Places young Americans want to know

Preface

"See America first" is a familiar suggestion. Whatever a young American may learn of other lands he surely ought not to be ignorant of his own.

In this little book I have endeavored to cast into simple form descriptions of some of the most notable places in the history, geography and scenic beauty of our country.

The English lad is taught thoroughly the lessons of the heroes, history and points of natural interest in his own land. Surely a similar course of reading concerning the most notable places in his country ought to be of value to every American boy.

There is, too, a special need to-day of a revival of true patriotism. Intelligent love of country is dependent, however, upon knowledge. Especially is this true among the thousands who recently have come to win a home in America, but who are without knowledge of the price that was paid for the liberties they enjoy and are not familiar with the land or the life in which they are to share. Perhaps in no better way

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PREFACE

can this desired information be given than by telling the story of the places which every American ought to know.

Even if it is not possible for all to visit Concord and Lexington, to see the imposing buildings in the capital of the nation, to behold the grandeur of the Yosemite and the marvels of the Yellowstone, it still is the privilege of all not only to know what and M^here these places are, but also, by the aid of stories and pictures, to appreciate their value and the lessons they teach.

If the reading of these stories shall arouse in the minds of our American boys and girls a desire to see and know more of their own land, the writer will feel that his labors have not been in vain.

Everett T. Tomlinson.

Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I The Greatest Rock in America ... 1

II The Capital of the Nation 14

Chapter I

ALMOST every land has a rock of which its people are very proud. Many have heard of the great Rock of Gibraltar, which England has made so strong with her guns and soldiers that, if she objects, it will be very hard for ships either to enter or depart from the great Mediterranean Sea, the entrance to which it guards. The Irish are very proud of a high rock that stands alone in the midst of the dark green pasture-lands of Ireland. On this great Rock of Cashel one can see to-day the ruins of large buildings which the monks used many years ago. Here was a chapel and a beautiful cathedral. To-day there is a great stone cross on this rock. It is one of the Irish Crosses, made so long ago that no one can say when it was first set up. Here, too, are the ruins of some strange buildings erected by the Druids long before St. Patrick came to Ireland.

In the village of Plymouth, on the shore of Massachusetts, there is a rock, which is the most famous in our country. Last year more than fifty thousand people visited it. General Grant, standing beside it in October, 1880, after he had gone around the world, said that "this granite bowlder to him was a more inspiring memorial than any of the monuments he had seen in his journeys in other lands."

A great Frenchman said, "Here is a stone which the foot of outcasts pressed for an instant and this stone has become famous; it is treasured by a great nation; its very dust is shared as a relic. And what has become of the gateways of a thousand palaces? Who cares for themf"

The rock is of granite, of a dark gray color. In it there are green flecks and many fine, black particles of mica. It is very hard, and, like the stones in this part of our country, might receive a high polish. Its name is Plymouth Eock.

Many years ago when there were only a few white people in America, and Captain John Smith and his crew, and perhaps a few others, were the only white men that had ever seen the little harbor, on the shore of which the famous rock has stood for ages, there were some people in England who were in great trouble. They had done no wrong, but they had dared to say that every man ought to be free to worship God in the way he thought was right.

These Separatists, as they were called, were severely persecuted. For a long time they suffered much because of their faith, but they did not change. At last a body of these people, led by their pastor, John Robinson, decided to leave their English homes and go to Holland, where they hoped to find more freedom.

So it came to pass that the little company sought new homes at Leyden, in Holland. Although the Dutch were kind to them, the little band did not prosper. Some of the good people died and others soon had spent all their money. 2 3

When ten years were gone there were just about one-half as many of these people, who were called Pilgrmis, as had come to Holland.

Then it was that they decided to go to America. Others had gone there because they hoped to find gold, or because their kings wanted to secure land in the new country. Then, too, some even had been sent across the sea because England thought she would be better off if she could rid herself of them.

The reasons for the sailing of this little band from Delfthaven were different. The Pilgrims, as they were now called, were not going to America to seek for gold, or because their king had sent them, but to found a place where every man should be free to worship God as he thought right. Just before they sailed, there was a day of fasting and prayer. They had already obtained a grant of a large tract of land in America.

