The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-01-16
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence

Especial COITeSpOHQeHce.l
A greater number of persons ascend
ed to the top Of the Washington monu
ment in the past year than in any pre-
lvious year of its history More than
$4,000 have visited the great white
4 shaft, Of which number 110,96S were
| taken up in the big elevator, while
lS4,362 made the trip Oh foot.
Included in this number We're persons
from all nations on the earth Sight
seers from Europe Asia, Africa aud
South America, as we'll as citizens Of
this country, were among them.
The largest number of sightseers in
any one month was in March, when
24,5T3 tourists, attracted to the capital
BY the Inauguration exercises, visited
the monument. In January, owing to
repairs being made OH the elevator,
there were but 2.293 passengers carried
to the top. The average number of
monthly visitors for the year was u, 105.
view From the Monument.
No point of interest i'll Washington
attracts more sightseers each year than
| the monument From its windows
at the top the visitor can get a perfect
view of the topography Of the surround
ing country TO the west on clear days
| the vague outlines of the Blue Ridge
mountains may be seen, while to the
north a person with good eyes can see
the faint silhouette of the Alleghanies
Sugar Loaf mountain and the peak
near Hatpers Ferry are the most easily
discernible. Looking to the south one
sees the historic Potomac, with its nu-
merous windings, and, set in plat of
trees, Mount Vernon appears to be only
stones throw away.
Beautifully Carved stones.
Among the most interesting sights in
the monument are the liz memorial
stones that are placed at the different
landings in the interior Besides the
beautifully carved stones set there by
the several states and territories and
private organizations there are stones
from many foreign nations, all suitably
inscribed with the name of the donor
The monument, though begun in
1S4S, was not thrown open to the pub
lie until in the fall of 1888. It measures
from the base to the pinnacle 555 feet.
At the base it is % feet square on the
outside and % feet in the interior. The
foundation is 3S feet deep and meas
ures 1875 feet square The thickness of
the walls tapers from 10 feet at the
base to Is inches at the pinnacle
The face of the monument is made
= 4 10 nrn fhr. ms 10
bluestone is used for the first $50 feet
the rest being granite. The total cost
of the shaft was $1,30O,O00
Unpleasant Ghosts From the Past.
Unpleasant ghosts of the dead and
thought 10 be buried past are rising to
confront certain residents of Washing
ton, to the great glee of persons OF
democratic spirit who hate ''swelled
head An enterprising real estate
man has discovered directory of
about sixty years ago aud intends to
reprint it as curiosity This directo-
ry goes more deeply into details than
such books do today. Not content with
the statement that So-and-so Is a cob
bier and So-and-so a carpenter, 1t tells
what every citizen owns and the style
OF his house. There are social leaders
in Washington who have been active
in keeping so called intruders out Of
the swim, and they are anguished at
the thought this old directory proclaims
/ their grandsires were blacksmiths or
small liquor dealers. Some parents
whose daughters have found husbands
4 in high places are in woe at the inn
pending revelations. On the other
hand, folk who don't take the capitats
..aristocracyn at its own valuation Of
itself are tickled at the prospect
historical Documents.
A collection of historical American
documents, said to be one of the most
extensive and interesting ever assem-
bled, was recently on exhibition at the
Congressional library. The collection
was gathered for the benefit OF th'
members of the American Historical
association, which met the other AFTER
noon in the library.
In the collection are documents tina
have furnished inspiration to man.
thousands of patriots. The earlies
: record OF American history on view
! the columbus Codex," a grant CIV
en- by the sovereigns of Spain to Chris
I TOPPER Columbus III 1895. There ar
: also Virginia records Of the seven
! teentll century. and three cases ar
! filed with the history Of colonial times
Time clocks For PrinterA
/ Time clocks are to be placed iii tn
government printing Office. The ne'
public printer, Mr. Stlllings has d
cided that there Is too much absente'
ism among the 1000 employees Of 4
big print shop and that it must ceas
. He asked Comptroller Tracewell Il I
= had the authority to control the tine
his employees By putting n the COCK
and the comptroller deelded that
could do so If he desired
3 BY an act Of congress The use 81 :
Il cordlng clocks Is prohiblteil in AL of +
e executive departments in Washlneto
and since Feb. "a. 1909, when this 4