Iron County register., 1892-03-10
The National Capital.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. 23d, 1892.
Ed. Register-On leaving Ironton,
intimated to you that | would try to
send you something for the columns OF
the REGISTER. Two months have
passed and the said communication has
not been forthcoming, so 10th am | to
run the gauntlet of criticism from your
many readers; yet my sense of obliga-
ton for the aforesaid promise, contin-
ues to .'egg me on, and desperation
having seized me, / exclaim s.aunc
ait nunquaan' and let fly the quill.
These communications (for if the
| first proves acceptable, others will fol-
low are intended simply as descrip-
tions of things in our National Capital,
and will cut clear of politics ETC., for
two reasons. viz: lack of ability and
time to post myself, In this, will at
tempt only general description of
Washington, leaving particulars to sub
sequent efforts.
There is doubtless an exaggerated,
and perhaps an unnatural idea Judging
by myself of Washington, in the
minds of those who have never been
here and who dwell at remote distances.
They imagine perhaps that everything
must be on a scale of magnlticence and
grandeur, that people even are in some
way. or other different. Not so. but
quite the contrary. The same condi-
tions, nearly, exist here as in any other
city of like size GAO, ,000), except that
of business push and energy. Every
thing, except the government affairs.
is rather under the ordinary. But
like everyone else Washingtonians
claim to be aNay ahead in their city.
To illustrate, the largest retail dry
goods establishment is that of Wood
ward & Lothrop. Walking by there
yesterday with a gentleman. he called
my attention to it and said "have you
ever been in there9" | replied, mo"
..Then it would be worth your while to
see it." said he, ''for it is the largest
thing of its kind going Now, '.Nu-
gents" or .'Barr's'' would make prob
ably ten such places. People dress
here, too, in the same style as other
cities, the rich in purple and linen and
the not rich as best they can. This
must confess was very annoying
point to me when about to set out on
Ill.N bIlpf l. ult ilOU hHO" -1ub w lfbb Ollc
had to wear certain kinds and styles of
but happily / find it good
place to wear old hats etc., and | am
often amused at my ignorance on this
as well as other points.
New York, was the first capital of |
the [. S, then Philadelphia ten years,
when in 1900 it was removed to this |
point, Washington having already |
selected the site and laid the corner
stone of the Capitol. The plan of the
city which is peculiar one) was the
work of celebrated French Engineer,
l. Enfant, whose remains now rest in /
an unkept graveyard few miles in
the country.
The District was formerly ten miles
square, but the Virginia portion was
ceded back, and it now is eight miles
square, lying entirely east of the river.
The city is but few feet above the
level of the river and has consequently |
poor drainage. 1t is one hundred
miles from the mouth of the Potomac,
being at the head OF tide-water. Not
many sea-going vessels of Importance
come up to Washington, tho the men
of war can get here when necessary.
The Capitol faces East, as | suppose
it was thought at the time of building |
it that the larger and more important