The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-24
THE SEEING WASHINGTON CAR.

sions of animated inquisitiveness appear
ing on the countenances OF spectators in
| the streets as they watch large and we'll
appointed conveyance with a canvas sign
wherein is to be read, il prominent char
| acters, the Inscription Seeing Washington
Car" This vehicle is TO be seen in. pr1cti-
| cally. all parts Of the city. and, as a natu-
raj consequence, all parts of the city are
TO be seen from it's windows. Nor is this
all. During each trip of two hours dura-
ton made by the car three times daily,
guide, or rather lecturer holds forth upon
the various objects Of interest as they
come in view, thus conveying an amount
OF local information which surprised the
newspaper man who, having lived all his
life in the Capital, imagined himself fair
ly conversant with its Interesting features
trip in the Seeing Washington" car
is indeed pleasureabIe and instructive
experience. The crisp and entertaining
dialogue of the lecturer combining his
toric lore with up-to-date pointers and
happy humorous hits, never for a mo-
ment tires, and the eye constantly en-
counters fresh objects of interest and
delight. 1t is not unlikely that resident
OF Washington, whose chief acquain tance
with the city lies in the beaten track he
has pursued to and from his place of
business, will realize for the first time
after a journey in one Of the new con-
yeyances, the beauty and charm OF the
Nations Capital. Enterprising visitors
too, may by the same means, unite bust
ness with pleasure to their own and the
city's profit. For tracing, with the as
sistance of the guide and their own visual
organs, the past and present of District
real estate, they may speculate in Their
minds eye and with perhaps, some
thing more substantial. on its possible
future.
But whether on business or pleasure
bent, let the reader in fancy. if he has not
already done so in fact. take his seat in
the Seeing Washington" car at the cor
ner Of Fifteenth and G Streets, and pas
sively await at his ease and comfort the
pleasure Of the company which has under
taken TO look OUT for him. iguratively
speaking. for looking out is the only labor
he viii have to perform for himself The
car is soon Allied with party of ladies
and starts promptly upon schedule time.
But first, as the noble portico and colon
made of the Treasury Building appears
lEOHblDB lHc passenger, Ine structure mas
10 be disposed Of by the guide a young
man of clear voice. which is distinctly au-
dible in every part of the conveyance
This is done with an airy manner, and
with the casual remark that the estab-
lishment has been aptly termed Uncle
Sans pocketboOk." 1t is then related
how the ediice was erected and the fact
is brought in that the rows of columns On
the east and north fronts were copied
from those of the Temple of Minerva at
Athens. And now We are off in good earn
est turning into Street the popular
fashionable promenade of Washington
from the hour of to in the afternoon"
From this time on the resident of Wash
ington undergoes the novel and remarka
BILE of lesson OF learning where he lives
and has been living for, perhaps, con-
siderable number of years.
Notable persons, places. and things
start up from out the most commonplace
and familiar localities. These he may
have passed many times. may have read
and heard Of, but somehow never re-
ally noticed until now. Even alleys be-
come of interest as. for instance. that
through which Booth escaped after the as
sassination OF Lincoln. and in which lay
the manned and mangled bodies of those
who suffered in the collapse of fatal old
FoTd's Theatre. or course the theatre IT.
self is pointed out. and the building op-
posite where the great War President ex-
piIc The beautiful Patent Office and
old Postofice building allow the guide
some pretty illusions to their classic
grandeur and beauty, and the uses they
serve in the conduct Of the General Gov
erur,ent The Pension ONCE building,
with its manifest signs of preparation for
the forthcoming inaugural ball forms an
interesting topic. The story of General
IT
merits as conveyed privately to General
Meigs, the architect, in the words, ITS
only fit to stable horses" was emphasized
with the fact that it has been known ever
since IS "Meigs' Barn.
Louisiana Avenue presents many cb-
jects of historical note such as the old
Webster Building, once occupied by the
distinguished statesmen, and from the
balcony Of which he delivered his last,
public Grafton. The monument to Lin soin
in front Of the City Han is Of course de-.
SsSt