The soldieA' home, a national institution for invalid soldiers of the regular army, 3 m. n. of the city, was established in 1851, by the purchase of 200 acres with money levied by gen. Scott on the city of Mexico. It has since been greatly enlarged. and is maintained with a fund accumulated by retaining 12-} cents a month from the pay of each private soldier. The buildings are handsome, and the grounds, adorned with meadows, groves, and lakes, contain 7 m. of beautiful drives and supply a free public park for the city. Here also the presidents of the United States sometimes find a pleasant summer retreat. The naval hospital supplies a similar home for sick and disabled seamen of the navy. The Columbia institute for the deaf and dumb, at Kendall green, accommodates 100 pupils in beautiful buildings, surrounded with 100 acres; the hospital of the insane has a commodious building in the midst of 400 acres, and shelters 600 patients; Providence hospital has 200 inmates; the Louise home is a beautiful building, on the finest avenue of the city, erected and endowed by Mr. Corcoran as a memorial of his daughter and a home for gentlewomen who have become poor. The Columbia woman's hospital, the Washington orphan asylum, soldiers' and sailors' orphans' home, St. Joseph's and St. Vincent's orphan asylums, St. John's hospital for children, the freedmen's hospital, and the home for the aged under the care of " the little sisters of the poor," are among the charitable institutions with which the city abounds. Among its institutions of learning are Columbian university; Gonzaga college, under Jesuit instruction; and Howard uni versity, for colored youth, under Congregational and Presbyterian supervision.
The great interests centering in the legislation for nearly 50,000,000 of people— embracing 38 states and 9 territories—bring to the city multitudes of people of every class and for various objects; and its pleasant winter climate makes it attractive to per sons of wealth. and leisure from all parts of the country, and to visitors from other lands. The fashionable season begins with the meeting of congress in December. From Christ mas to Lent, receptions, balls, and dinners abound; the levees of the president, members of the cabinet, and speaker of the house are open to all comers; the president receives the calls of the public from 12 to 3 P.m. on four days of the week; and on Jan. 1 his reception is attended by foreign ministers in official costume, officers of the army and navy in uniform, officers of the government, members of congress, and citizens gener ally.
There are 120 church edifices representing 15 different denominations. The principal parts of the city and of Georgetown are well supplied with street-cars. Among the places of amusement are Ford's opera-house and the National theater. Some of the pub lic halls are Lincoln, Odd Fellows',Willard's, Tallmadge, and the Masonic temple; and of the hotels. the Arlington, Ebbitt house, Willard's, Riggs house, National, and Metropol itan are widely known. Owing to the peculiar character of the population, boarding houses greatly abound. The number of government officers and clerks is about 5,000. During the rebellion Washington was the center of vast military operations. Its fortifi cations "consisted of 68 inclosed forts and batteries, having an aggregate perimeter of about 14 m., and emplacements for 1120 guns, of which 807, besides 98 mortars, were mounted; of 93 unarmed batteries having 401 and of 20 m. of infantry trenches. The entire circuit of the line, exclusive of the chain bridge-works, and of the stretch across the Potomac from fort Greble to fort Lyon, was 33 m.; 32 m. of military roads, besides the existing streets and avenues of the district, afforded the means of com munication." These works were serviceable for the safety of the city after the ditasters of 1862 and when Early marched on the city. Throughout the war Washington was a vast depot for military supplies; long trains of army-wagons were almost constantly passing through its streets; immense hospitals for the sick and wounded were erected, and many churches, public institutions, and the capitol itself were at times given up to this service. During these critical years property greatly depreciated and no new build , lags were erected. But at the return of peace the rapid building up of the new Wash ington already described began.
Favorite drives out of the city take visitors to the soldiers' home with its enchanting view ; to Ito& Creek valley, rich in flowers and forest tress; the heights above George town, with its wide and impressive prospect, and to Arlington heights on the Virginia shore, with its city of the dead containing 15,000 union soldiers' graves, and its view across the Potomac bounded by the dome of the capitol.