The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1893-03-17
THE NATIONAL CAPITOL.
Some Facts of General Interest to Citizens
of the United States.

ment Of the United States, forms a
part Of the District of Columbia,
which is under the immediate gov
eminent Of the United States.
The city Of Washington as a cor
poration has had no existence since
1871, when Congress abolished the
charters Of that city and of George
town (also within the District Of
Columbia), and placed the entire
District under one government.
The District of Columbia occu-
pies an area Of about seventy square
miles, on the northeastern bank Of
the Potomac River, about one hun
dred miles above its mouth, and at
the head Of tide and of navigation
Most of its area lisa plateau, elevated
500 feet to 400 feet above the river,
and traversed by Anacostia River
and Rock Greek.
Three railroads enter the city
the Baltimore and Ohio, and the
Pennsylvania, which afford COM
municati with the North and
West, and the Richmond and West
Point Terminal, which extends
Southwark. Besides its railroad
connections regular lines of steam
ers ply to Northern and Southern
ports during most of the year.
The plan of the city is regular
and systematical. Radiating from
the Capitol are three streets, run
ming north, south and east, and
known respectively as North, South
and East Capitol streets. These,
together with line of public parks
running west from the Capitol, di-
vide the city into quarters, known
as the Northwest, Northeast, South
west and Southeast quarters. The
streets run iii the cardinal direc-
tions, the north and south ones be-
ing designated by numbers, and the
east and west ones by the letters of
the alphabet the numbers increas-
ing eastward and westward from the
meridian Of the Capitol, the letters
progressing northward and south
ward from a parallel through that
building.
In addition to these streets there
: is system of avenues which run
: diagonally to the cardinal direc.
tons, and which bear the name Of
, States. The intersections of the
streets and avenues have given OPP
portunity for the construction O
many small parks in the forms o
triangles, circles, quadrilaterals
ETC., which, together with the nun
erous larger parks scattered abou
the city, add greatly to its beaut,
and healthfulness. The death rat
: among the white population is les
: than in any other American cit,
4 approaching Washington in size.
4 The streets have total length 0
1881 miles. They are wider thai
/ in any other city on the globe, tn
avenues ranging in width from -
to 100 feet, while the streets rang
from so to 100 feet. The area CON
prised in the streets, avenues an
L public parks is considerably NOR
@ than half the area of the city. A
g the width of the streets is in mos
II cases in excess Of the demands {
i travel, a portion of this width hal
% in the residence streets, been lei
; between the sidewalks and til
e houses, and has been improved q
IS public parking. In some case
q similar parking has been left in tn
Ie middle of the streets. OF the 235
e miles of streets, 30 per cent. al
y paved with smooth pavement
a. either asphalt, coal-tar, concrete {
n asphalt blocks; l6 per cent al
le paved with granite or trap block