The Washington critic., 1888-06-20

building Is beautiful apartment In the
them the north poreB @ The vaults are u under the
Cash Room and can be seen on q written
permit, given by theTreasurer of the Uni
ted States, whose office 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 to be on the site occupied
by the northeast corner Of the Treasury
The Rogues Gallery and Museum of the Se-
cret Service Bureau are on the second floor
and open TO the public, and this aud the
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 historic one. On
the same street, at the east, corner, stands
Riggs Bank, which was built for the accom-.
mediation of the Washington branch Of the
old United States Bank. The greater part
of II Is now occupied by. the clerks Of the
to, tho VESTS the Commlssary. Generals
Office, formerly the. old Washington Club
House, in front of which Philip Barton
Key was shot by sickles. The tree, under
which tho dead mans body lay, is still stand
ing, although its bark had been completely
removed by relic hunters. At the northwest
corner OF the square, above the Commis-
sary Generals Office, is the house made ia
nous by the ownership Of Commodore De.
catur, and where Dolly" Madison lived and
reigned so long social queen after her
husbands term as President explred. aixty
people are employed In the Department OF
Justice.
War, Navy and state Departments
This edifce. once named by a Washington
Journalist the "Triune Building" occupies
the west side of the Presidents reservation
lt.a..l
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 new and very
room In the whole building Is conceded to
be the library of the State Department, with
south front, from whose windows the eye
can sweep uninterruptedly down the Poto-
mac to Mt. Vernon and tar over the Vlr
glnia hills. The building IS in the Italian
Renaissance. II is 5G7feet long and 3l3 feet
wide. Its greatest height Is 1913 feet, and the
flag floating over the central portion, faunts
In the breeze higher up than any other flag
In the city; not excepting those above the
Senate and House Of Representatives. The
cost of the building was hve millions OF dol
lars, about three times as much as the
White House. he old Winder Building,
across Seventeenth street from the west
Of the War Department, and in il IS the
Ordnance Museum, containing relics of the
late war, especially interesting to soldiers.
One One ,a hundred people are employed here up. p
Secretary Of War and 800 under the Secre-
tary OF the Navy.
COrccran Art Gallery.
The Coreoran Art Gallery is at the corner Of
Pennsylvania avenue and Seventeenth st
opposite the War, Navy and state Depart.
ment.. It Is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays free; on other days Except Sun.
days. q small admission fee IS charged. This
gallery, although, not TO be compared with
q 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 g street. II
Is one Of the most interesting places in Wash
ington to visit The observers in charge,
when. at leisure, always take pleasure in
showing visitors how they manufacture
Davy Burns' Cottage
One OF the curiositles 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
Next door to it is General Van Ness once
stately mansion, where he brought his bride,
Marcia Burns, one Of the original heiresses
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
which It stands is famous for having ,n
dock, and the latter's army, when n their
march to the fatal field, where the English
General fell q victim TO his self.conceit and
vanity. Tradition also points out this hill as
the decisive battle ground between the
District Indians and the mysterious Susque-
hannas. This observatory contains thelargest
reiracting teiesGoPs IN the hey, World nextt9 TIE
Observatory. By its aid that most interest
ing, II not greatest, astronomical discovery
Of the country was made, the moons of
L and Twenty third streets northwest. The
herdio cabs go to Twenty.second and g
street.
The Agricultural Department..
This building is situated east of the Monu-
ment. 1t is inclosed by the most beautiful
and glowing flower garden In the country
and the grounds contain the most complete
arboretum probably in the United States.
Attached to this Department are the Exper-
hnaeIa vsat M wnoSe @ Sid are Tba Ret
Line cars go right western wing Is the libra
ry and the second past the grounds. On
the first floor OF The floor of the centre of the
building devoted to an extensive agricultu-
raj museum.
The Printing and 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. 1t 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 reyenuestamps,
ETC., used by the Government.
The Smiths0nian,
Across Twelfth street, Immediately east from
the Agricultural Department, are the Smith
sonian Institution and the Smithsonian
Grounds. The former is a specimen OF the
the latter form tho most beautiful landscape
garden in the country. These grounds of
themselves are worth q visit TO Washington
to see. They contain the memorial urn to
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
sonian is filled with the most varied and in.
terestng objects connected with science.
The building was finished 30 years ago at a
cost of nearly half million Of dollars. This
sum was bequeathed by james Smithson,
an English scientist, to form an establish
edge among men. The current expenses
are betrayed by the interest on the original
donation. The Museum Is open from till 4
and Is reached by the Seventh Street, the
cars.
The National Museum.
The National Museum Is In the Smithsonian
grounds,a few yards east of the Smithsonian
building. IL contains thousands of the most
in teresting curiosities, samples of the life
customs and history Of all nations. II Is
open daily to the public from 0 a. m. TO 4
p, IN.
Medical Museum.
The Army and Navy Medical Museum Is on
the corner of seventh and b streets south
west, adjoining the NationalMuseum. The
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