The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-02-18

by the ownership OF Commodore Decatur,
where Dolly" Madison lived and reigned 80
long Social Queen after her husbands term
us President expired.
The Washington Monument.
Immediately south Of tho white House
stands the Washington Monument, tho lofti.
est structure erected by man, and the most
imposing obelisk ever constructed. IL Is 5o5
feet above its base. which IA IA feet above
Underwater. Its cornerstone was laid July
nsc sad the Dssss S5s%p ths
u are lB1 blocks OF Inserted stones or copper,
gifts from various countries and societies.
The total cost will be over St,350,OOO. It Is
situated In what will ultimately BIO bcauti.
full park.
The Ndrdl Observatory.
To the west OF tho Washington Monument
on the highest elevation. that borders the
north bank Of the river, between 81. Eliza
stands the Naval observatory. The hill on
which II stands is famous for having been
the camping ground OF Washington and Brad
6SSs and \, b the awy when sha G En aI
General fell a victim to his self-conceit and
vanity. Tradition also points out this hill as
the decisive battle-ground between the Dis
hannas. Ills Observatory o ooStans the largest
refracting telescope IN the world, next to the
new equatorial Just built for the Lick OBJ
scrvatory. BIZ It's aid that most interesting
II not greatest, astronomical discovery OF the
country was made, the moons Of Mars. The
entrance to the Observatory Is at E and
Twenty-third streets northwest. The Herdic
cabs go TO Twenty second and q streets.
The Agricultural Department.
This building is situated east Of the Monu-
mont. IL is Enclosed BY the most beautiful
and glowing flower garden In the country,
and the grounds contain the most complete
AIboretum probably IN the United states.
Attached to this Department are the Expert
mental Gardens, whose Offices are immedi-
ately west Of the main building. The Belt
Line cars go right past the grounds
The Smithsonian Institute and Nutional
Museum.
The visitor may obtain considerable enter.
taihment and instruction by spending several
hours In the Smithsenian Institution aud
National Museum. These are two handsome
big buildings, situated In the immense park
lying south OF d street, between Seventh and
Twelfth streets. There Is simply q mammoth
free museum, owned and operated by the o..
s. Government for tho collection of every
thing In nature, science, literature, history
and art that Is rare interesting and valuable,
one enters the hall Of tho National Museum
the first object of interest Is a collection Of
the. personal effects OF George Washington,
Including his clothing, family china and camp
OF glass showcases, In which are displayed
collections of almost every conceivable ar
ticles The artist will find rare etohngs,
specimens Of the engrayers art IN Its peri,sG;
of keen and glistenlng implements Of his
calling from the smallest and most complex
to the largest and simplest. The numismatist
may revel In u collection Of rare coins, from
the freshly coined dollar OF the day TO the
copper east that bears the stamp OF tho
Caesars. The .geologist will find himself IN u
maze OF specimen dug from every section
for hours over the models Of the Cliff houses
and the homes of the Aboriginea. The lover
Of antiquities In general will have an I'M
bounded range Of subjects, from the Egyp.
tian mnmmies,, a Thousand years old. and
relies OF Pompeii to the arms and indictments
of the early jewellers In America. The lover
of bric-a.brac and fine china will discover a
tlest wares from Limoges, Baccarat, Hungary
ind Germany will please the eye. and the
process OF manufacture Is displayed. In the
Smithsonian Building the student Of tax
boasts. fish and reptiles stuffed and In lars OF
alcohol. Back of the Smithsonian Building
Is ZOO" where are number OF live wild
animals. Several bears. a cougar. a Jaguai
and groups OF smaller animals and birds
comprise the collection. The Smithsonian
Institution and National Museum buildings
are open from a. m. to 4 p. m. to visitors
and may be, reached by tho Seventh street
Tile Botanical Gardens.
Passing eastward from the Museum, ovel
the railroad bridge that spans sixth street
and through tie nrc'ty park lying between
Maine and Missouri avenues, the visitor come:
Pennsylvania avenue, OF the Botanical Gar
dens. These interesting grounds are oper
daily from In the morning to In the even
ing. They were established city years ago
choicest and rarest foreign plants. Around
the gardens are extensive collections OF tree:
and shrubs. In the centre OF tho lawn facing
the centre conservatory Is the famous Bar
tholdi Fountain that attracted so much at
tenton at the Philadelphia Centennial.
The Peace Monument.
just half way across the Avenue from thu
northeast angle OF the Botanical Harden ant
at the west foot Of the CAPITOL Grounds is the
Peace Monument. This was designed by Ad
miral Porter IN honor of the dead soldiers ant
sailors OF the late war. u Is OF marble and
cost, with pedestal and platform, Si1 900. Il
Is proposed to remove this monument to on'
of the squares on the northwest section.
Retracng our tops we Ind
The Printing and Engraving Bureau.
The great money mil of the Government !
located at The corner of Fourteenth and
streets southwest, southeast from the MOnu
ment and southwest from the Agricultural
Bureau. It is reached by the Belt Line Car,
and Is opened to visitors every day
Dairy Burns Cottage.
One OF the curiositles Of Washington Is oil
Davy Burns cottage, on Seventeenth street
near the river. II may be reached by tn
drive south OF the Presidents House or b!
the Metropolitan or Avenue line of cars. Mex
mansion, where he brought his bride, Marcl
Burns, one of the original heiresses OF Wash
ingten.
C0rcordn Art Galiery.
| The Corcoran Art Gallery Is at the corner Q
| Pennsylvania avenue and Seventeenth street
| opposite the War, Navy and State department
| II Is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satui
days free; on other dSys Except sundays
small admission fee IL charged, This gallery
| although not to be compared with the grea
| Old World galleries, ~ nevertheless a yer
| creditable Institution for so new a countr
| as the United States. II contains among othe
original objects Powers great statue of tn
"Greek Slave"
The Louis Home.
The Louise Home Is beautiful building q
| the corner Of Massachusetts avenue and FL
teenth street, near Scott Circle. IL has Q,
| tensive grounds. beautifully embellished, an
to the wife and daugnuer Of Mr.. W. v
| Corooran, and Is intended us a home n
ladies OF education and birth and rehnemen
who have been reduced to poverty from q
| huence,
The Columbian UnirerSitJ.
Coming down Fifteenth street from I'll
Lonise Home, at the corner OF Fifteenth an
ii streets, the visitor sees the G. Columbian I'm
4 versity, which occupies the site of the oil
Griswold Mansion. This university was II
corporated as Columbian College IN 1872
and Is under the special supervision OF u
Baptist Church. III an institution famor
for the discipline and thoroushness of II
instruction.
The Postobice Department.
The General Postofilce Department - on u
square bounded by Il. u, seventh and Eight
streets. Ii Is handsome building, altnoup
Its proximity TO It's larger and holder brothe
the Patent Office, somewhat obscures Its gree
size and tends to lessen Its beauty. Its diffe
ent bureaus possess great interest TO Il
visitor, but the Dead Letter ONCE Ia partic
larry the one to be observed. The collectio
OF ouriosities taken from the mails In transl
as specimens Of the uses to which the Nation
postal oonveyances are put, Il both varlt