Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-10-20
AFTER FORTY YEARS.
Experiences and Sensations incident to Visit
to Washington and Gettysburg

settled down and tried hard TO go to
sleep.
Next night and during the remand.
er Of our stay things were much i'm.
proved.
To the visitor who has not seen the
city for 40 years the first thing no.
ticed is the improved streets. In
stead of the old cobble-stone pave
ment they are nearly all covered with
asphalt.
OF course washington is mainly at.
tractIve on account of the public build
'ngs We noticed the Capitol had been
enlarged and many new public build
ings erected, among them the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing, where
bank notes and postage stamps are
printed; the National Museum, the
Pension department, the Congressional
library and several others. The last
named building is today the finest in
the city, covering 31a acres. 1t was
built at a cost of over six million dol
lars. The best time to see it is In the
evening, under the effect of electric
light, when 1t is grand, beyond de-
scription. But time will not allow an
extended notice Of any of the numer-
ous places where one would like to
spend week in each, and the visitor
is obliged to hurry through.
The street car service of the city
was very good, considering the i'm
mense crowd to be handled. but the
suburban lines to Arlington and
Mount Vernon were wretched failures.
The steam and trolley cars both cross
the Potomac on the same bridge.
causing continual delays. Many who
bought tickets by trolley cars failed
to get transportation that way. and
afterward bought tickets and went
by steamer. AS an illustration. 1t was
a common sight to see a young man
wedge his way into car and then
pull his best girl in through VIM
dow.
Vernon affords great pleasure and rest
to the tired visitor The home and
tomb Of Washington are still as at
tractive as they were in '62. Here are
shown the family coach, resembling
the overland coach with Buffalo Bill's
show. In the mansion we We're shown
many articles Of furniture used by
the family, including the beds on
which Washington and his wife died.
At the tomb, very plain one with
brick front, we could see two marble
caskets, one containing the remains
of Washington, the other his wife.
Near by are several trees, planted at
different times by foreign dignitaries,
amoag them, one by Dom Pedro, EN-.
peror of Brazil, another by the Prince
.of Wales, now King Edward of Eng
land,
The buildings and grounds are kept
In repair by an association of Indies
A visit to Arlington, Just across the
, Potomac from Washington. is very
, interesting to the old soldiers. This
estate, consisting of about eleven
hundred acres. four hundred and
eighty, of which is now surrounded
by stone fence. was once the prop
erty and home of the Confederate
general, r. r. Lee, After Lee Joined
the rebel army, our government con
fiscated the property. and nftcrward
| established there a National cemetery
, in which are buried many of the most
: prominent officers of our army and
Z navy, and many other soldiers. In
, Guiding 10000 unknown. gathered
+, from different battle fields of til,
South. The mansion resembles the
z Perkins mansion on West Hill, excep,
> it is constructed of wood.
, There were some unpleasant fea
! lures connected with the trip, some
9 of which l have alluded to. The1
!: there was a disposition among man,
of the citizens of the city to chare,
t extortionate prices. This was O.
; course to be expected but one com
. rade told me he went into a barbe
n shop ON Pennsylvania ave, and pal,
| 70 cents for plain shave, while hi
J. son, who was with him, had a plai,
: and neck shave and paid S1.7O 70
e the luxury. But am glad to say the,
l were not all built that way, and tax
g ing 1t all in all, we had good time