The critic., 1891-01-28

the Nation II presents more objects of interest
to the visitor than any other on the continent,
will be Of service TO the vast number OF per.
sons who annually resort to the political
metropolis. For II Is estimated that over three
hundred thousand strangers pay visit every
year to this city TO behold the varied objects
OF interest which 30 thickly stud the historic
Ten Miles Square"
The System of Numbering 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
ming west, First street east, running east, A
street north running north, and A street south
running south. The odd numbers are always
on the right.hand side going from the Capitol,
and the even numbers on the lefthaud 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-
mcrically, and those running east and west by
the letters OF the alphabet, tho dividing lines
being North and SOUTH Capitol streets, running
and East EAST Car Capitol street, a So and the
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. Tho middle portion,
Immediately under the dome, is the part first
British IN 1914, but was completely restored
by 1927. II incloses the 'crypt"-where the
remains Of Washington were intended to be
Representatiyes' Hall, now the Gallery o Of
Statnary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
SS the Inw Bsnch 81 sCly tc Ssry 1scuss ss
cornerstone of tho Capitol oxtension--the
1851, Daniel Webster delivering the oration
Library. The south wing contains the House
Of Representatives and the north wing the
Senate Chamber. The Rotunda Is dlstin-
famous bronze doors, with their alto releis,
and for Brumidfs frescoiugs In the Hall OF
Statuary are the natural pictures In Potomac
marble, representing faces Of certain Amerii
can statements 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
ascend, the viewof the surrounding country
Is magnificent. The Capitol grounds, which
formerly were homely y and formal In appear.
peeo mos ng
The east base OF the Capitol Is 80If feet
above ordinary low tide In the Potomac. The
total height from east base to the top Of tho
statute of the Goddess OF Liberty, 10Jx feet,
making the total height to the crest Of the
statue sO7l6 feet. This crest Is $50 feet
@ ABOVE 1 the o aas
feet lower than the apex OF the Washington
Monument which Is Immediately west. The
building Is 751 feet long BY 32i wide, and
pubic building In the world, and In many re-
spects the costliost and haadsomest. It Is
moreover the growth OF less than q century
q fact which adds to Its beauty and interest.
The original Capitol, or centre building, Is an
imitation. though not slavish one, OF the
Maison Care at Nismes. The Wow from the
west port,,S,oI ,,I at night when The tho lamps are 1t
city illuminate the darkness, Is one of tho
most beautiful and picturesque In the
world and Is we'll worth journey OF thou
sand miles to see.
The White House
From the west balcony Of the Capitol, look.
ing down Pennsylvania avenue. the White
House is seen rearing Its snowy-hued walls
bowers It. like a gigantic Gala lily sprInging
up amid It's enfolding green blades. We're It
not for the partly Intervening Treasury
euildins the yisw ofthe me- white @ House from 1.-THE the
White House is the center OF Uptown" as
the Capitol 10 tho center Of "Down.town."
IL Is beautifully located, the view from the
front OF tho city, as the view from the north
up Sixteenth street west exhibits the best
part Of the Northwest section to the gaze.
thS DUKE Of GUyb al ybab ihe VICE tSe
addition OF a large porch on the north front,
which was added during Ar Drew 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. 1t Is two stories
high on the north, is built OF white free'stone
40 feet long by 80 wide. Itcontains 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
President's oficial 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 O drying
room for clothes by Mrs. President Adams, Is
the largest and most noted room In the
building. II is % feet high, 80 feet long and
40 feet wide. It Is open to visitors ever
a stsGeps sqbday Inn sas p. tbs are rss sse
dents office, the library and family apart
ments. All these rooms, except the latter,
are open to visitors, by special permission, at
uitable hours.
Lafayette Square
Duo north from theWhite House Is Lafayette
Square, the first public reservation In Wash
ington that was improved. 1t contains the
Clark Mills. Many. Of its trees are old
forest monarchs, hundreds of years old. 1t Is
In part o specimen OF the old formal landscape
gardening 30 fashionable IN England two
hundred years ago, q 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
are situated the Attorney Generals office
formerly the Freednan's Bankl, the Surgeon-
Generals ONCE and Riggs Bank (both In the
bullying formerly used as the United States
Fifteenth and a-half and ii streets. and the old
Club House, near which Philip Barton Key
was killed by Daniel y. Sickles. Member OF
Congress from New York. The last bodies
from this graveyard were not removed until
1919.
81. Johns r. b. Church.
st. Johns P. E. Church, which has often
been called the State Church because more
Presidents have worshipped there than at
any other, stands at the corner of II and
sixteenth streets. IT was built in 1915. and
Presidents Madison, Monroe. John Quincy
| Adams, Qhough the latter was q Congrega-
| tionalist Martin Van Buren uhough, he be-
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore though
| the latter was Unitarian,. Pierce. Buchanan
and Arthur. Presidents Lincoln. johnson and
Grant have also attended Divine sereyices,
one very forcibly Of the old, dim English
country Episcopal churches.
The Treasury Department.
The treasury department u east OF tne
White House and extends tho whole length OF
tf6 front between Pennsylvania ana New
York avenues. II is 6S2 long by 800 feet wide.
The central east portion Is built OF freestone,
rebuilt In 1e3B-41, while the other parts We're
commenced In 1865 and built of granite. The
Cash Room in this building Is a beau
tlful apartment In. the north wing,
the entrance TO which Is from the north
porch. The vaults are under the Cash Room
and can be seen on q written permit given by
the Treasurer of the United States, whose
office Is In the northeast angle on the first
door. This permit must be shown the cashier
who will deiail guides to take the visitor into
the great bullion chests of tho country. The
old State Department used to be on the site oc-
cuped by the northeast corner of the Treas
ury.
War, Nary and State Department.
This edihce, once named by q Washington
| journalist the "rrlune Building" occupies
| the west side OF the Presidents reservation.
| Immediately west of the White House. The
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