WASHINGTON CITY, the seat of the general government of the United States, is situated in the district of Columbia, on the eastern bank of Potomac river, above the mouth of the East Branch, at the head of tide water; it stands on a series of hills of moderate elevation. N. lat. 38° 53', and long. W. from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich 76° 551', and from the Royal Observatory at Paris 79° 151' W. The extreme eastern point of the United States, or the eastern point of Manan Island, is, according to Tanner's 3,1ap of the United States, 10° 17' E. of Washington. Upon the same authority, the north point of Queen Charlotte's Island on the Pa cific ocean is 55° 56' W. from Washington City.
The site of Washington is a real basin environed by gently swelling hills, which give it the appear ance of occupying the centre of a vast amphitheatre. The soil is generally sterile, admixed with rounded pebbles and sand. If we regard the natural bound aries, we may consider Washington as limited by Rock creek on the N.\V., Potomac river S.W. and S.; the East Branch S.E. and E., and on the other side by a range of hills. Length from southeast to north west four and a half miles, with a mean breadth of two and a half miles, or a small fraction above nine and a half square miles. That part at present occu pied by houses, bears but a small proportion to the extent laid out into building lots, with their ave nues and streets. The greater part of the buildings arc at the navy yard, and along or contiguous to Pennsylvania avenue, including Capitol Hill, the distance being about four and a half miles from East Branch to Rock creek. If compactly built, the whole existing edifices, both public and private, would, it is believed, not occupy more than one mile in length by half a mile in breadth.
That portion of territory composing the district of Columbia, was ceded to the United States by the states of Virginia and the ground on which the city stands being within the cession of the latter state. The proprietors of the soil sur rendered their lands, to be laid out as a city, and gave up one half thereof to the United States, to be sold to raise funds for the erection of the public buildings.
The plan of the city was formed under the di rection of George Washington, then President of the United States, by Pierre C. L'Enfant, in the
year 1791.
The positions for the different public edifices, and for the several open squares and areas, as laid down by Andrew Ellicott, were determined on as well for the extensive prospects which they com manded, as by their susceptibility of improvements, either for use or ornament.
Streets running north and south are crossed by others running east and west, whilst those which arc denominated avenues traverse these rectangular divisions diagonally, and are so laid out as to afford the most direct communication between those places deemed the most important, and which at the same time offer the most agreeable prospects. Where acute angles are formed by the intersection of the avenues with the streets, there are public reserva tions which are to be left open, and much of the in convenience which these intersections would other wise produce is thus avoided.
The avenues are named after the respective states, whilst the streets are designated either nu merically or alphabetically, commencing at the Capitol; those running north and south are desig nated by the letters of the alphabet—A north, A south, and both extend to the letter W; those run ning east and west of it are numbered-1st street east, 1st street west; those to the east extend to 31, and those to west to 28.
The avenues and streets leading to public places are from 120 to 160 feet wide; they are divided into footways and carriage ways, and are to have walks divided off by rows of trees; the other streets are from 70 to 110 feet wide; the avenues and streets of 100 feet and upwards have footways of 20 feet; under 100 and over 80 they have footways of 17 feet; streets under 80 feet have 12 feet footways; and the centre of the pumps, hydrants, and trees, on all the streets, must be placed four feet outside of the curb-stone. The principal part of the city was graduated by the surveyors, and recorded, before any buildings were erected; there is now a city surveyor, whose duty it is to give the proper graduations and outlines of lots, as recorded, to per sons desirous of building, and for his certificate thereof he is allowed a fee.