The Pilgrims decided to stop on their way at Southampton, England. From this place on August 15, 1620, they set sail in two ships, the Speedwell and the Mayfioiver.

The two ships had no trouble until the twentieth of September, when there arose a terrible storm that lasted three days. Somehow the ships were kept near each other, although the wind was so strong and the waves were so high that part of the time one boat could not be seen by the people on board the other.

When at last the storm ceased, the people on board the Speedwell were sure that it had sprung a leak and was no longer safe. Finally it was decided to return to Plymouth, where the Speedwell was left and most of the Pilgrims were taken on board the Mayflower and the voyage was resumed.

It was not until the ninth of November that they saw land. To-day our great ships cross the ocean in less than a week. These Pilgrim Fathers, as they sometimes have been called, had been more than two months on the stormy sea. We can understand what their feelings must have been when they saw before them the land which since has been named Cape Cod.

There were no friends to welcome them. There was not even a house to shelter them from the storm. Among the trees there might be wild animals, and the Pilgrims already had heard of the Indians, who were said to be more cruel than the beasts.

At last, after a long search, they found a harbor where the people could land. Before a landing was made, however, they sent ten of their bravest men ashore to find out about the country along the rocky coast.

These ten men, after they had walked about three miles into the woods, suddenly saw five Indians before them. And what strange beings each party thought the others were! The Indians were armed with bows and arrows and their clothing was made of the skins of animals.

The Pilgrims tried to show these red men that they were friendly, but just as soon as they started toward them, the Indians, with a terrible yell, turned and ran as fast as they could go.

The ten Englishmen then set up a little camp. After they had selected guards for the night the rest of them went to sleep.

When morning came the white men followed the footprints of the five Indians they had seen. They were hoping to find some place where they might get a fresh supply of food.

About noon they came to some ground that had been cleared and near this they saw a pond of fresh water and several little mounds, but still they did not see any people. They thought these mounds might be graves of the Indians.

When they went a little farther west they saw a field with stubble on it which looked as if corn of some kind had been cut there not long before. As they went on still farther, they saw more of these little mounds and began to suspect that they were places in which food had been stored and were not graves.

At last they examined one of the mounds, and to their joy they found it full of ears of corn (maize). They had never seen any corn before. Some of them, even after they had tasted it, thought it was not good to eat. Only a few believed that they had found anything of value.

The men now decided to go back to the ship and tell their friends what they had found.

They also showed them the corn they had brought and reported that near where they had found it there was a good place to land.

This landing place was Plymouth Eock, where the one hundred and two storm-tossed people, made their landing, December 21, 1620.

Already the Pilgrims had selected John Carver to be their governor for one year. A few laws were made which all were to obey.

The first task of the Pilgrims after they landed on Plymouth Rock was to erect a few rude houses to shelter them from the winter, which now was more severe than any they had ever known in their homes beyond the sea.

Soon another party of men was sent in a shallop to examine what seemed to be a deep bay on the shore of which they had landed. Not long after the men left their friends they saw a large party of Indians on the shore cutting up a great fish. Governor Carver quickly told his friends to go to the place, but as soon as the Indians saw them coming, with a wild yell, they ran away. The English then landed and kindled a fire upon which they cooked the o

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fish, which the red men had left behind them in their flight. While they were making a place in which they might sleep that night, they left their guns in their boat a short distance away.

Suddenly a large band of Indians came near and sent a shower of arrows upon the white men. The Pilgrims were so surprised that they were ready to run, but Governor Carver told them that if they did so they would surely all be killed. So he ordered them to keep close together and to go slowly toward their boat. If the Indians should attack them they were to fire as soon as they secured their guns.

Just as soon as the Indians saw the white men retiring from the place, they rushed from behind the trees and made ready with their clubs and hatchets to attack the Pilgrims.

The white men by this time had secured their guns and quickly turned and discharged them at the attacking party. Three or four of the red men fell to the ground. Instantly the other Indians stopped and in astonishment stared at their fallen companions. Then, with another yell, they all fled from the place. The Pilgrims said that ''the wild yell could be heard three miles. ' '

The white men at once went back to their friends. They were all now agreed that it was better to plan to stay for some time at Plymouth, or New Plymouth, as they called the place where they had landed.

