Of knowl.
edge among men. The current expenses
are betrayed by the interest on the original
donation. The Museum Is open from 0 till 4
and IL 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,a few yards east of the Smithsonian
building. 1t contains thousands of the most
in terestlng curlosities, samples of the life
customs and history Of all nations. 1t Ii
open daily TO the public from a. m. TO 4
| p, m.
Medical Museum.
The Army and Navy Medical Museum is on
the corner of Seventh and B streets south
west, adjoining the NationalMuseum. The
building was finished this year, and Is In
part occupied by clerks of the Surgeon Gen.