The Washington critic., 1889-03-02
THE VISITORS GUIDE.
Objects of Interest in and About the
National Capital.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks, Squares, Statues, Gardens, and
Other Points of Attraction.
TIE WAY TO REACH THEM,

washineton ia fast becoming tho most nj.
tractive citv of the country. Asthe Capital OF
the Nation Il nresents more objects of interest
10 tho visItor tban arv otbor on tho continent
and brief directory of It's prominent points
will be Of service TO the vast number Of per-
sons who annually resort TO the political
metropolis. For lt Is estimated that over three
hundred thousand strangers pay visit every
year to this city to benold the varied objects
of interest which so thickly stud the historic
"Ten Miles Square,"
The System of Numbering Houses.
Numbers arc displayed over the entrance,
to all houses, and the decimal system. as
adopted in philadelphia, Is sused-one hundred
numbers being allotted TO each square or
block-commencin at First street west. run.
ming west, First street east, running east, A
street north running north, and street south
running south. The odd numbers are always
on the right.hand side going from the Capitol
and the even numbers on the left.band side.
The city Is divided into four auarters or SEQ.
tions, northeast and northwest. aoutbeast and
southwest. the streets being desienated no.
cordingly; those running north and south mn.
merically, and those running east and west bv
the letters of the alphabet. the dividing lines
being North and South Capitol streets. running
on n line due north and south from tho Can,toi
and East Capltol street. and the Continuation
on the same west of the Can,toI running dne
east and west
The Capito1.
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G,,rar, M sn,,h ~. o.,',ai.o ~, y, .no
ot panroson,ot,,as a,a 49, 49,, .,
senate Cbambor Tho po,nnda ,s ds.,,s vue
gnisbed for he b,s,orio ,,a,n,,n.. ,S...ha
Samons bronzo don,s r,,,, ,ha,r ai,, ..,;esS
and for Rrnm,di,s frosco,nns tn ,ho uni, -,
statnarv oro Tho ratnrai ,eotrras " '9 pa.a nm "
marb,e renresentJno faoas ~ oar.a,,, 49,,
can statesmon--a n,c,nresn,,o froaS 90 na,,,na
Fror, tha li,tia rot,nSa ,ra,ooa,",a,., " Ia, ae
the great rotnnda the az aircasa ,o tha ,o,, %
the dome bes,ns ,ts ,v,nd,nn r,ar no Pro 'p ,S y,
tor, 81 tha dnn,o ~. as 60. O. ~ ..,.,.n '' sno
ascend, the view of the surrounding country
is magnificent. The Capitol grounds, which
formerly were homey and formal In appear
ance, have been transformed into beautiful
park and are now most exquisitely beautiful
no hae 81 q.
above ordinary low tide in the Potomac. THE
total height from east base to the top OF the
temple covering the dome is 2Ss feet; the
statute of the Goddess of Liberty, 1916 feet,
making the total height to the crest of the
statue 3071s feet. This crest Is $50 feet
higher than the west gate Of the grounds, and
397 feet above low tide In the Potomac, or 24S
feet lower than tho apex OF the Washington
Monument, which is Immediately west The
building Is 751 feet long by 324 wide, and
covers 33 acres. 1t Is the finest and largest
public building In the world, and in many re-
spects the costliest and haAdsomest. 1t Is
moreover the growth of less than century
fact which adds to Its beauty and interest.
The original Capitol, or centre building, is an
imitation, though no not q savish one, OF the
Maison Carre at Nismes. The view from the
west portico at night, when the lamps are lit
In the public grounds and the lights of the
city illuminate the darkness, is one of the
most beautiful and picturesque in the
world and is well worth a journey of o thou
sand miles to see.
The White House.
From the west balcony of the Capitol. look.
ing down Pennsylyania avenue the white
House is seen rearing It's snowy.hued walls
above the dense mass of foliage that EN-.
bowers 1t. like gigantic Gala lIly Swinging
I'D amid its enfolding green blades. We're n
not for the partly Intervening Treasury
building the view of the White House from the
Capitol would be full and complete. The
White House is the center of "Up.town. ~ as
the CAPITOL IA the center of "Down.town -
1t is beautifully located. the view from the
south windows covering the whole Southern
front of the city. az the view fyom the no,,h
up Sixteenth street west exhibits the best
part Of the Northwest section 70 the gaze
The White House is copy of the palace of
the Duke Of Leinster at Dublin. with the
addition Of large porch on the north front
which was added during Andrew Jackson's
administration The reservation in which 1t
stands embraces nearly 81 acres. The main
entrance is on the north, reached by the
Pennsylvania avenue cars. It is two stories
high on the north is built of white free stone
lTO feet long by 30 wide. 1t contains on the
first floor the famous Green, Red, Blue and
East rooms, the State Dining Room and the
great Conservatives. The Blue Room Is the
Presidents official RECEPTION room and the
drawing 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
latter part OF the century used as a drying
room for clothes by Mrs. President Adams, is
the largest and most noted room in the
building. 1t is % feet high, 80 feet long and
10 feet wide. II IA oman 70 vtsitora avarv