The Washington herald., 1909-04-11
WASHINGTON IN 1928.
Impressions of an EngLsHman Who Was Both
An Architect and Landscape Gardner.

landscape Gardner.
in the CENTER. connecting the city with
the opposite shore. and communicating
with the high road % Alexandria. Inclin-
Ing more TO the right he VIII continue TO
pursue the river. az length Tiber Greek
and some clustered buildings viii appear
% variegate the hitherto C~broken naked
ness OF the AREA Of the American metr0p-
Clis- The buildings now Increase upon the
view. some ornamental trees al length
present themselves. and presently the
Pennsy lvenia avenue appears. reaching
from the Capitol HuI nearly TO- and al
most ia "a line with. the Presidents Man
sion A busy and uninterrupted line ~
buildings may be traced nearly from the
foot Of the hin 10 Georgetown. on the
Potomac, about two miles OF. The Pres
idents Mansion. q handsome stone build
ing 10 feet by So and the government
Offices iu its immediate vicinity. midway
between the Capitol and Georgetown.
form a c0nscipuOuS feature OF the scene.
which fri this direction is particularly in
terestIng from the picturesque cOmbina-
ton Of trees and buildings. backed by
the clear waters Of the Potomac, and the
gentle hills which crown the opposing
banks 81 the river, clothed with IuLurianr
cedar woods. and sprinkIed with the VII
las of the wealthy land owners OF the
Viciuage. Among these the seat Of Mr
Cusus is the most distinguished. Con-
tinuiug % turn 10 Jne night. the buildings
and The river gradually disappear. the
vacant but now undulating site Of the
city. iurersected. however with good
roads. or avenues. presents Itself; but
were it not that the distant view is by
no means uuiuviting the seeIe would be
altogether devoid of interest
Further 10 the right considerable
number OF scattered dwellings Of a re-
spectacle order are seen on the Capitol
Hill I'm the immed slate vicinity. and on a
level with the spectator, whose back Will
now be- turned toward Alexandra. while
his eyes are pursuing the high road to
Baltimore presently his back VIII be
toward Georgetown. and he VIII look
toward the Navy Yard situated on
the Eastern Branch but although There
IS a considerable number Of buildings ia
this direction and Notwithstanding the
navy yard is itself a large establishment.
the elevation Of the intervening land and
houses prevents them from making much
appea rance 4 road from the Capitol Ga
this direction IS terminated by d very
neat and comm0dlous wu0den bridge
across the Eastern Branch which IS
about a furlOnE and half In width but
this bridge is not visible from the Capitol
Hill. Continuing 20 turn. there are stiu
some respectable dwelling houses 10 De
seen IN the immediate neighborh0od. the
lower part or the navy yard now makes
its appearance, the Eastern Branch and
its iuxuriant apposing shores come into
view; the navy yard disappears. the East
ern Branch gradually expands. the pros
pect iuseCsifiy Wide8s. and the vacant side
Of the city is seen between the stra EgIiuS
houses on the Capitol Him. the fort on
Greeuleaf P0iHt again appears. and the
magn dcent prospect down the main
strea OF the Potomac. beyond Alexa1-
dria. terminates the circuit 20 the point
whence % began-
a Few miles below Alexandra the river
inclines % the left. were 10 not for This
deviation glass ~ moderate poy-er
would descry. at about fourteen miles dis
tance, Mount Vernon, the seat of the
immortal Washington. a respectable bur
modest mansion. surrounded by an eXteu-
sive and valuable domain. The ornamental
grounds extend % the river. whose right
bank rises az that point with peculiar
majesty above the surface OF his trans
| lucid waters. and az the verge Of the
lawn. in a vault OF the simplest structure
beneath the placed shelter OF luxuriaut
lcedars. are entombed the remains Of him
whose name IS borne BY a capital CITY.
and who by The universal voice or his
tcompatriots has been styled The first In
peace, the first in war. and the first in
i the hearts or his cOuHJTymen.
The City OF Washington is 90 miles
+ from Boston 24S from New York ltt
/ from Philadelphia. a from Baltimore. Is
+ from Richmond, in Virginia % from Hal
7 flax in North Carolina. 635 from Charles
{ ton. in South Carolina 7g4 from Savan-
+ nah. in Georgia. and a rnad partly exc
eUted 20 New Orleans - estlmated % ex-
+ ceed Loo miles IN length.
The Capitol. or Congress Hall IN the
. city of Washington. Is at the summit of
tho hlT which bears its name. and ar-
foris tie view Of the circumjacent city
already described Il IS a structure as
/ feet IN front TIE material OF the ex-
terual walls is 2 yeIiowiSL. strong. and
' apparently durable sandstone. found ar
4 a moderate distance. but the substance
/ Of The interior walls is OF brick The
3 lower. or basement. floor consists entirely
B or common Offices and apartments with
I the exception OF a portion ~ the western
4 wing beneath the Senate Chamber- which
I is appropriated 20 the court room OF the
. supreme Judicature OF the United states
The principal floor OF the Capitol. %
I which 7 have given a plan. Is imme5i-
I ately above the basement The Han or
: Representative Is suited 10 the recep-
/ ton OF the Members, in number between
-Qo and 500 The columns supporting the
I roof are Of a peculiar stone. called Pc
/ tOmac marble. a sort OF pudding stone.
I intensely hard. and which. when pol
I ished. has the same appearance as the
{ section Of cold mOck-turtle SOUP. except
4 thai the tiats are less powerful. The e.
i feet IS very handsome. The capitals are
I or Statusry marble. and were carved in
I Italy, in Imitation Of those IN the Cho-
! raeis Monument Of Lydc-ates. at Athens.
I The eutablature corresponds with the col
I ulnns- and the ceiling Is half domed- TIE
I entahlature above the cclCnnade. or
/ skreen. behind the Speakers seat. IS s-Ir-
mounted by a statue Of liberty, With the
/ American eagle and other national en-
I blemS. At proper elevation. between
I The semi-circUlar coIOnuade and the gen
I eral rectangular incl0sJre. Is the space
appropriated % the gallery Tor strangers.
! beneath which are the several s1lan
/ apartments shown ia the plan
The opposite. or western wing. OF ths
Capitol contains the senate Chamber.
I This chamber. though finished in an ele-
gant style. viii not bear comparison n
point Of grandeur with the Hall of Rep
resenJatives. II rises through Two stories
/ Of the building and its ceiling is a haIr
dome The skreen consists OF a double
l height OF Ionic and Ccrinthian columns
| and anLae. eXauIs-taIv w..kad N manila