------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transcriber’s Note:
This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please
see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding
the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation.
TEN YEARS IN WASHINGTON:
OR,
INSIDE LIFE AND SCENES
IN
OUR NATIONAL CAPITAL
=As a Woman Sees Them.=
EMBRACING
A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE MANY MARVELS AND INTERESTING
SIGHTS OF WASHINGTON; OF THE DAILY LIFE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, BOTH PAST
AND PRESENT; OF THE WONDERS AND INSIDE WORKINGS OF ALL OUR
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS; AND DESCRIPTIONS AND REVELATIONS
OF EVERY PHASE OF POLITICAL, PUBLIC, AND
SOCIAL LIFE AT THE NATION’S CAPITAL.
BY MARY CLEMMER,
AUTHOR OF “MEMORIALS OF ALICE AND PHŒBE CARY,” “A WOMAN’S LETTERS FROM
WASHINGTON,” ETC., ETC.
--------------
TO WHICH IS ADDED A FULL ACCOUNT OF
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PRESIDENT JAMES A. GARFIELD,
BY J. L. SHIPLEY, A. M.
--------------
FULLY ILLUSTRATED
=With a Portrait of the Author on Steel, and Forty-Eight fine
Engravings on Wood.=
--------------
[SOLD BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY.]
--------------
HARTFORD, CONN.:
THE HARTFORD PUBLISHING COMPANY.
EXCELSIOR PUBLISHING CO., CHICAGO, ILL.
OHIO PUBLISHING CO., CLEVELAND, OHIO.
1882.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1881, by
THE HARTFORD PUBLISHING CO.,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration: List of Illustrations.]
1. FINE STEEL-PLATE PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR, [Frontispiece.]
2. COLUMBIA SLAVE PEN, To face page 48
3. THE FREEDMAN’S SAVINGS BANK, 48
4. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, 48
5. MAJOR L’ENFANT’S RESTING PLACE, 48
6. THE NATIONAL CAPITOL—WASHINGTON, 72
It covers more than three and a half acres. Over thirteen million
dollars have thus far been expended in its erection.
7. THE MARBLE ROOM—INSIDE THE CAPITOL—WASHINGTON, 95
8. THE SENATE CHAMBER—INSIDE THE CAPITOL—WASHINGTON, 98
9. THE HALL OF REPRESENTATIVES—INSIDE THE CAPITOL—WASHINGTON, 100
10. THE LADIES’ RECEPTION ROOM—INSIDE THE CAPITOL—WASHINGTON, 120
11. THE CENTRAL ROOM, CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY—INSIDE THE 130
CAPITOL—WASHINGTON,
12. THE RED ROOM—INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE—WASHINGTON, 169
13. THE CONSERVATORY—INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE—WASHINGTON, 174
14. THE CABINET ROOM—INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE—WASHINGTON, 238
15. THE BLUE ROOM—INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE—WASHINGTON, 246
16. THE GREAT EAST ROOM—INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, 258
17. THE GREEN ROOM—INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE—WASHINGTON, 258
18. UNITED STATES TREASURY—WASHINGTON, 284
19. MAKING MONEY—THE ROOM IN THE TREASURY BUILDING WHERE THE 319
GREENBACKS ARE PRINTED,
20. AMONG THE GREENBACKS—THE CUTTING AND SEPARATING ROOM IN THE 322
TREASURY BUILDING,
21. BURNT TO ASHES—THE END OF UNCLE SAM’S GREENBACKS, 337
The above is a graphic sketch of the destruction of the worn and
defaced currency constantly being redeemed by the Government,
which is here burned every day at 12 o’clock. On one occasion
considerably more than one hundred million dollars’ worth of
bonds and greenbacks were destroyed in this furnace, and the
burning of from fifty to seventy-five millions at a time is a
matter of ordinary occurrence.
22. THE NEW MARBLE CASH-ROOM, UNITED STATES TREASURY, 340
The most costly and magnificent room of its kind in the world.
23. COUNTING WORN AND DEFACED GREENBACKS AND DETECTING 354
COUNTERFEITS,
This room is in the Redemption Bureau, Treasury-Building. Over One
Hundred Thousand Dollars’ worth of Fractional Currency alone is
here daily received for redemption: out of which about Three
Hundred and Fifty Dollars’ worth of counterfeit money is
detected, stamped, and returned.
24. THE LOBBY OF THE SENATE—INSIDE THE CAPITOL—WASHINGTON, 382
25. DEAD-LETTER OFFICE, U. S. GENERAL POST-OFFICE—WASHINGTON, 398
26. THE MODEL-ROOM—PATENT OFFICE—WASHINGTON, 438
This room contains the fruits of the inventive genius of the whole
nation. More than 160,000 models are here deposited.
27. BLOOD-STAINED CONFEDERATE BATTLE-FLAGS, CAPTURED DURING THE 462
WAR,
Sketched by permission of the Government from the large collection
in possession of the War Department, at Washington.
1. Black Flag. 4. State and Regiment unknown. [Captured
at the Battle of Gettysburg, by the 60th
Regiment of New York Volunteers.]
