The critic., 1891-02-25

metropolis. For II Is estimated that over three
hundred thousand strangers pay a visit every
year To this city TO behold the varied objects
Of interest which so thlckly 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
block-commenclng at First street west, run
ming west, First street east, running east, 4
street north running north, and A street south
running south. The odd numbers are always
on the righthand side going from the Capitol,
and the even numbers on tho left.hand side.
tioDs, northeast and northwest. southeast and
southwest, the streets being designated ac-
cordinglv; those running north and south nu-
the letters Of the aphabet, the dividing lines
being North and SouthCapitol streets, running
on o line due north and south from the Capitol
and East Capitol street, and the continuation
east and west.
The Capitol.
This great building is the central point Of
the original DISTRICT, and Is the largest ediace
In the country. Its centre marks the Me-
redian OF Washington. Tho middle portion,
Immediately under the dome Is the part first
British Bq II 5% Wall y%asyS By the
by 1927. II incloses the 'orypt"-where the
remains Of Washington were intended to be
placed, the Library, the kotpnda, the old
Statuary, aud the old Senate Chamber, now
the Supreme Courtroom. The old Supreme
COURTROOM, in the first story, is now occupied
eg ee haw gaSsh tSs Of e sy The
1851, Daniel Webster Delivering the grafton
Of the occasion from the balcony Of the
Of Representatives and the north wing the
Senate. Chamber. The Rotunda is .distin-
guished for its historic, paintings, for the
and for Brumidi's frescoings In tho Hall Of
Statuary are the natural pictures In Potomac
marble, representing. faces Of certain Ameril
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 It's winding way. From tho
top Of the come, or as far as the visitor can
is magnificent. Tho Capitol grounds, which
formerly were homely and formal ia appear.
ance. have been transformed into beautiful
fho ea eat fs bsse o aSs cspo y sS es
above ordinary low tide In the Potomac. The
total height from east base TO the top OF the
tssmp,e c9yer!ng t6e dome + 2ss feet the
making the total height to she crest of the
statue 3O74 feet This crest is 800 feet
higher than the west gate OF tho grounds, and
feet lower than the apex Of the Washington
Monument which Is Immediately west. The
building Is 751 feet long BY 32A wide, and
covers Slf acres, II is the finest and largest
pubic building In the world. and In many re.
poets the co stliest and haHdsomest. It Is
moreover the growth Of less than century
fact which adds TO its beauty and interest.
The original Capitol, or centre building, Is an
Imitation, though not a slavish one. OF the
Mason Care al Nismes. The view from the
west portico at night, when the lamps are lit
In tho public grounds and tile lights OF tho
CITY lIIum1nafA darKuAea I nf fb.a
most beautiful, and picturesque. In the
world and is well worth journey Of thou.
sand miles to SEQ.
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
above the dense mass OF foliage that en-.
bowers IL. like gigantic Gala lily springing
up amid It's enfolding green blades. We're it
not for the partly Intervening Treasury
building the view of the white House from the
White House is the center OF "Up.towu," as
the Capitol Is the center OF "Down-town."
1t Is beautifully located, tho view from the
sonth windows N, covering the whole southern
up Sixteenth street west exhibits the best
part OF the Northwest section to the gaze
The White House is copy OF the palace vt
the Duke OF l.enster at Dublin, with the
addition OF a large porch on the north front,
which was added during Andrew Jaoksnn's
administration. The reservation in which It
stands embraces nearly 81 acres. The main
entrance Is on the north, reached by the
Pennsylvania avenue cars. II Is two stories
high on the north. Is built OF white free stone
aro feet etI long oy s9 wide contains on the
East rooms, the State Dining Room and tho
great conservatorles. Tho 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
ball, and so used as late as 1887. and 10 the
latter part, Of the century used as a drying
room for clothes by Mrs. President Adams, Is
building. II is % feet high, so feet long and
40 feet wide. 1t Is open to visitors ever
day except Sundays. Upstairs are the
dents office, the library and family apart
meDts. All these rooms. except the latter,
are open to visitors, by special permission, at
suitable hours.
Lafayette Square
Due north from thewh!te House Is Lafayette
Square, the frat public reservation In Wash
ington that was improved. II contains the
clark Mills. SH Many ~ pqsw oi It's trees 0tsS ars oa
forest monarchs, hundreds OF years old. 1t Is
In part o specimen Of the old formal landscape
20 SashionaSs In Ensand two
into this country. Lafayette Square was, one
hundred years ago, part OF graveyard that
enclosed the square north, on which st. Johns
are situated the Attorney Generals office
Qormerly the Freedman's Bank, the Surgeon
Generals once and Riggs Bank tboth IN the
Bank, Commodore Decatnr's house, corner corner
Fifteenth and a-half and II streets, and the old
Club House, near which Philip Barton Key
vas killed t6yr by psnlol B. scsss Member o.
1919.
81. Johns T. 70. Church.
St. Johns P. q. 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 aud
enlarged IN 1870 In VIZ Il have have N worsSppsd n a
Presidents Madison, Monroe. John Quincy
Adams, lthough the latter was a Congrega-
Martin vSn Sarsn GSIg6 he bs
rison, Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore Uhough
the latter was Unitaran,. Pierce, Buchanan
and Arthur. Presidents Lincoln. johnson and
althougR not steadily. Its interior reminds
one very forcibly Of the old, dim English
country Episcopal churches.
The Treasury Department.
The Treasury Department is east OF the
White House and extends the whole length of
ths front between Pennsylvania ana New
York avenues. II Is bs2 long by 800 feet wide.
commenced in 1855 and built Of granite. The
| tiful 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 written permit given by
the Treasurer Of the United States, whose
| office IA In the northeast angle on the first
door. This permit must be shown the cashier,
who will detail guides to take the visitor into
the great bullion chests Of the country. The
old State Department used to be on the site oc-
cupied by the northeast corner of the Treas
ury.
War, Nary and State Department.
This edifce once named by a Washington
journalist the "I'riune Building" occupies
the west side OF the Presidents reservation.
Immediately west of the White House. The
State Department occupies the south part