There are four buildings erected 500 feet east and west of the President's house, for the accommo dation of the principal departments and subordi nate offices of the government. They are each two stories high, with freestone basements, and are covered with slate; the two, facing north, are each 160 feet long by 60 wide, with handsome porticoes of the Ionic order; the two facing south are 150 feet long, by 57 wide.
The general post office, on E street north, occu pies the whole of the south front of the square, being 200 Feet long; it i= 3 stories high, and in it are the general post office, city post office, and patent office; it is a very neat and commodious edifice, well adapted to the purposes for which it is used; it stands on high ground, about equidistant from the Capitol and the President's house.
The navy yard, on the East Branch, is enclosed on the north and east by a lofty wall, with a handsome gateway and guard-rooms, a large and commodi ous dwelling for the commandant, and others for dif ferent officers attached to the yard; there are exten sive timber sheds, warehouses, shops for black smiths, coopers. turners, plumbers, joiners, sail makers, boat builders, &c., a powerful steam engine works two sets of salt s, drives a tilt hammer, turn ers' lathes. &c.; there are also two very large ship houses. The Columbus 64. l'otomac and Brandy wine frigates, of guns each, and several other vessels of war. have been built at this yard; the neat and tastefully arranged armory and the vast quantity of naval stores. and cannon of every size, deposited in the yard. are o'jects of much interest.
The marine barracks. sitaated north of the navy yard, occupy the whole square; the building is upwards of 700 feet in length, with a colonnade facing into the square; in the centre of the square are the officers' quarters; at the north of the square is the commandant's house, which is very large and commodious; and at the south is an armory and workshop; the yard is neat, and kept in ex cellent order.
A substantial navy magazine, with a house fcr the keeper and wharf for convenience of receiving and sending off powder, See., is situated at the east end of the city, on the Anacostia branch of the Potomac.
At the southern extremity of the city stands the extensive army arsenal, and laboratories for arms, and manufactory of military stores, with large sheds and houses for the storage of caissons, cannon, car riages, Sr.c., and a magazine occupying a large space of ground, in a beautiful and commanding situation.
The penitentiary is situated on the public ground north of the arsenal; it is a lofty building, of brick, enclosing within it the cells for the convicts, four tier high, built of freestone, and properly secured by strong iron doors; attached to it are spacious buildings for the warden and keepers; the warden's house faces the Potomac; and in front is a substan tial wharf for the convenience of the establishment; the ground is enclosed by a lofty brick wall extend ing from near the Potomac to James' creek.
Having now completed an account of the most important of the public buildings belonging to the United States in Washington, we subjoin the fol lowing summary of expenditures, together with the sources from which a part of the same was raised, and the estimated value of the remaining property, carefully prepared from the most authentic docu ments: For the improvements made in the city, open ing and graduating the streets and avenues, the support of the poor, and all other expenses of the city, the money has been raised by assessments upon the private property within its limits; the city lots owned by the United States, the public re servations and all other property of the govern ment, having never been assessed, nor subject to any charge whatever.
The seat of government was established in this city in 1800, during the presidency of John Adams. Legal jurisdiction over the district was assumed by congress on the 27th of February 1801, and the laws of Jlaryland and Virginia, then existing, de clared to be in force, most of which are continued to the present time. The city was first incorpo rated on the 3d of May 1802, and its charter was modified and its corporate powers enlarged in 1804, 1812, 1820 and 1832. By the present charter the corporation consists of a mayor, aldermen and com mon council; the mayor and board of aldermen are elected by the people every two years, and the coun cil annually. The mayor and aldermen are justices of the peace ex officio. The city is divided into six wards.. Each ward elects two aldermen and three councilmen, and every free white male citizen of the United States, of lawful age, having resided in the city one year previous to the election, and who shall have been assessed on the books of the corpo ration for the year ending on the 31st December preceding the election, and shall have paid all taxes assessed and due on personal property, when legally required so to do, are entitled to vote for mayor and members of the two boards. The corpora tion have power to pass all laws for the govern ment of the city, not inconsistent with the consti tution or laws of the United States. The judges of the circuit court compose a tribunal for the trial of civil and criminal cases, and the justices of the peace, who are appointed by the president, can give judgment for all sums under fifty dollars, and per form such other duties as usually appertain to that office. There is also an orphans' court and regis ter of wills.