On board the “Majestic” at sea, Thursday night, Nov. 17, 1898.
Continuing my description of the scene from Washington monument. When we de[s]cended, there were more than 60 people waiting their turn, & on enquiry was told this sort of thing goes on daily, no admission fee is charged & I suppose many who live in the city, & have no occupation (for Washington is purely a residential city & maybe you know the very center of American national affairs & pulsation begins here) & doubtless make it one of their periodical visits. I hovered around the base for a while, fairly entranced with the magnitude of the structure, closely examining the great & noble blocks of lovely white marble of which it is built & gazing up at it, taking section by section till the eye reaches the top of the shaft, but to see the pyramid you have to walk a distance back, & there you get a full view which is so imposing & really wonderful, one thinks of the great master mind who [9:47] not only designed it but carried it to completion. Then around its base is a fine granolite promenade of immense area, & this surrounded by a lovely park with rich flower beds, & on one side great fish breeding ponds, prettily laid out, & beyond again the flowing Potomac. I was much gratified with this morning sight seeing & very loath to leave the scene. My next move was the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, where all the currency of the nation is printed, also the stamps for all uses, open to the public & lady guides sent with small batches, & who describe every process as we pass through the several & many departments, & there are many. No one department does more than a single portion, & I’ve forgotten how many hands the paper notes go through before the face & back receives their respective quota. This is a hive of industry. Men & women employed in every department, & there must be some thousands. Elevators conveyed us to every floor & we saw the process from the bare paper to the packing up for distribution. Next I visited the National Museum & saw, as you may be sure, much that was very interesting, but like all institutions of this kind, you merely take a passing view. One object brought me to a stand, an old engine, “John Bull”, built at Newcastle on Tyne by Geo. Stephenson 1830-31, shipped from Liverpool, July 14, 1831 on the ship “Allegheny” for Philadelphia. It occupies a very prominent position and well preserved.
Next I walked the Smithsonian Institution & was also interested, very much so, as it contains products of many countries & is a miniature Institute of Industry (I think I have described it correctly, I mean the great museum which the Prince of Wales inaugurated at Kensington. Surely it was you that was with me when visiting it on one occasion). Well, the exhibits are similar but on a smaller scale. Next I wended my way to the medical museum, & here were objects I’ve seen before in the medical museum, Edinbro‘, [9:48] all these institutes, including the monument, all stand in parks connected, enormous area, & you can walk from the Capitol grounds continuously, crossing a few thoroughfares, right to White House. I have a plan of the city & you will see the area these pretty parks occupy, & all open free & common, seats places here & there, & the fine spreading trees will be grand shades during the summer season. It was now about 12 o’clock & I made my way to White House, the official residence of America’s President. On reaching the beautiful mansion, as white as snow to look upon, no soldiery about, a few policeman [sic] scattered about the grounds & front entrance. I made enquiry from the always courteous American policeman & soon found myself within the portals of White House & into the great hall, which is very beautiful, & then shown into the East Room, the only chamber open to visitors, & a very pretty room this is, splendidly upholstered & pillared, & the crystal brilliant drops which contain electric lights give a magnificience [sic] to the apartment that makes one feel they would like to dwell there. I did not hurry, but sat down & feasted my eyes on all that was beautiful, & got my mind impressed so that I might retain something worth remembering of my visit to the world wide known White House at Washington.
Now it is 9 o’clock. Supper is going on in the saloon, but I don’t take any. I had a hot bath at 9 last night & the steward has informed me the bath is ready tonight, so I leave off & go & enjoy the bath, & “turn in”. Albi seems enjoying his supper & very chatty with a young lady he has on his left.
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