Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-08
WASHINGTON AT A GLANCE
THE STARS SIGHFOEER'O GUIDE.
Interesting Points at the National CAP.
ital and How to See Them--Gov.
eminent Buildings. Statues
and Parks.

scenic beauty of the American CAPITAL. When
he enters into the details of inspection or study
of its wonderful public buildings, its products
OF artistic genius. and its numerous and varied
objects OF interest and instruction, he begins
70 realize thst the capita! of the republic is a
reflex Of the grandeur of its institutions.
The STAR, in order to facilitate sightseeing
visitors, has prepared for its thousands OF
readers this view OF Washington at glance.
THE CITY OF WASHINGTON,
the capital OF the United States of America, IL
situated on the eastern bank of the Potomac
river at the confluence OF the Anacostia, LOG
miles from the Chesapeake bay and 1876 miles
from the ocean. The area Of the city proper
d 6,llO acres; 100 acres OF which are public
reservation; 1,150 acres avenues, streets and
sidewalks, and 4, 10 acres squares occupied by
residences and places of business. The loca-
tion of the federal territory under the Consti-
tuition, originally 100, now 60 square miles, was
authorized BY Congress in 1890, proclaimed by
President George Washington in 1871, and was
defined by permanent lines, and the corner
stone was laid on April Is Of the same year.
The federal city was named Washington and
the federal territory Columbia by Thomas JEFF
-erson, Secretary of State The District was
occupied by the government in the fall Of 1900
The building of the original structures, the
eral House (the CapitoD and southwest execu-
tive building, situated on the site of the present
State department, and the early city, was prose-
cuted 1872 to 1900.
GOVERNMENT AND POPULATION
The government, under act of 1874, is by two
civil and one army (engineers) municipal Com
missioners,appoin;ed by the President and con-
frmed by the Senate and acting under laws
passed 10y Congress. The population of the
District OF Columbia is estimated at 500 0OO
of which 2j0. 600 reside in the city Washing
IL the sOutharn of oil no
tails of the northern hemisphere, being three
degrees south of Rome. the eternal CITY capital
OF the ancient republic; two degrees south of
Madrid. twelve degrees south of London, and
rwenty-one degrees south of st. Petersburg
The climate Is unrivaled. there being fewer
Indictment or discOmforting days than in any
other city In the Union. The capital is beautified
with 40 parks, circles and triangular open
spaces. embracing $50 acres. The reclaimed
Potomac marshes embrace 200 acres or making
1.4yO acres. more park area to pop
ulatIOn than any capital in the world.
Ihcse open spaces are adorned with
massive pubic edItices. statues and fountains
and unrlvaied Horticultural and arboricultural
display. There are twenty-one avenues from
s. to l60 feet in width and 65 miles in length
named after states IN the Union, and 1O7 streets
FROM 40 to l4S feet in width and PA miles in
length. or an aggregate of 279 miles, beauti-
ned with parking, planted with 100000 trees
of the finest varieties, and paved in the built
portions with the latest materials, fully 100
miles being asphaltum. The avenues are laid
out with reference to reciprocity of grand
prospects toward and from the public build
ings and constitute the principal thorough
fares for hne residences. Pennsylvania avenue
Is the principal crOss-city highway of trade
and traffic. Massachusetts avenue over 4
miles long, Is the "Unter den Linden" OF the
American capital. Vermont. Connecticut
Rhode Island and New Hampshire avenues and
n street contain the most fashionable resi-
dences. The water supply Of the capital is
brought Is miles from the great falls of the
Potomac by means of an aqueduct feet in
diameter and one of the greatest works
OF the kind in ancient or modern tlInes The
structure known as "Cabin John bridge" car
ries the acqueduct across deep gorge by q
single span OF masonry 220 feet, the greatest
work OF the kind in the word. The capital is
well hghted by gas and electricity. The ex-
tensions being made viii, in the near future,
make Washington one of the best-lighted cities
In existence.
The street car and herdic facilities of the city
are exceptionally convenient, every section and
every public building being accessible by this
ever-ready method Of city transportation
THE CAPITOL.
The Capitol, open from am. to '4:30 D. m
and accessible by street cars from all direc-
tions, Is the confer Of the plan Of the city lines
running north and south and east and west
intersecting at the marble star in the crypt,
forming the four quarters into which the num-
DcNlA-s VI EtSlOGuCts uNlQeQ.
The mighty pile, Corinthian in style, is 751x
1924 feet and 2ss feet high (doms), and covers
S13 acres, or, with the architectural terrace
and grand stairway, component parts of the
structure. 671x4S6 feet at the projection of the
grand staircase, or eight acres in area The
parliament houses, London. cover seven acres.
The vast structure commenced in 1888
The cost to date, including the original build
ing, new wings, dome, marble terrace and
stairways, repairs and alterations is s19 GOO COO
70 rnrrr %
surrounding the dome, il 1917 feet high and
cost s24 900. On the eastern plaza is the colos-
sal classic figure OF George Washington, marble,
by Greenough. 1912, cost 81, 900. On the but
Tesses OF the eastern steps Is a heroic marble
statue OF Columbus and a corresponding group,
the settlement of America. In inches on the
portico are statues of Mars and Ceres. In the
tympanum OF the central portico is a high re-
lief. the Genius OF America. Over the Senate
portico Is a series of statues representing the
progress of civilization.
Opposite the central portico is East Capitol
street. The foliage IN the far distance marks
Lincoln PARK, the site of the bronze group of
Emancipation. The boarded enclosure on the
right across the park the site of the magnificent
light granite Corinthian structure for the accom-
modatlon OF the library OF Congress, which will
cover four acres OF ground. give ultimate space
Tor ,5OO.OOO books. cost $1,000, 900, consume
eight Years IN building and will be by far the
nnest library structure yet erected by man.
The large building on the left across the park
was the temporary capitol, lS14-1S, and capitol
prison for political Offenders, 1876.
OBJECTS OF INTEREST WITHIN THE CAPITOL.
The great bronze door or main entrance
(eastern) to the Capitol represents scenes in
the life Of Columbus and statuettes of his CO.
temporaries, companions and historians. This
opens into the rotunda, which contains the his
torical paintings of discovery, colonization
and struggle for national independence The
hieze In chiaro-oscuro, 800 feet in circumfer-
ence and nine feet high, represents events in
American history, and the canopy in fresco, $50
above, represents an apotheosis of Washington
and allegorical scenes
Proceeding west from the rotunda is the IL
brary Of Congress, which contains 700 900 vol
umes Crossing the library hall and
out upon stepping the western portico
a magnificent view Of the northwest
ern quarter or official and fashion !
able section Of the city may be had. The
marble terrace, SSi feet long in front and 3O4
feet long on each side, and the grand stairway, /
III feet wide and rising 40 in 100 feet; the /
Finest works of the kind ever built costing
esl5OO0, lie below. At the foot IL the bronze |,
statue OF Chief Justice John Marshall, by |
Story, which cost $4,000 On the right, at the !
fennsyivanla avenue entrance, is the naval |
monument by Simmons. which cost Sal 900. and !
on the left, at the Maryland avenue entrance the
Statue Ct Garfield by Ward, which cost s65, 200. |
ON THE MALI.
On the stretch Of park in front known as the |
mall may be seen the botanic garden and Bar !
thold fountain, medical and National mrseums |