Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-11-09
A TRIP TO WASHINGTON.
What There is TO be seen Mt the Capt.
tai Of the United States.

WAUKEsHA, Wis, Nov. I, 1880.
Ed. TIMEs:--I have now told you about
all the prominent things in Washington ex-
cept the White House, which l put off Wis.
i,ng for the Presidents reception Saturday
afternoon. So was ready Friday morning
to take trip to Mount Vernon, the home
and the tomb OF Washington.
At 10 o'clock A. M. l took the steamer w.
w. Corcoran, the only boat carrying passen
gers to and from the place. There were
about 800 passengers on board, and this,
understood, was about the daily average
the year round. The steamer makes daily
trips except Sundays. The round trip fare
is one dollar, so the association, composed,
believe, mostly of women, must have a
considerable income each year. But out OF
it are paid the expenses Of keeping the home
and grounds in repair.
The trip down the river, distance OF
about sixteen miles, is very pleasant one,
and made interesting from the fact that you
pass several places Of historical interest.
| About mile below the wharf on the the
left side Of the Potomac. is the U. S. Arsi-
nal, which in 1914 was destroyed by the
British. 1t was here, too, that Mrs. Surratt
aud the other conspirators met their fate on
the gallows. On the same side, but further
down the river, is Fort Washington, cap.
tured by the British in 1914. On the right
bank Of the river, about Sc ven miles down,
is the sleepy old town Alexandria. While
the boat was stopping here few minutes
the captain pointed out to US Christ Church,
where Washington attended divine service
and which is the same building used by
Braddock as headquarters during the French
and Indian war. It is also the place where
| Washington courted girl he didn't get,
and where Colonel Ellsworth was shot for
| hauling down the rebel flag.
| A two and a half hours ride brought us
to the Mount Vernon landing, where we
were met by the Superintendent, who led
the way up and explained things as we went
along. On one side of the walk, about half
| way up the hill, some weeping willows,
| taken from the grave Of Napoleon, at St.
Helena, were growing in an old washout.
A few minutes walk brought us to the tomb
of the immortal Washington. 1t is built of
plain brick, against the side OF a high knoll,
and is guarded by two iron picket gates,
both Of which are securely locked. Through
| the iron bars of the gate the visitor looks
into the Enclosure, where in plain sight, on
the right, is the sarcophagas which contains
the remains of the illusirious dead. A plain
marble slab placed over the outside gate has
this inscription on it. "Within this inclos-
ure rest the remains Of General George
Washington" In the same compartment,
on the left, is another sorcophagas contain
| ing the remains of Mrs. Washington, with
| the following inscription. "Martha, consort
of Washington, Died May Il, 1901, aged
H." The only inscription on her husbands
coffin is Washington" Back Of this in
| closure, in the same vault, is another com.
partment, containing the remains Of the
different members of the Washington family.
| The tomb now containing the remains Of
Washington is not the one they were first
placed in, they having be en- deposited here
only since 1891, as place of greater securi.
ty, the old one having been broken into by
some brainless relic -hunter. The old tomb
| is it'll in its place, however, and stands to
the right Of the new one, about thirty rods
| south Of the mansion. This spot was cho,
sen by Mrs. Washington SO she could look
down on her husbands last resting place
from her bed room window. 1t is this tomb
that Lafayette visited in 1894.
We were now taken to the mansion, witch
stands on the summit Of high hill, and the
many interesting relics in the old house were
shown and explained 10 US. On the wall in
This was the key to the famous French Bias.
tile, presented by Lafayette to Washington.
| On a table near by is a model of the old
French prison made from one of the stones
of that building. Every room in the house
is open to the visitor, and in every one is
some relic or memento OF Washington. We
saw the room in which Washington died, the
bed and chair and dressing case; in fact
everything is there just as it was when he
lived, and on the flor above we saw the
bed room in which Mrs. Washington died,
and where for over a year she sat at the
window and watched her husbands grave.
| The grounds are kept in excellent condition;
the trees are neatly trimmed and the flower
beds are beautifully and artistically arranged.
| Several of the large trees on the lawn,
planted by Washington himself, are still in a
healthy and thriving condition. Two large
ash, Two tulip trees, and large southern
magnolia, were among those that he planted.
There are also quite number here planted
by Thomas Jefferson and brought by him
from Kentucky.
We were at this time reminded by the
| tol)ing of the bell that the steamer was
waiting to take us back, and after pleasant
trip up the river we reached Washington a,
about 4 P. M, having spent most enjoyable
day.
1t had been given out that at O'Clock
Saturday afternoon the President would hold
his regular Saturday afternoon public recep
ton. Accordingly the time set found me al
the White House. l went early SO | would
have time TO look over the points of interest
in the building before the reception began.
had heard SO much about the "Red Room,
the "Blu. ROOM" the screen Room" and
tee "East ROOM" that | was ANXIOUS to
have look at them. l found, however,
that all but the "East Room" are closed TO
visitors, and l had to content myself with
that. The "East Room" as its name indi
Gates, is on the east side Of the building, and
is about 80 feet long. 90 feet wide and ~
feet high. Four large life size portraits
hang on the east wall. They are of George
and Martha Washington, Lincoln and Jefter-
son. Aside from the pictures there is little
| else in the way of ornaments in the room