Outgoing Correspondence from Robert Ridgway, April 18, 1867

              no 213 pennsylvania avenue between 14th and 15th washington city april 18th 1867 dear father i arrived here this evening at 5 o clock i arrived at cincinnati41 at 7 o clock the morning after i left olney here i was detained until 12.30 p.m putting up with mr scott42 at the st james hotel during the day i walked about the city and the hotel being between two churches the spires of which were visible from nearly every part of the city i could easily find my way back pa you could hardly believe that such an enormous city could possibly exist indeed i never dreamed of so great and fine a city standing in the hotel door as far as i could see in all directions i could not see a single three storied building or a single dwelling house about 90 per cent of the buildings are six stories high the rest of four five and seven stories all compactly and solidly built with granite fronts the presbyterian church is granite from foundation to spire and taller than the methodist catholic and campbellite churches in mt carmel put together at 12.30 p.m