The Washington critic., 1890-05-03
THE WAY TO REACH THEM,

Washington is fast becoming the most at
tractive city OF the country. As the Capital of
the Nation IL presents more objects of interest
TO the visitor than any other on the continent,
and brief directory of its prominent points
VIII be OF service to the vast number of per.
sons who annually resort to the political
metropolis. For 1t Is estimated that over three
hundred thousand strangers pay visit every
year To this city TO benold the varied objects
OF interest which so thcBly stud the historic
Ten Miles Square,"
TIE System Of Numbering Houses
Numbers are displayed over the entrances
10 al houses, and the decimal system: as
adopted in Philadelphia, is used-one hundred
numbers being allotted to each square or
block-commenclng at First street west, rum
ming west, First street east running east, A
street northrupning 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-hand side.
The city Is divided into four quarters or Sec
tions, northeast and northwest southeast and
southwest, the streets being designated ac-
cordingly; those running north and south nu-
mericaly, and those running east and west by
the letters of the alphabet, the dividing lines
being North and SouthCapitol Streets running
on line due north and south from the Capitol
aud East Capitol street, and the continuation
on the same west of the Capitol, running due
east and west.
The CAPITOL
This great building is the central point of
the original District, and Is the largest edifce
in the country. Its centre marks the Me-
redian OF washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, is the part first
built. 1t was partially destroyed by the
British In 1914, but was completely restored
by 1927. It incloses the "crypt'-where the
remains of Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library. the Rotunda, the old
Representatives Hall, now the Gallery of
Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
Courtroom, In the first story, is now occupied
by the Law Branch of the Library. The
cornerstone of the Capitol extension--the
north and south wings-was laid July 4,
1861, Danief Webster delivering the grafton
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 distin-
guished. for its historic paintings, for the
famous bronze doors, will their alto reliefs,
Statuary are the natural pictures in Potomac
marble, representing faces of certain Ameri-
can 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 its winding way. From the
top of the come, or as far as the visitor can
ascend the viewof the surrounding country
is magnificent. The Capitol grounds, which
formerly were homely and formal in appear.
ance, have been transformed into beautiful
park and are now most eXquisitely beautiful.
The east base of the Capitol is S91h feet
above ordinary low tide In the Potomac The
.otal height from east base to the top OF the
temple covering the dome Is 2sS feet; the
statute OF the Goddess of Liberty, 1915 feet,
making the total height TO the crest of the
statue 3O7M feet. This crest Is 300 feet
higher than the west gate of the grounds, and
397 ieet above low tide in the Potomac or 24S
feet lower than the apex of the Washington
Monument, which is Immediately west. The
building Is T5l feet long by 324 wide, and
covers 80 acres. 1t is the finest and largest
public building in the world, and in many re-
speots the costliest and handsomest. 1t is
moreover the growth of less than a century
fact which adds to its beauty and interest,
The original Capitol, or centre bui ding, Is an
imitation, though no not slavish one, of the
Maison Care aJ Nismes. The view from the
west portico at night, when the lamps are Lie
In the public grounds and the lights of the
n tne and IS o of the the
world and Is well worth jonrney of thou
sand miles to see.
1he HH"e Ho~se'
From the west balcony Of the Capitol, look
ing down Pennsylyanis avenue, the White
House is seen rearing its snowy-hued walls
above the dense mass of foliage that EN-.
up amid It's enfoldine green blades. We're It
ho;,diOg iOr tha ne Party f ita
SaRitol M u would Be be- fun fun, and complete: TIE
the Capitol is the center Of "D6wn-towp.|
II is beautifully located. the view from the
trnt " tb c;ty covering M @ tne whole
mn StSteenth street west exhibits the hast
part of the Northwest section to the gaze
The Whita HouSe ia a cnpv of thu "a of
the Duke of Leinster at Dublin. with the
addition of n large pnrch on the north front
which was added dnrina Andrey Jackson,s
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. The reservation in Which ~
stands embraces nearly Al acres The main
entrance is on the north. reached by The
Pennsylvania avenue cars. It is two stories
i7o feet long by ss VIDE It contains on the
tirst fIoor tba amons Srean Rad RIna un anS ,nS
East rooms the State nin;nr' Roam aud the the
reat conseryatories The Blue Room ia the
Ne'NS 1sOOtH ~
draw,ng room Of the iaSias Of b;s famiiu 1be
hall and 50 used as late as 1887, and IN the
room spr p clofhea nv Mrs. brcsiTent aaemys iss
the largest and most noted room in The
building. it Is 20 feet high, so feet long and md
df1 feet wide n ia omen 10 visitors eyer
day except SUNDAYS. iJp-stairs are thar
Cabinet room. the nriyate nff3ces the Presi
dents office, the library and family apart
are onen to visitors. bv sneciai permissian az
suitable hOurs. ~ 'po'A' pa -''''''A' Nv
A"ySyo'~ o4"~'e'
Due north from theWhite House is Lafayette
s ss n6 N Wsh ss
equestrian statue OF Andrew jackson, by
forest monarems nundre6s are as q years Hd ~ IS
gardening 70 fashionable In England two
hundred wears ago a style that was Imported
into this country. Lafayette Square was. one
hundred years ago part of a graveyard that
enclosed the SQUARE north. on which st. Johns
Church is built, and the SQUARE east on wbioi,
are Situated che Attorney-G Generai's ONCE
(formerly the Freedmau's Bank). the Surgeon.
Generals once and Riggs Bank Iboth In the
building formerly used as the United States
Bank). Commodore Decatur's house. corner
Fifteenth and a a-half and Fl streets, and the old
Club House, near which Philip Barton Key
was killed by Daniel b. Siokles. Member Of
Congress from New York The last bodies
from this graveyard were NOT remoyed until
1919.