2. Alabama Flag.
3. Palmetto Flag. 5. State Colors of North Carolina.
28. THE NEW BUILDING NOW BEING CONSTRUCTED FOR DEPARTMENTS OF 466
STATE, ARMY, AND NAVY—WASHINGTON,
29. THE MAIN HALL OF THE ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM—WASHINGTON, 476
This Museum occupies the scene of the assassination of President
Lincoln, in Ford’s Theatre, which after that date became the
property of the Government. It contains a collection of upwards
of twenty thousand rare, curious and interesting objects,
surpassing any similar collection in the world. It is visited
annually by upwards of twenty-five thousand persons.
30. CURIOSITIES FROM THE ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM, 482
31. A WITHERED ARM, 482
Skin, flesh, and bones complete. Amputated by a cannon-shot on the
battle-field of Gettysburg. The shot carried the severed limb up
into the high branches of a tree, where it was subsequently
found, completely air and sun-dried.
32. SKULL OF A MAN, 482
Who received an arrow-wound in the head, three gun-shot
flesh-wounds, one in the arm, another in the breast, and a third
in the leg. Seven days afterwards he was admitted to the
hospital at Fort Concha, Texas, (where he subsequently died,)
after having travelled above 160 miles on the barren plains,
mostly on foot.
33. APACHE INDIAN ARROW-HEAD, 482
Of soft hoop-iron. These arrows will perforate a bone without
causing the slightest fracture, where a rifle or musket-ball
will flatten; and will make a cut as clean as the finest
surgical instrument.
34. SKULL OF LITTLE BEAR’S SQUAW, 482
Perforated by seven bullet-holes. Killed in Wyoming Territory.
35. ALL THAT REMAINS ABOVE GROUND OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH, 482
Being part of the Vertebræ penetrated [A] by the bullet of Boston
Corbett. Strange freak of fate that the remains of Booth should
find a resting-place under the same roof, and but a few feet
from the spot where the fatal shot was fired.
36. SKULL OF A SOLDIER, 482
Wounded at Spottsylvania; showing the splitting of a
rifle-ball—one portion being buried deep in the brain, and the
other between the scalp and the skull. He lived twenty-three
days.
37. A SIOUX PAPPOOSE, 482
Or Indian infant, found in a tree near Fort Laramie, where it had
been buried (?) according to the custom of this tribe.
38. SKULL OF AN INDIAN, 482
Showing nine distinct sabre wounds.
39. “OLD PROBABILITIES’” INSTRUMENT ROOM, 504
Storm and Weather Signal Service Bureau—Washington.
40. TROPICAL FRUITS—INSIDE THE GOVERNMENT 545
CONSERVATORY—WASHINGTON,
41. THE DOME AND SPIRAL STAIRCASE; RARE PLANTS AND FLOWERS—INSIDE 546
THE GOVERNMENT CONSERVATORY—WASHINGTON,
42. TROPICAL PLANTS AND FLOWERS—INSIDE THE GOVERNMENT 548
CONSERVATORY—WASHINGTON,
43. THE VAN NESS MANSION, AND DAVY BURNS’ COTTAGE, 550
44. THE CAPITOL AS SEEN FROM PENNSYLVANIA AVE.—WASHINGTON, 550
45. VIEW OF THE “CITY OF THE SLAIN”—ARLINGTON, 582
The remains of over 8,000 soldiers, killed during the war, lie
buried in this Cemetery—the name, regiment, and date of death of
each is painted on a wooden head-board.
46. THE TOMB OF “THE UNKNOWN”—ARLINGTON, 586
Erected by the Government to the memory of Unknown Soldiers killed
during the War. It bears the following inscription:
“Beneath this stone
repose the bones of Two Thousand One Hundred and Eleven unknown
soldiers, gathered after the war,
from the fields of Bull Run and the _route_ to the Rappahannock.
Their remains could not be identified; but their names and deaths are
recorded in the archives of their country, and its grateful citizens
honor them as of their noble army of Martyrs. May they rest in peace!
September, A. D. 1866.”
47. PORTRAIT OF JAMES A. GARFIELD, THE MARTYR PRESIDENT, 588
Engraved from a recent photograph.
48. PORTRAIT OF MRS. JAMES A. GARFIELD, WIFE OF THE MARTYR 600
PRESIDENT,
Engraved from a recent photograph.
CONTENTS.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER I.
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. PAGE.
The Young Surveyor’s Dream—A Vision of the Future Capital—The
United States Government on Wheels—Ambitious Offers—The Rival
Rivers—Temporary Lodgings for Eleven Years—Old-Fashioned
Simplicity—A Great Man’s Modesty—Conflicting Claims—A
Convincing Fact—The Dreadful Quakers—A Condescending Party—A
Slight Amendment—An Old Bill Brought to Light Again—The Future
Strangely Foreshadowed—A Dinner of Some Consequence—How it was
Done—Really a Stranger—A Nice Proposal—Sweetening the Pill—A
“Revulsion of Stomach,” 21