New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-27
The Enlargement OF the Capitsl.

To fae Editor Of TIE Netp- York Irl5rs1s.
SIR As it appears by your publications
of the 18th and Of the 2lst lnsts that your Washing
ton correspondents differ m their descriptions Of my
design for the enlargement Of the Capitol by attach
ing wings to the present structure for which the Sen
ate Committee awarded me a premium permit me.
through The same channel 70 Sc. both ;hoSo gentle
menught The President has made no dee SION hat
am aware Of more than the adoption OF the wings.
instead Of duplicate plan whici was strongly
urged.
The interior arrangement. which Is Of such impor-
lance ne has not yet taken into consideration. m eI
CmpLhcaNon OF which / am preparing the plans and
sections alluded u. but ia tie mean time NAV IN
form these gentlemen and the public. particularly
the scientific portion who taxing Su'h nteres,
= TIE subject Of TenulauOl.} that the Ha4 % fhe
House and the Senate Chamber have each tbEfy-fJV
wnCoWS opening into The exterior atmosphere, al
mtunS he ana ar from every SIDE az pleasure AMI
SlIfyj0Rr windows opening INTO the exterior atmOs-
phere 70 Ugh, and TentIlate The Offices and corridor
that surround the floors of each House TINS corr
dor does away with the ruaous effects produced oy
currents OF ar crossing the speakers. wa.ca would
le ffa'a 70 fhe acoustics Of these apartments.
| agree fully With both your correspondents thar
the speaking and heauugQuahues and the Ventilation
OF the House and Senate Cham3er are The main points
20 5o attained but 10 insure such. recourse must De-
had to scientific means, and To ind out exactly what
i required. / anticipated their aiylce by living
through the last session OF Congress IL these apart
mCntS ard beng IN daily intercourse With the Mem
bers of both Committees. and the officers of Doth
Houses, from whom ! received valuable information
rcSpCt ting he interior Requirements, and ~ Waicf M
f3raGfi0n 7 acfed. therefore much OF the merit At
ached 20 this design l. derived from thaf source y
VIII be expected that these Halls VIII be equally good
hearing apartments when there are 100 Is 1000 occu
pants II also desirable that they Viii De equally
well ventilated with q few or a great number, and
that the temperature VIII be equally regulated AZ al
seasons, and under all circumstances under winch the
Houses may be placed. doing away With drafts noise
from he exterior, or oIectonanl" giareS OF lght IN
the Members eyes, as Observed by the President
Now Sly dCfg man 30 establish these requisites 81
all seas0uS by Of d92rs ami rfdors opening IN
the f0or OF IRE House from me erfri0r have doors
and windows sufficient. but they are arranged bOth
UdicOusiy and SciCnth ally 80 a. not to interfere
with the establishment of Two distinct means OF per
feet ventilation without maruDg the acOusticS-lSt
by open windows all round the House over the level
of the Members heads, and withdrawal OF me car
bonC acid gas from The floor of the House by means
OF iour yentIiang shafts 20 each wing. thereby pro
ducing pure atmosphere from the exterior with
down current TO suppress the escape OF the voice.
tins is the best kind of commonplace ventilation, anl
such IS expect your Washington correspondent de-
Sres but that gentleman would find himself diSap-
pointed with a crowded house on day he could not
omen the windows | have, therefore, provided an
additional means for supplying pure ar IN any guam
tty and at any temperature required at all seasons OF
the year, winch can be admitted without nJurng the
acoustics A. the number N the House or Senate may
require and that without InJurlng It's hygrometreal
qualities
pump fihe same As IN the Broadway THEATRE which
affords the means of efectually Withdrawing any
quantity we find necessary. without creating a cur
rent sufficient to inJure the hearing. That space be-
ing etenally filled in by pure ar rarlhed IN winter
or cooled down IN summer, before being admitted IN
10 the apartments nv object Is TO insure 10 the mem
bers and 10 the public, healthy apartments within the
walls OF both Houses of Congress where they can
enjoy pure and temperate atmosphere al all seasons
without damaging the acoustics. The voice / can
convey 10 all parts OF the house by simple mechan-
cal process that could alone be nteriered with by an
injudcious admission Of the exterior atmosphere
Your correspondent also remarks on the cost miro
duCed by the architectural appearance my design Will
make. This imaginary expense arises from the CIR
cumsiance of NV introducing attic or high pardpet
over the endbiaiure which viii be- found necessary
or YOU must destroy the architectural enect by eX-
posing the root which extends over a vacant space
fat. some space the ceiling being also necessary
10 keep n cool m summer, neither sky-lghts or DOR
mers being connected with my design to Cecoy the
voice or the architecture of the ceilings eN-
pect INV design viii be found to be the cheapest IN
the end as gives all that can be required without
hardly disturbing The old building, merely finishing
the exterior which was never done, or without m
cOnyeWcnclng Congress during the erection OF the
new wings. i Is most generally bal management
and incompetent conductors that make public build
ingS so expensive. and as for yOur correspondents
fears reSrecng the Dc ornate beauty of finish, interior
decorations. faultlcsS elegance and architectural
grandeur that VIII cost so much more than would i'm
prove q harhOr." let me assure HIM that the nation
atiycs as well g0Oi harbOrs for her shipping, anu
trat my plan which has thus extracted ms apprehen
SONS Is nothing more than G astc building, whose
elegance Of architecture viii only entltle II 10 that
place IN the history OF nations as Americas House Is
entitled am SIR, yours very respectfully.
CHARLES FREDERICK ANDERSON.
Architects Office A Wal-sl., y. \.
New YORK, Friday May %