The Washington critic., 1888-06-21
THE VISITORS GUIDE
Objects Of Interest In and About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens
and other Points of Attraction.

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and other Points of Attraction.
Washington has already become 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 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
adopted in PHILADELPHIA, IS used-one hun
or block-commencing at First street west,
running west, First street east, running
east, A street north, running north, and
street south, running south. The odd num-
bers are always on the right-hand side 60
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 nOrtn ana BOutn numerically, and
those running cast and west by the letters
Of the alphabet, the dividing lines being
North and South Capitol streets, running
itol and East Capitol street, and continua.
ton 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 the largest editice
in the country. Its centre marks the Me-
ridian OF Washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, IS the part
Brtss IN %as ~ re9
by 1897. IL incloses the "crypt"-where the
remains of Washington were intended TO be
handsome new edifice Is being built Just east
Of the Capitol. across First st. east, the Ro-
tunda, the old Representatives Hall l,now the
Gallery Of Statuary, and the oldSenateCham-
preme Courtroom, in the first story, Is now
occupied by the Law Branch Of the Library.
The cornerstone Of the Capitol extension
the north and southlwings-was laid July
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oration
Of the occasion from the balcony of the
Library. The south wing contains the
House of Representatives, and the north
wing the Senate Chamber The rotunda Is dis
tinguished for its.hstoric paintings, for the
reliefs, and for Brumdi's frescoings. In the
Hall Of Statuary the are natural pictures of
Potomac marble, representing faces OF GER
tain, eAmerican 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 It's
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 were
transformed into beautiful park and are
most exquisitely beautiful. The east base of
the Capitol is 80h feet above ordinary low
east base to the topof the temple covering
the dome is 2es feet; the statue Of the God.
dess Of Liberty, iels feet, making the total
This crest is SEQ feet higher than the west
gate Of the grounds, and sS7 feet above low
the the al apeX % Of % the washington ton Monument, Msr @
which is Immediately west The building
is 751 feet long by 9s4 wide, and covers 9x
acres. II 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 century-a
SrSna aoes d bnns
Is an imitation, though not slavish one,
Of the Maison Carree at Nismes. The view
are hs pabo al hse %dsn ae
the lights. of the city illuminate the dark
ness is one Of the most beautiful and pic
Journey Of 7 tho ws nsand miles to see The
I'w western facade and grand stair case
con. ne nced this year has added greatly to
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 OF the capitol, looking
down Pennsylvania ave, the White House
Is seen rearing its snowy-hued walls above
the dense mass OF foliage that embowers It,
IKE sggans a lily rngng W amid MD
its partly Intervening Treasury building the
view Of the White, House from the Capitol
TS1e S1sa Be ,he a csner sS cSpRss OF The ws HE
Capitol is the center of Down town" II
is beautifully located, the view from the
ern front of the city, as the view from the
north mp 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 a large 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. II is two stories high on the north,
Is built Of white free;stone, 10 feet long
by SO wide. II contains. on the first floor
the famous Green, Red, Blue and East
Conservatives. The Blue Room is the Presi-
dents official reception room and the draw
ingroom Of the ladies of his family. The East
Room, originally designed for a banquet
hall and SO used as late as 1887, and in the
latter part Of the century used as drying
= room for clothes By Mrs. President Adams,
building. It is ss feet high. 90 % feet = long Sg
and 40 wide. IL is open to visitors every
day. except Sundays. Upstairs. are the
dents oce, the he library Y and The e family ii
apartments. All these rooms except the
latter are open to visitors, by special permis-
sion at suitable hours.
The Warrington Monument.
ImmedlateIy south OF the White House, stands
the Washington Monument, the loftiest
Imposing obelisk ever constructed II is
built of marble, 555 feet high above its
base, which is az feet above tide.water. It's
cornerstone was laid July 4, 1913, and the
eap.stone, forming the apex, was placed in
position December @, 1884. In II are lsl
blocks OF inserted stones or copper, gifts
from various countries and societies. The
total cost will be oyer 1,350,0OO It is sit
uated in what will ultimately be beau
THU park. inside the Monument Is a large
of stone during its erection, When an ap,
Iropriation is made, which will probably be
done by the Fiftieth Congress, this elevator
terror of the Monument lighted by electric
ity and opened TO 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.
Immediately north OF the White House Is
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, a style
that was imported into this country, Lag.
ayette Square was, one hundred years ago,
part Of a graveyard that inclosed the
square north, on which ST. Johns Church