The critic., 1891-02-21

will be of service to the vast number Of per.
sons who annually resort TO the political
metropolis. For It is estimated that over three
hundred thousand strangers pay a visit every
year TO this city 10 benold the varied objects
OF interest which so thlckly stud the historic
Ten Miles Suuare"
TIC System of Wandering Houses.
Numbers are displayed over the entrances
to. all houses. and the decimal system as
adopted In Philadelphia, is used-one hundred
numbers being allotted TO each square or
block-commenciDg at First street west, rum
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,
The city Is divided into four quarters or SEQ
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 a line due north and south from the Capitol
and East Capitol street, and the continuation
on the same west OF the CAPITOL running due
east and west.
The Capitol.
the original District, and Is the largest edfce
In the country. Its centre marks the Me-
redan Of washington. The middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, IS tho part first
British In 1914, but was completely restored
by 1927. IL incloses the "crypt"-where the
remains Of Washington were intended to be
Representatives Hall, now the GALLERY OF
Statuary, and tho old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
s LAW IN rands nS y Vry STsty Seonpssa Pie
cornerstone Of the Capitol extension-the
north and south wngs-was laid July 4,
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the grafton
Library. The south wing contains the House
OF Representatives and the north wing the
Senate. Chamber. The Rotunda Is distin.
famous bronze doors. with their alto relieis,
and for Brumidfs fresooings In the Hall Of
Statuary are the natural pictures In Potomac
marble, representing faces OF certain Amerii
From the little rotunda, Immediately north OF
the great rotunda, the staircase to the top Of
the dome begins its winding way. From the
ascend, the view OF the surrounding country
| Is magnificent. The Capitol grounds, which
| formerly were homel ly and formal In appear
ance, have been transformed into beautiful
| The east base OF the Capitol Is S9k feet
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, 19h feot,
| making the total height to the crest OF the
| statue 307ls feet. This crest Is $50 feet
307 feet above low tide in the Potomac, or 2ls
feet lower than the apex OF the Washington
Monument which Is Immediately west. The
building Is 751 feet long by 324 wido and
| covers 3I6 acres II Is tho. finest and largest
| pubic building in the world and in many re-
| y cots the co stliest and handsomest. It is
moreover the growth OF less than century
. fact which adds TO It's beauty and interest.
The original Capitol or centre building, Is an
imitation. though not savish one, OF the
Malson Cnrre AT Nismes; The view from the
west portlco 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 aud Is well worth Journey OF thou.
sand miles to see.
The White House
| From the west baicony oi the Capitol, look.
Ing down Pennsylvania avenue, the White
House Is seen rearing It's snowy-huea walls
above he dense mass OF foliage that en-
bowers IT, like gigantic Gala lily springina
up amid ifs enfolding green blades. Were II
| hot for the partly intervening Treasury
Capitol would be full and complete The
| White House Is the center OF "Up-town," as
tho Capitol is the center OF "Down.town."
II Is beautifully located. the view from the
| south windows covering the whole southern
| front OF the city rs the view from the north
| up Sixteenth street west exhibits tho best
| part OF the Northwest section to the gaze.
| The White liouse is cop, OF the palace OF
the Duke of Leinsier at Dublin. with the
| addition OF large porch on the north front,
| which was added during Andrew jackson 5
administration. The reservation in which it
stands embraces nearly 81 acres. Tho main
| entrance Is on the north, reached by the
| PENNSYLVANIA avenue cars. IL !! two stories
high on the north, Is built of white tree.stone
| l7O feet long by SO wide. IL contains on the
first floor the famous Green, Red, Blue and
| East rooms, the State Dining Room and the
great conservatorles. The Blue Room Is the
| Presidents Official receptlon room and 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 drying
| room for clothes by Mrs. President Adams, Is
| tbe largest and most noted room In the
| building. u is % feet high. so feet long and
| 40 feet wide. It Is open to visitors ever
| Cabinet room, the private Offices, the Presi-
| dents Office, the library and family apart
| ments. ALI these rooms, except the latter,
are open TO visitors, by special permission, at
suitable hours.
Lafayette Square
Due north from thewhite House Is Lafayette
| Square, the first public reservation In Wash
ington that was improved. II contains the
equestrian statue Of Andrew jackson, BY
Clark Mills. Many OF It's trees are old
forest monarchs, hu ndreds OF years old. 1t Is
| In part specimen OF the old formal Landscape
hundred years ago, a style that was Imported
into this country. Lafayette Square was, ono
| hundred years ago, part OF q graveyard that
enclosed the square north. on which st. Johns
| Church is built, and the square east on which
are situated the Attorney Generals ofHoe
| Qormerly the Freedman's Bankl, the Surgeon
Generals ONCE and Riggs Bank (both In the
building formerly used as the United States
Bank), Commodore Decatur's house, corner
Fifteenth and a-half and II streets. and the old
Club Honse, near which PHILIP Barton Key
Congress from New York The last bodies
from this graveyard were not removed unit
1919.
ST. Joints T. b. Church.
ST. Johns p. 2. Church, which has otter
been called the State Church because more
Presidents have worshipped there than al
any other, stands at the corner Of II anc
enlarged In 1920. In It have worshlpped
Presidents Madison, Monroe. John Quincy
Adams. Though the latter was q Congrega
s sSs batc 5Gn c6aio 81 ns
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore thougt
the latter was Unitarian. Pierce. Buchanan
and Arthur. Presidents Lincoln, johnson ant
Grant have also attended Divine serevices
although not steadily. Its interior remind,
country Episcopal churches.
The Treasury Department.
The Treasury Department is east OF tn,
White House and extends the whole length n
tie front between Pennsylvania ana New
York avenues. II is bS2 long BY 900 feet wide
The central east portion is built of freestone
rebuilt in ls30.4f, while the other parts wer,
commenced In 1865 and built OF granite. The
Cash Room In this building Is beau
tiful apartment In. the north wing
porch. The vaults are under the Cash Room
and can be seen on written permit given by
the Treasurer OF the United States. whost
Office is In the northeast angle on the frs
door. This permit must bo shown the cashier
who will detail guides to take the visitor into
the great bullion chests Of the country. Tn,
old State Department used 10 be on the site oc
oupied by the northeast corner OF the Treas
ury.
War, Macy and State Department.
This ediiee, once named by Washington
journalist the "Triune Building" occupies
the west side OF the Presidents reservation
Immediately west OF the White House. TIL,
State Department occupies the south part
Will While the h war Department occupies the entir,