The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-18
CALLED ON M'KINLEY.
o. B. Irelan Writes of a Visit in
Washington and of the Camp.

.. Is. Irelan, a member of company
H, Twenty-second regiment, Kansas
volunteers, in camp at Falls Church,
va, has written letter to his father,
the Rev. VIM. Irelan, of this city, which
tells Of an interesting visit to Wash
lnStOn. Irelan was graduated from
Washhurn college Thursday, his dipioIra
being tied with red, white and blue rib
boI-s and given in charge of the family.
Following is the letter:
Camp Alger, June 9, $685.
I told you in my last letter that ex-
pected to go to Washington with a
small party. We had a very enjoy
able trip. The party consisted of eight
boys. There were two Washburn boys
besides myself, Henderson and McFall.
We started early in the morning and
walked about five miles to Falls
Church. There we boarded an electric
car which took US to a point on the Vir-
ginia side opposite Georgetown.
This electric car is bigger and faster
than the electric street cars in Topeka
1t runs through the country and stops
at stations. One is expected to buy a
ticket in the station, just as he would
do if he were to board a regular rail-
way train.
We walked across a bridge to the
north side of the Potomac and were
in Georgetown. In passing we got a
view of the famous Catholic school,
Georgetown university, perched away
up on hill.
We took a cable car at Georgetown
and rode through Washington on the
famous Pennsylvania avenue to the
navy yard. We passed the white house,
the treasury building, the big pOstoffice,
the capitol the library, etc. 1 could
not fail to remember the immense pro-
cessions which march up Pennsylvania
avenue on the fourth of March once
every four years.
We were not allowed to enter the
navy yard. The guards at the entrance
were marines uniformed in white. They
nj XTaT
swung at their sides. If we had time
to hunt up Mr.. Curtis or Mr.. Botkin
and then go back we could likely have
gotten in, for they told US that II we
had a letter from our representative in
congress to the admiral he would ad-
nit US.
We went from there to the national
library. 1t is an immense building. 1t
cost six and a half millions and was
six years in building. May be you can
get some idea of it's grandeur and beau
ty from the above statements, but L
confess could not have done so. When
I stepped into a big central hall that
was especially fine realized that there
was beauty which I never could have
imagined and which have language
could never have suggested to me. L
am not surprised that some people say
it is the finest building on earth. l pre-
sumo it. is the finest library building
1t has a big dome, but it is distinguish
ed from the capitol by the fact that
its dome is gilded while that of the cap
itOl is stone color. The capitol dome
is the higher. 1 saw at the library
CODY of the London News dated 1891
I have not time to tell of the statu-
airy about the grounds of the various
buildings.
We went next to the capitol. We got
a guide to show US around the building.
He showed us where the president
stands to be inaugurated. The build
ing is adorned with immense and beau
tiful paintings and fine bronze castings.
The guide had everything at his
tongues end. He told us by whom the
works of art were executed, and when
and at what cost, and what the pur-
pose of those which are symbolic
There is a hall in the building Won
derf1I for it's peculiar echoes. We went
through the house of representatives
and sat in the speakers chair. We
were taken into room where the sill
yer mace is kept when the mouse IS not
in session, and each was allowed TO
handle it, We got a peep into the su-
prerne court room and were shown the
senate chamber.
We visited next in order botanical
garden, a medical museum, the
fieshery building and the ma
tional museum. The latter is
very interesting and Fe"factIy i'm
mense. We CGW, among other lhlngS,
the oldest locomotive in America, the
lieutenant generals straps and the
straps worn by u 3 Grant;
a uniform worn by Washington and a
and a PAIR OF piSlo4S pelohSAHS
to Andrew Jackson.
We went from there to dinner. We
got a good dinner for % cents apiece.
After dinner the other boys went to
the Smithsonian institute but I went
back to the capitol to see congress in
session.
1 went to the senate first. Hobart
was not in sight. Morgan was making
a speech but 1 could see only the back
of his head. 1 got a seat by a negro |
who was familiar with the place and