The Washington critic., 1888-06-20
THE VISITORS GUIDE
Objects Of Interest In aud About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS,
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens
and Other Points OF Attraction.

more objects of interest to the visitor
than any, other on the continent, and q
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 80 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
drea numbers being allotted TO each SQUARE %
or block-commencing at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
east, A street north, running north, and
street south, running south. Tho odd num-
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 numerlgally, and
those running east and west by the letters
of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
North and South Capitol streets, running
on a line due north aud south from the Cap
itol and East Capitol streot,and a continue
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 <ho largest edifce
in the country. It's centre marks the Me-
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, Is the part
British In 1914, but was completely restored
by 1897. II incloses the "crypt"-where the
remains Of Washington were Intended TO be
placed, the Library of Congress, for which
handsome new edifce Is being builtiust east
OF the Capitol, across First st. east, the Ro-
tunda the old Representatives Hall,now the
Gallery Of statuary, and the odSenateCham-
Der, now the eSupremeCourtroom.T The old Su-
preme COURTROOM, In the first story, Is now
occupied by the Law Branch of the Library.
The cornerstone of the Capitol extension
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the Grafton
OF the occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives, and the north
tinguished for its.hstoric paintings, for the
famous bronze doors. with their bas
reliefs, and for Brumidi's frescoings. In the
Hall of statuary the are natural pictures Of
Potomac marble, representing faces of cer-
tain BAmerican statesmen-a picturesque
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.
ING OdplIOl MUlCu WbTb
homely and formalin appearance, have been
transformed into beautiful park and are
most exquisitely beautiful. The east base of
the Capitol Is 500 feet above ordinary. low
east base to the topof the temple covering
the dome Is 2S8 feet; the statue OF the God
dess Of Liberty, 19>1 feet, making the total
height TO the crest of the statue 30716 feet.
This crest Is $50 feet higher than tine west
gate Of the grounds, and 397 feet above low
tide in the Potomac, or 24s feet lower than
the apex. of the Washington Monument,
is ISL feet long by 324 wide, and covers 3X
acres. 1t is the finest and largest public
building In the world. and In many respects
the costliest and handsomest. It Is more
over the growth Of less than a century-a
fact which adds to Its beauty and interest.
The original Capitol, or centre building,
is an imitation, though not slaylsh one,
fiom the west portico at night. when the
lamps are lit In the public n Junds and
the lights Of the city illuminate the dark
turesee Usi IN II The World Has and Is we'll % Worth @
journey OF a tho usand miles to see. The
new western facade and grand stair case
CONNIE need this year has added greatly to
the appearance OF that front of the Capitol,
and IS Cne of the finest If not the finest
work of the kind in this country. The cars
and herdics running on pennsylvania ave-
nue., the brown cars of the BELT" system,
and the F.street cars all pass the Capitol.
The White House.
From the west balcony oil the CAPITOL looking
down Pennsylvania ave, the White House
is seen rearing its snowy-hued walls Above
the dense mass of foliage that embowers 1t,
like gigantic Gala lily .springing up amid
enfolding green blades. We're 1t not for the
view Of the White House from the Capitol
would be full and complete. The White
House is the center OF Uptown" as the
Capitol i3 the center OF Down town." II
10 haantffu1ly lpaafaH hn via frnp tl,a
south windows covering the whole south
ern front of the city, as the view from the
north up Sixteenth street west exhibits
the best part of the Northwest section TO
the palace Of the Duke of Leinster at Dub
lin, with the addition of alarge porch on the
north front, which was added during An
drew Jackson's administration. The reser-
walton in which II stands embraces nearly
81 acres. The main entrance is on the
north, reached by the Pennsylvania avenue
cars. 1t is two stories high ON the north,
is built OF white free,stone, 40 feet long
by SO wide. 1t contains on the first floor
the famous Green, Red, Blue and East
rooms, the state Dining Room and the great
conservatories. The Blue Room Is the Presi-
dents official reception room and the draw
ing-room of the ladies of his family. The East
Room, originally designed for banquet
hall and so used as late as 1887, and In the
room for clothes by Mrs. President, Adams,
is the largest and most noted room In tho
building. II Is 22 feet high, 80 feet long
and 40 wide, It is open to visitors every
Cabinet room, the private offices, the Presi
dents Office, the library and the family
apartments. All these rooms except the
latter are open to visitors, by special permis-
sion, at suitable hours.
The washington Monument.
Immediately south OF the White House stands
the Washington Monument, the loftest
structure erected by man, and the most
imposing obelisk ever constructed. It is
built Of marble 655 feet high above its
cornerstone was laid July 4, 1913, and the
cap-stone, forming the apex, was placed in
position December ., 1881. In 1t are ls1
blocks OF inserted stones or copper, gifts
from various countries and societies. The
total cost will be oyer. S1,350,00O. 1t is sit
uated in what will ultimately be a beau
tiful park. Inside the Monument is a large
hydraulic elevator, used to raise the blocks
OF stone during It's erection. When an ap-
preparation is made. which will probably be
done by the Fittieth Congress, this elevator
Will be fitted for passenger use, and the In
terror OF the Monument lighted by electric
ity and opened 10 the public. In the apex
OF the Monument are eight windows, closed
by marble shutters, affording an unsur-
passed view OF the city and surrounding
country. At present no one is admitted to
the Monument,
Lafayette square.
vi IHb NHlUS AOuSb lS
Lafayette Square, the first public reserva-
tion In Washington that was improved 1t
contains the equestrian statue OF Andrew
jackson, by Clark Mills. Many of It's trees
are old forest monarchs, hundreds of years
old, IL is In part q specimen of the old for
NAL landscape gardening so fashionable in
England two hundred years ago, style
that was imported into this country. Lag
ayette Square was, one hundred years ago,
part Of graveyard that inclosed the
square north, on which ST. Johns Church
IS built, and the square east, on which are
situated the Attorney Generals office (for-
merly the Breedman's Bank), the Surgeon
the building formerly used as the United
States Bank, Commodore Decatur's house,
corner, Fifteenth and a-half and IL streets,
and the old Cldb House, near which
Philip Barton Key was killed by Daniel Il.
Slckles, Member of Congress from New
York. The last bodies from this grave