The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-11

THH VISITORS GUIDE.
THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.
Parks. Squares. Statues, Gardens, and
Other Points OF Attraction.

tractive city OF the country. AS the Capital of
the Nation 4 presents more objects OF Interest
and brief directory of It's prominent points
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 n visit every
year 10 this city TO behold the varied objects
OF interest which so thlckly stud the historic
Ten Miles Square"
The System of Numbering Houses.
Numbers arc displayed over the entrances
TO- all houses, and the decimal system, as
adopted In Philadelphia, isused-onc hundred
numbers being allotted to each square or
block--commencing at First street west, rum
ming west, First street east, running east, A
street north running north, and A street south
running south. The odd numbers are always
and the even numbers on the left-haud side.
The city Is divided into four quarters or seq
tlons, northeast and northwest, southeast and
southwest, the streets being designated ac-
cordiDgly; those running north and south MT
merically, and thoseIunning east and west by
the letters Of the alphabet, the dividing lines
being North and SouthCapitol streets, running
and East Capitol street, and the continuation
on the same west Of the Capitol, running due
east and west.
TIE Capitol.
This great building Is the central point of
the original District, and Is the largest ediiice
redlan Of washington. This 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
kepresentatIyes' Hall, now the Gallery OF
Statuary, and the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. Tho old Supreme
Courtroom, In tho first story, is now occupied
cornerstone OF the Capitol extension-the
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.
for It's historic pSntn for re
and for Brumidi's frescoiugs In the Hall OF
Statuary are the natural pictures In Potomac
marble, representing faces Of certain Atnerii
From tho little rotunda, Immediately north Of
the great rotunda, the staircase TO the top Of
the dome begins Its winding way. From the
Of The as far as The visitor can
Is magnificent. The Capitol grounds, which
formerly were homely and formal In appear.
ance. have been transformed into q beautiful
The east base Of the Capitol Is 500 feet
above ordinary low tide In the Potomac. The
total height from east base to the top OF the
sTBs % r.. Ed as dome 1ss fee 3
making the total height. to the crest Of the
statue BOYS feet. This crest is $50 foot
higher than the west gate Of tho grounds, and
897 feet above low tide In the Potomac. or 2 ta
feet lower than the apex Of the Washington
Monument which Is Immediately west. The
building 10 761 feet long BY 824 wide, and
covers sM acres T. Is the finest and largest
poets the co stliest and handsomost. 1t Is
moreover the growth Of less than a century
a fact which adds to its beauty and interest.
Imitation. though not slavish one. OF the
Mais0n Carrie at Nismes. The view from the
west portico at night. when tho 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 and is well worth q Journey Of thou.
sand miles to SEQ.
THE White House
Ing down Pennsylvania avenue, the White
House Is seem rearing Its snowy-hued walls
above the dense mass OF foliage that en-
bowers Y like SSSantc Salls ily sprnging
NOT, for the partly intervening Treasury
building the view of the White House from the
Capitol would DO full and complete. The
| the Capitol Is the center Of Downtown"
| 1t IL beautifully located, the view from the
| south windows covering the whole southern
IrODt Oh tIe Clty, IN tUb Wow IRON tH6 uOrIu
up sixteenth street west exhibits the best
| part of the Northwest section to the gaZo.
| The White House is a copy OF the palace OF
| the Duke OF Leinsfer 1T Dublin, with the
| addition OF large porch on tho north front,
| which was added during Andrew Jackson s
administration. The reservation In which u
| stands embraces nearly III acres. The main
Is on aS nS ars sisssS IL @
high on the north, is built OF white freo.stone
10 feet long by SO wide. ltcontsins on the
first floor the famous Green, Red, Blue. and
4 great Conservatives. The Blue Room Is the
Presidents Official 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 1897, and in the
latter part OF the century used rs o drying
room for clothes by Mrs President Adams, is
the largest and most noted room In the
building. IT Is % feet high, so feet long and
40 feet wide. II Is open TO- visitors ever
day. except Sundays. Upstairs are the
| Cabinet room. the private offices, the Pres
oe the library snd sn ahs
are open to visitors, BY special permission, at
suitable hours.
Lafayette Square
Due north from thewhite House is Lafayett,
| Square. the first public reservation In Wash
ington that was improved. II contains thu
CLARK Mills. Many, Of. its. trees are ok
|
In part specimen Of the old formal landsoap,
| gardening so fashionable In England tw,
hundred years ago, a style that was imported
| into this country. Lafayette Square was, ON
hundred years ago, part OF graveyard tina
enclosed the square north. on which st. John
Church is built, and tho square east on whl0i
are situated the Attorney Generals OHIO,
Generals ONCE and Riggs Bank (both IN tn
building formerly used as the United State
Bank) Commodore Decatur's house, corne
Fifteenth and a-half and II streets, and the oil
was killed by Daniel e. Sickles. Member o
| Congress from New York. The last hodie
from this graveyard were not removed unit
1919.
81. Johns y. u. Church.
st. Johns p. L. Church, which has ofte
been called the State Church because NOR
Presidents have worshipped there than a
Sixteenth streets. II was built in 1915 ant
enlarged In 1920. In IL have worsblppe
Presidents Madison, Monroe. John Quinc
tionaiist) Martin Van Buren, Though he b(
longed TO the Dutch Reformed church, Hal
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore thoug
the latter was Unitarianl, Pierce. Buchana
and Arthur. Presidents Lincoln, johnson an
Grant have also attended Divine serevicei,
althougH not steadily. Its Interior remind
one very forcibly OF the old, dim Englis
country Episcopal churches.
The Treasury Department.
The Treasury Department Is east OF tn
White Honse and extends the whole length q
tte front between Pennsyi yania and Ne'
York avenues. IL Is $50 long by 400 feet widt
The central east portion Is built OF freestont
rebuilt In 1864, while the other parts wer
commenced In 1866 and built Of granite. TIL
Cash Room in this building Is q beau
tiful apartment in the north VIM
the entrance TO which ls from the mort
porch. The vaults are under the Cash Roor
and can BIO seen on written permit given b
the Treasurer OF tho United States. who's
Office is in the northeast angle on the frs
floor. This permit must be shown the cashier
who will detail guides to tako the visitor Int
the great bullion chests of the country. III
old State Department used to be on the site o.
cupied by the northeast corner OF the Trea
ury.
War, Nary and State Department.
This edlfce, once named by a Washingto
journalist the "rriuno Building" occupit
| the west side OF the Presidents reservation