The winter was very cold and many of the Pilgrims died. When spring came there were so few remaining that the Indians might easily have killed them all.

One day, la^e in the following March, to the surprise of the Pilgrims, an Indian came to Plymouth and spoke to them in broken English. How he had learned their language the white men did not understand. The Indian himself then told them that he came from a part of the country to which a few white men had come and that from them he had learned a few words of English.

We may be sure that the Pilgrims were glad to find some one who could help them, and they sent the Indian away after they had given him presents. The next day he came back with the great sachem, or chief, Massasoit, and several other chiefs. To them also the Pilgrims gave presents, which the Indians thought were of great value.

Soon the great sachem and the Pilgrims made a treaty in which it was agreed that the English and the Indians would be friends. The red men were to provide the white men with food for which the latter were to pay.

How much the Pilgrims suffered in that first winter in America no one can describe, but still they did not give up the purpose for which they had come.

To-day, America is a country in which every man is free to worship God in the way he thinks right. Plymouth Eock, where the Pilgrims landed, is honored as a place wdiere religious freedom was brought to America. The Rock itself was moved in 1775 by some patriots who wanted it placed in Liberty Pole Square in Plymouth, so that it might be "near the guard house, the church and the Liberty Pole."

The Rock was removed from its place by large screws. While the men were trying to place it on the wagon the Rock broke. Some people said this was an omen of the break that was to come between Great Britain and her colonies in America.

Captain Cotton, with his men to help him and with twenty yoke of oxen, at last carried Ply-

Plymouth Hall mouth Rock to Liberty Pole Square. There the Rock remained until the fourth of July, 1834, when it once more was moved to a spot in front of Pilgrim Hall and an iron fence was built around it. In the procession, which marched when Plymouth Rock was moved the second time, was a model of the Mayflower that was drawn by six boys.

Mr. Stickney, of Baltimore, Maryland, in 1880, gave the money to have Plymouth Eock taken back to its old home on the ''sea beat shore." The broken pieces were cemented together. There the greatest rock in America stands to-day.

Chapter II

TRAVELERS say that Washington is one of the most attractive cities of the world.

When we leave our train at the Union Station, we find that even the railroads have joined in adding to the attractiveness of the nation's capital. The immense Union Station of white granite is six hundred and thirty feet long. The grounds, or plaza, in front of it are filled with flowers, shrubs and fountains.

It was by the advice of George Washington that the present location was selected for the capital of the new nation. What was called the Federal District of Columbia, which consisted of one hundred square miles, was set apart for this purpose. The foundation of the capitol building was laid in 1793. Washington became the seat of government in 1800.

A part of the land was ceded by Maryland and a part by Virginia. Later, in 1846, the land which had been granted by Virginia was given back to that state, so that to-day the District of Columbia covers only sixty-nine square miles.

Washington, in 1871, ceased to be governed like other cities in our country. At that time it was governed like our territories. Three years later the laws again were changed, so that now the affairs of the District of Columbia are administered directly by the President and the Congress, by means of a board of commissioners.

The people who live here do not vote. They have no part in or voice in governing, or even in the control of the city in which they live. They do not belong to any state. This seems very strange. After nearly eighty-five years had passed, this method, for many reasons, was found to be the best.

At first it was planned to make Federal City the name of the new capital. How^ever, in 1791, it was decided to call it Washington.

There is not very much commerce or manu- 15 facturing in the city because about forty thousand of the people that live there, including the officers in the Army and Navy, are employed by the United States.

If we were to come in the summer time we should find many of the people gone. The weather is very warm and sultry at that time.

We learn, too, that Washington covers ten square miles and that about 350,000 people live here. The streets are very wide and many of them are made of asphalt. They are so laid out that wherever one may stand he is almost certain to see nearby or in the distance beautiful parks, great monuments, or imposing public buildings.

