The Diaries of John Gregory Bourke Volume 4: July 3, 1880--May 22, 1881

5: A Trip East

104 Chapter 5 ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ A Trip East S ept. 5th 1880. Left Omaha, viâ “Burlington” road1 for Chicago and the East. At dépôt, met my friend, Mr. William Carter, son of Judge Carter of Fort Bridger, Wyo., and also met exSenator [John Milton] Thayer of Nebraska. In Chicago dined at the Palmer House and then took the Balt[imore]. and Ohio Express for Washington. Sept. 6th 1880. Major [Azor H.] Nickerson met me in the R.R. dépôt, upon my arrival. (9.20 P.M.) and took me to his neat little home on Rhode-Island Avenue (near 18th [Street]). During my stay at the Capital, Nickerson exerted himself in every way possible to make my visit pleasurable. I did not visit many public buildings, my time being too brief, but I saw many delightful people, some of whom I had previously known personally and others through communications . Nickerson’s office was in the War Department, (in the old Navy building.) There I met numbers of officers—Generals [Samuel?] Breck, [Emory] Upton, [William B.] Hazen, [Richard Coulter] Drum, [Orlando M.] Poe and Colonels [Samuel Nicoll?] Benjamin, [Henry Clarke] Corbin and others. Captain Lamberton, U.S. Navy., escorted me through the new Navy 1. Chicago, Burlington & Quincey Railroad. A Trip East 105 Building, an imposing edifice, constructed without regard to cost; it forms one half of a grand pile of masonry of which the uncompleted portion is the wing intended for the use of the War Department.2 The features which most vividly impressed themselves upon my memory were an exhibition of all the classes of cordage—hemp, manilla, wire, tarred and untarred cables and hawsers in use in our Navy:—a very prettily arranged display; and the Library, upon which the efforts of architect and artist were lavished without stint and with wonderful success. The decorations of this chamber are superb. The walls are panelled with malachite and precious marbles and in the gallery railings are inserted circular plates of the Mexican onyx. The collection of volumes will embrace when complete a full series of works bearing upon the Naval Profession and in all departments which can be made tributary to its service;—History, Geography, Law, Surveying and Physical Science. Washington, at this season, is a lovely city—some judges go so far as to say that it is the loveliest in the whole world. I cannot venture upon a comparison, not being very familiar with large cities: I must content myself with the remark that it is well laid out, has broad streets, well-paved, interesting noble avenues in which may be seen statues of our prominent personages, military and civil; the public buildings are constructed upon a scale of magnificence and the mansions of the wealthier citizens betoken luxury, refinement and good taste. The society of Washington ranks high and is entitled to all the consideration due to intelligence and polished manners. It was my fortune to find in the Capitol many friends and acquaintances upon whom I called during my stay. I first hunted up Mrs. Burns, the widow of my old friend, Cap’t. James Burns, 5th Cavalry who died in July 1874, of hardship and exposure incident to Indian service under Genl. Crook. Then I called upon my venerable friend, Sister de Chantal, one of the nuns of the order of the Visitation, in the Convent on Connecticut Avenue. She has passed the ripe age of three score and ten, but still retains unimpaired the keen intellect, sweet nature and gentle manners which endeared her to me fifteen years ago. From the convent, a very commodious and costly building, I went to call upon Mrs. Lamberton, wife of Captain Lamberton, U.S. Navy, 2. The former State, War, and Navy Building, now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, on Seventeenth Street between New York and Pennsylvania Avenues, constructed from 1871 to 1888. 106 More Staff Duties and sister of my old class-mate (and tent-mate during my “yearling” year,) Clare[nce] Stedman, now R.Q.M., 9th Cavalry. She received me with all the warmth and cordiality I anticipated, talked over old times and old friends—and concurred with her mother in the opinion that the happiest days either of them had ever enjoyed were those spent at West Point. Mrs. Lamberton, while a young lady, had a very narrow escape from drowning. While boating with Bob Carter, my old...