The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-19
NEWS BY THE Nj AlLS
Our Washington Correspondence.
III l..

WASHINGTON, Jan. IL, 1852.
Tie Unaoa States Capitol and he Ne0 Extension,
oad the ofho Public buildings of the Feira! City
fhsr Cost, &c.
The Capitol, from all points of the compass, ia
the prominent feature Of Washington city. From
is lofty sitc-its sze-its majestic and beautiful
proportions, and is brilliant whitencss il eyerlooks
the city like lerdiy giant among the Llliputians
LIS situation is fine. From the top Of the great
central dome, immense sweep Of country in
every direction is commanded, Up and down tho
great Potomac the landscape is particularly
pleasing, with It's combinations Of bold hills gently
swelling elevations, lowla.d a., highlands, felda
forests, cities, villages and tho fast winding riyea
with its bridges, aqueauots, and It's shipping,I
expansive creeks, tributaries and estuaries F,ou
the pcrtico of the late library Of Congress, IA,
view to the west commands al the most prominen
OF all these details Of the scene fro the dome is
self and in the spring and early summer, this por-
tico has been the witness e a. many litle bi,s Of
love making romance, and Irritation, 20 tho alcove5
of the library in the winter months.
Tho Capitol Of the United States Is situated on
hill inc most Lofty in the city tho main cody Of
the city lying west Of il ana below i o. sha pain
which stretches along tho Potomac tog. - tbe
Presidents house, and tke gently swelling plateau
to the north ot Pew sylynriu az enue Tao grounds
Appropriated 10 the Capitol cor sist or thirty acres,
err section, being on tie summit 81 Tho nil, is
much higher than he VI stern, and u IN the form
ot an almost perfect square, mud level az meadow.
The western section. ncxtto PcnnsyivaIia avenue,
il thousand times the most hcauatul It's ii Tho
form 81 semi circcthe Capitol Itself forming The
hne 81 the cord Of the arc The artaugomena 81 he
trees, the shrubbcry and flower beds, in his Sec
ton, end the circng Terraces around the base Of
the building, which hayo been shaped out rom
the original formation Of the hull, make this vest
ern "a den truly beautiful, lacking only the i'm
portant requisites Of speco md flowing water, and
Lake or Two 10 make Il c1a ot the most charming
pieces Of landscape gardening this side OF the i'm
pcral gardens OF Tho Central Fio zery Kingdom
The exterior ofthe Capitol exhibits a rus.ica.ed
basement for tho FIRST storythc two other g,aries
being 81 the Corinthian oder not tie hlted Coria-
THAN vi the City Hall 81 New York, bat the Creek
Cornthian, Of piiasters md columns, The columns,
thirty ieet IN height, double range Of .hsn, form
splendid advancing portco on the east, one hum
bred AID sixty feet long, the centre Of whioh is
crowned with pediment 0feighty feet span rho
centre OF the west front Is distinguished by re3ed-
iug loggia of one hundred foo extent, even moro
imposing from its superior height, than the eastern
portico The centre building Is chiefly occupied oy
the rotunda, tho library Of Congress and committee
rooms. The southern wing is occupied by tho hail
OF the House and its accessories; tho north 4iIg by
the Senate and its aux ny apartments, and ~ tho
supreme Cour, on the floor below
DIMENSIONS or THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL AVID rs
GROUNDS ATTACHED
Grounds within the igcn ratings, 30 acres; length
Of foot walk outside the ratings, three fourthj 0f
mile
The building is as follow9:-
Totallsngh Of front, north and south. 35a
Depth Of wingn. III
East projection, roItico and s'eP'............ %
Covering aud a half acres, lsgoiset
Height OF wings to balustraaes. .......... 10
Height to top Of centre dome. ....,........ las
Represent Hall, greatest length and breadth. %
DO greatest height ............... %
Senate Chamber, height to dome. ............. AZ
81
Central rouuda SO feet diameter, aud height. 9S
COST or riir BUILDING, INCLUDING rrrAiRs
BRITISH ~ 1914
North wing, commenced in lo3.......... SfbO,2t2 81
c csnsn building finished is27 S sS7Ss9 Is
Cost Of building Capitol. .Sl7467iS 81
Total cost Of building ald grounds, s2,7j0,000,
exclusive OF subsequent annual appropriations: but,
l59S2i. ff' 49,
EXTENSION or THE CAPITOL.
The new extension oi the Capitol. the work upOn
which has already been so very ayoraby enced,
under the management Of Mt Walter, OF Phiadcl-
pha, The architect and Mr.. Samuel Strong, ol
New York, experimenting ma ter mason, bids fair
to lie completed in three years, if Congress will
only make the appropriations The plan is by Mr..
Waiter, for the extension, and is adapted 20 the
Of the crgina pile as it stands, ana Of
the style of its architecture 20 as to preserve the
uci'y of single edifco IN the whole OF the immense
street ure additions and all.
he corner atone Ct the extension was laid on tho
ith July last and there has already been put down
y o are OF stUne masonry OF $1,000 perches This
includCs the work upon the foundations at both
ends Of the building, AID they arc so far COM
pleted sa to DO ready for tho marble work The
foundation walls are Of that hard gneiss which is
obtained in any quantity few miles up the Poto-
mac, where this rock, running through q range OF
hills 10 the southwark and westward, forms the
boundary between the primitive and diluyial dis-
trics Of this latitude. The rock is hard and tough
as ron and splitting By aaural seams into straight
surfaces. However Irregular the blocks msy be as
blown cut OF the quarry, they always present ono
straight side for the wall, without recurring touch
Of the hammer. The exterior walls Of these foun-
datons are seven feet thick and in several points
extending down twenty FIVE feet below the surface
Of the ground. The interior walls are from three
to four feet thi:k. The work upon both wings,
as it now stands, with the heavy outside and The
numerous lines Of interior walls, presents tho ap-
pcarancc of stron ely built but unfinished fortidca
fall there were in all some $50 men employed upon
the work, ard they averaged, in their aggregate
work, come 200 perches Of masonry per day.
DIMENSIONS or TIE NEW WINGS.
Feet. Inches.
Breadth, east snd west ................ l70
Length, north aud south, in line with
the present buildings and wings. li3
Length Of colonnadss connecting the
new wings with the present build
lGg. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ~
DIMENSIONS or THE CAPITOL WITH THE VIEW
ADDITIONS.
Feet L.ches.
Length Of present building ard wings 352 0
Add length OF new wing at each end, Of
Add each connecting colonnade, a feet IS
Total length with new additions 726 0
TIE TWO HOUSES.
Greatest diameter OF present hall Of the
House, each way ................. 90
New hall, as proposed. ............... 9S
Present Senate chamber not exceeding,
eacn way. ~
New chamber az proposed. .......... 10
But the most desirable Improvement will be in