Wherever one goes in the city he is able to see the dome of the Capitol and the top of the Washington Monument. The latter is a great tower of white marble. It was erected in honor of General Washington. The base is fifty-five feet square, and the shaft rises five hundred and fifty-five feet to what, from the ground below, looks like a sharp point. It was completed in 1884.

Several times men have dropped a baseball from the top of this monument to see if any one standing on the ground below would be able to catch it. One time a professional baseball player succeeded in catching the ball. Why was it so difficult?

The plan on which the city is laid out is quite wonderful. It was designed by a French officer who thought many years ago that the Capitol would be the center of the city and that the streets and avenues would all run out from it. With other cross-streets it would then somewhat resemble the form of a spider's web.

The original plan has been somewhat changed. Some one has said that now it is like ''a wheel placed on a gridiron."

The streets which run north and south are numbered. Those which run east and west are named from the letters of the alphabet. The names of the thirteen original colonies appear on the different avenues. Pennsylvania Avenue, for example, is in some respects the chief street, at least it is one of the busiest. On New Hampshire Avenue, Connecticut Avenue,

Vermont Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue and Sixteenth Street there are many fine residences.

From the station, travelers pass through a beautiful park that covers fifty acres and then they go up a little hill to the Capitol. This wonderful building has a great dome that can be seen many miles away. It is two hundred and sixty-eight and one-half feet high, and on the top of it is a figure of Liberty that is almost twenty feet high.

The main building is of sandstone that has been painted white. The two great wings of the building are white marble. The Capitol covers three and pne-half acres and is seven hundred and fifty-one feet long.

When it was first built it was thought that the city would grow in just the opposite direction from that in which it since has grown. Because of this change, instead of the Capitol facing the city in accordance with the original plan it really stands now with its back to it and looks the opposite way. Altogether, the building cost more than $16,000,000.

There are three porticos on the front, of which naturally the chief is in the center. You will be certain to stop to examine some of the marble statues that have been placed there. Among these is a heroic figure of Columbus; another represents the discovery of America and another the settlement of America. Here, too, is the place where the ceremony of the inauguration of the President of the United states is held.

When we enter the building we stop first in the rotunda. This is a vast, circular, open room beneath the dome. The first ceiling that we can see is one hundred and eighty feet above us. Across the rotunda the distance is six feet greater than from the home plate to the first base on a baseball diamond.

On the walls are beautiful paintings which picture important events in the history of the United States. Among these we are most interested in the Landing of Columbus, the Sailing of the Pilgrims, the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Surrender of Cornwallis, and still another which represents Wash- 3 19 ington resigning his commission as commander of the Continental Army.

There are many visitors going up the stairway to the Whispering Gallery. There, even a whisper can be heard on the opposite side of the rotunda. Stairs lead up to the top of the dome where one can look down upon the city which spreads out before him, seen, and yet partly concealed by the trees.

An interesting visit is to the room which contains many statues. To this room every state in the Union is permitted to send statues of *'two of her chosen sons." One of the chosen "sons" of Illinois is a woman, Miss Frances E. Willard.

We leave this HaU and go through the long corridor to the Hall of Representatives. Any one is free to visit this room before noon. When the Congress is in session it meets at that hour, and then only the galleries are open to visitors. There is room for 2,500 visitors at a time.

As we look down we see that there is a desk for every member. There are beautiful frescoes on the walls, and portraits of Washington and Lafayette are hanging one at the right, and the other at the left of the Speaker, as the presiding officer is called. This is the place where the laws of our land are made.

One party in Congress has seats on one side of the great room and the other party is seated on the other side. One of the Congressmen is now making an address. At first it seems to ns that it cannot be very interesting because so few seem to be paying any attention to the speaker. We are told that this is quite common and that the members depend more upon what they read than upon what they hear to help them to decide how to vote.

We now go to the room in which the Supreme Court of the United States meets. This is the highest body of judges in all our land. The nine men are impressive in their robes. They all seem to us to be men of great ability and character.

Through a corridor is the way to the Senate Chamber. As the Senators are fewer in number than the Congressmen the room in which they meet is not so large as the Hall of Eepresentatives. The man who presides is the Vice- President of the United States. In little spaces in the walls there are marble busts of all the men who have held that office. There are paintings and statues also on the staircase which interest us when we leave the Senate Chamber.

