Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1924-09-25
MUCH TO SEE
AT CAPITAL

AhAoo II CiiG NhdCA hOLlCA vi lit
News office is spending her vaca.
tion in Washington She writes:
Probably the most interesting
place one goes through in travelling
from Wisconsin to Washington is
Harper's Ferry. This historic spot,
scene of John Browns raid and
civil war battle-ground, located at
what is often described as Natures
master creation of river and noun
tain. There are various markers
indicating battlefelds. | was much
amused at one fellow traveller
While all of the other occupants
Of the observation car were ex-
claiming over the beauty of the
scene and it's historical significance
he was quite overcome by large
sign painted on the rocks above the
tunnel entrance, advertising face
powder, and seemed to feel that
John Browns achievements were
minor compared to that of the work
men who had scaled the wall to
put up the defacing sign
My first impression of Washing
ton was that of wide and beauti
full avenues stretching in all di-
rections, with glimpses of white
buildings through the many lovely
trees. At Arlington cemetery is
seen the original plan for the city
and it is interesting to note how
accurately has this plan been car
ried out, the capitol as a hub for
the radiating avenues with inter
secting circles planned as a means
of defense. Looking westward
from the capitol is The Mall. From
the steps OF the Lincoln Memorial,
one looks down upon this most
beautiful section of the city to the
Washington monument shaft and
the capitol, and the great statue
Of Lincoln is here enthroned, watch
ing with brooding expression the
activities of the congressional bod
les below, as it were. A great re-
fiecting pool has been built at the
foot of the memorial and when
complete will reflect the Washing
ton and Lincoln memorials al
either end.
Monument Is High
1t is impossible to describe the
Washington monument, an unbrok-
en- shaft of marble more than $50
feet high. My feeling when | first
stood at its foot was to grab
bench and hang on. After fif-
teen minute elevator ride, the top
is reached and a view obtained
which is marvellous. ! stayed up
for almost an hour, enjoying the
sight The guide told me that
five million or more people have
made the ascent and of these a
number walk to the top in order
to read the inscribed memorial
stones. The most recently placed
are petrified log sections repres-
enting Arizona. 1t was not long
ago that a man jumped from the
small windows at the top of the
monument and now careful watch
is kept of those who loiter about
the place.
OF all the places | have been, the
most beautiful is the Pan-Ameri-
can Union with it's tropical atmos-
phere, its unique architecture.
There is no place quite like it in
Washington
At Mount Vernon
A trip to Mount Vernon makes
one feel very close to George Wash
ington and Revolutionary history.
The place has been so preserved
that one can almost see the gener-
al walking in the garden with
Martha on a warm evening. The
hedges, the rose bushes, the shrubs
and trees are many of them those
planted a century and half ago
by Washington. The house is
crowded with his possessions.
After the General died, Mrs.
Washington took a small room at
the top of the house overlooking
her husbands grave and this path
etic little room is in the care of
Wisconsin's vice-regent. In order
to really see Mount Vernon, one
should take the boat trip, landing
at the foot Of the wooded slope, on
the shores of the Potomac. How
ever, going by car one is able to
stop off in Alexandria for Gimp
Sc of Christ Church, where the
tourist is permitted to sit in the
pew of the Washington family. Nu-
merous weddings are performed
here, candles standing in readiness
for such occasions.
Arlington cemetery is immense
and it contains so many interesting
and beautiful things. Here are
the home OF the Custis-Lees, the
old and new amphitheaters, the
anchor of the battleship Maine, the
tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the