The next building we visit is the Library of Congress. When we are told that there is room for five million books in this building we are not surprised. This imposing building is four hundred and seventy feet long and three hundred and forty feet wide. If you will think of the amount of ground covered in this way you will get some idea how immense the great Library of Congress is. A copy of every book published in the United states is supposed to be sent to this library. Already nearly two million books are on the shelves. Besides the books there are hundreds of manuscripts, prints, pieces of music and maps stored in the Library of Congress.

Any person may use these books, but unless he is a member of Congress or holds a certain office he may not take any book from the building". More than three hundred people are employed in this library. The walls are adorned with paintings by famous American artists such as Vedder, Alexander and others. There are also frescoes and bronze statues by such famous American sculptors as McMonnies and Saint- Gaudens.

Among the other places of interest which we visit are the Botanic Gardens. The beautiful Bartholdi Fountain causes us to stop for a little while to look at it before we go on to the wonderful Palm-house and the conservatories. Of course we go to the building of the United States Fish Commission and see the aquarium in which not only are there many strange fishes, but there also little fish are hatched and shipped to different parts of the country.

Another day we go to the great brick building of the National Museum w^here there are wonderful collections of natural history, geology, etc.

Most visitors surely go to the Smithsonian Institution. Its nine lofty towers and the red stone of wliich it is built are very beautiful. Mr. Smitlison, who gave tbe money for the Institution, was an Englishman. He never came to America. We are told that the reason for his great gift was that he enthusiastically believed in the life and future of the new nation. He died many years ago, but we wish it were possible for him to see how much his generous gift has accomplished.

In this building there are wonderful collections of birds, insects, shells, etc. Many of these have been arranged especially for the children to study.

One of the most interesting collections of all is that of Indian relics and of the pipes and various implements of stone or bone or copper from the mounds of the western parts of our country. We are surprised when we are told that in Edinburgh, Scotland, and also in the British Museum in London, there are more complete collections of bows, arrows, headdresses, cooking-utensils and other implements that show how the North American Indians once lived, than can be found in any similar eollections in the United States. Our friends across the sea have been more interested, or at least they began to collect earlier than we did.

Next to the Capitol the building which most interests us is the White House. This is the stone mansion painted white in which the President of the United States has his home. The great porch at the entrance, with its tall columns, is most imposing. The entire building is plain, and both inside and out is impressive.

The cornerstone was laid by General Washington. John Adams was the first president to live in the White House. He moved into it in 1800. The building, with others, was burned by the British in the War of 1812, and has since been restored and improved.

Between the hours of ten and two any one may visit the East Room of the White House. This wonderful room is eighty feet long, forty feet wide and twenty-two feet high. If we have received special permits we may also go to the reception rooms, which are beautifully furnished. There we can see portraits of the presidents and many of the valuable gifts they received. The permit also will take us to tlie dining-room. All the rest of the house belongs to the President and his family and we may not visit it.

There are seventy-five acres in the grounds adjoining the White House. Here, every year at Eastertime hundreds of children gather for

The White House

the rolling of colored eggs. In the summertime, too, on Saturday afternoons, the people assemble here to listen to the concerts given by the Marine Band.

The huge building to the west of us contains quarters for the Department of State, Navy Department and the War Department.

The Treasury Building is an enormous 26 structure and is striking because of the long colonnades on its front and the porticos on three of its sides. In its silver vaults there is coin and bullion worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Other rooms are the United States Cash Room and the Redemption Division. On the second floor are the quarters of the Secret Service Division. Here there is a complete collection of all the various kinds of counterfeit money as far as they have been found. There are also pictures of many men who have tried to counterfeit the money of our country.

Among the many other notable and interesting buildings in Washington are those of the New National Museum, the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. In the last you will be especially interested in seeing how our paper money, bonds and stamps are made. The Census Bureau and the Pension Office also are of great interest. In the Dead-letter Office Museum are shown many strangely directed letters. Perhaps these letters more properly may be said to have been misdirected, for the people for whom they were intended cannot be found. To this place letters that are incorrectly addressed in any part of our land are sent.