The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-25

PORTIONS or detracs from its grandeur and beauty,
The principal entrance TO each wing Is on the east
e,n frcpt the approach to i by means of flight Of
thirty nine steps, fanked by massey check blocks,
similar to those Of the present building, with q
vauted carriage way below to enter the basement.
The front door opens into vestbule of twenty
en- feet in width. leading into hall ffsy-6ve feet
square, lighted from the roof, and embsflished BY
twenty marble columns, supporting an entablat ure
and ba!ustrade; this colonnade will support the GAL
leries for approaching the Offices In the second story
These halls will be enriched with marble aut g ainst
the walls in both Stories and lighted by ornamental
stained glass skylghts, supported by iron rafsers.
From each hall vauited passage OF twenty-six
feet ten inches in width, leads into corridor OF
twenty three feet ak inches, running across each
wing from north to south. and uniting it with the
centre building
The Hall of representatives occupies the western
bali of the south wing, aud il lighted on three sides
by fifty windows It's dimensions are one hundred
AM thirty feet from north to south, and ninety
seven feet ten inches from east to west The ceiling
is thirty i've feet in height, deeply panelled and
ornameDred with brackets, pendants. and enriched
moUdings tie panels will be filed in With orna-
nental glass, through which light will oe trans
mit.ed from sky lignGs in the roof.
The floor Of the House is large enough to accom-
moda,e four bundred members with separate desks,
and allow ample space for lebbes and seats for dis
tiDguished vislters while at the ssms time it may
be conveniently adapted Co the number of repre-
s.n,atyes which at present constitute this branch
OF the legislature
sides OF the ball, and designed to accommodate
twelve hundred persons they are approached by
tso spacious flights of mar BILE steps
The southern and ives FERN port,coes open into the
hall. and will be appropriated exclusively to the
of the members and such have the privilege of the
floor OF The House.
The Senate Chamber is located on the western
bali of the north wing, and iignted on the north
and west by twenty six windows Its dimensions
are seventy feet six inches, by ninety feet
ten inches; the ceiling IL thirty i've feet ia height.
with suoken pannels and ornaments similar to those
OF tbe House OF Representatives already described
There is ample in this hall Tor separate seats
for one hundred Senators, allowing, at the same
time, all the space that win be required for
lobbies, and the accommodation of distinguished
vistefs
The galleries. like those Of the Hall Of Represent
tatiyes, occupy three sides of the chamber, aud
contain accommodations for twelve hundred persons;
they are approached BY two lights OF marble stairs
like those OF the south wing Toe galleries Of each
of the hslls have five spacious doorSays, which will
afford iIgress and egress without crowding, or
causing inconvenience to the audience or dis
tuIbaBce OF the members.
The whole number of rooms in both wings, OK
elusive of the Legislative halls, is hundred and
one all OF which are vaulted with bricks, and rem
dered completely fire proof Ninety 1--WE of these
rooms Lighted dire silly from the outside, by
or more windows, and the remaining six depend on
secondary light and are designed for the storing Of
documents, stationery, &c.
The warming of the buildings will be effected by
means OF hot water pipss enclosed in cham oers
erected in the cellars, and connected with boilers
for heating the waler the external air will be ad
mitted into these chambers, where it will be
warmed, and conducted by iues to NIL the halls and
rooms in the buildings The supply of air will be
brought through the circ liar windows under the
eastern portico of the present bulldog, and
Quoted down the well holes already existing in
the spandrels of the rotanda, and which ten
feet i'll diameter, extending from the top of the
building to the cellar cuver,s will be cons ructed
for conveying the air from these shafts to the
furnace chambers in the wings, and tue pure air
will be drawn down and forced through the cham
hers, where it will be warmed in its passage to the
rooms. This artificial draught will be created by
means Of fans placed at the bottom of the air
shafts and worked by small steam engine erected
ID the cellar ct the centre building and kept
continually at work curing cold weather By these
means, constant breeze of warm air will be
thrown into every room, by which corresponding
volume Of cir previously in the room witt be dts
placed; thus assisting the process OF ventilation,
and creating circulation OF the Atmosphere which
could o. be attained by any other process
The failure OF furnaces to warm buildings cover
ing large area may generally be attributed TO
the difficulty with which air is conveyed
III hor zoEtal direction the lesity IL attains by
rsritsction will give 1t on upward draught of u
velocity in proportion to its temperature 10 COM
parison to that Of the external air but its legiiy
has but little effect in carrying it horizon ally ;
hence it is necessary to force the air through the
heating NE dunn, without which q uniform supply
can seldom be attained.
Air thus admitted. warmed and forced into the
rooms, cannot fail to be agreeable we'll as
healthy IL will be taken from an elevation above
all impurities, and admitted at q point shielded
from the smoke and gas of the chlmueys by the
heavy projecting portico Of the ceatre building. In
its passage around the hot pipes, il never
come in contact with surfsces heated above 2l2
degrees Fahrenheit and can, therefore,
an excess Of carbonic acid gas nor suffer dmiuu-
tion Of moisture.
By proper execution Of this plan of sa.ng,
every part of the building will be rendered warm
and comfortable during the coolest weather. aud
open fire, will be unnecessary. The architect. how
ever, thought it best to introduce drepaces in all
the rooms throughout tho building, as well as in
the halls OF legislation, ss many of the members
are accustomed 10 open fires, and would not be viii
Ing 10 uisreTse with them
Fues tor ventilation will be constructed from all
the rooms throughout both buildings, to lead to
foul air chambers between the upper tier of arches
aud the roofs connected With these chambers, air
shafts will be built TO extend above the roof IN which
artificial heat will be introduced. 50 as 20 keep up.
at all times, AZ ascending current Of Sufficient vslo
city 10 free the and halls OF legislation from
all 6eteriorated air This system of ventilation
would be sufficient Of itself 70 render all the apart
menth agreeable and healthy; but when considered
iD conpexion with the plan of heating which has Just
beer described, there Gun be doubt Of satisfac
tory result
The Senate Chamber and the Hall of Representa-
tives sre both designed with reference the prnci-
plies Of acoustics The magnitude Of these rooms,
especially the latter. and the fact that they tn be
constructed for speaking in from every point render
necessary TO avoid all forms that would produce
echoes, and at the same time to present rejecting
surfaces enough 10 give power TO the voice witnout
revolving the sound with greater intensity
point than on another. To attain these objects the
Tooms are made rectangular, and the ceilings CON-
psrativeiy low and fiat; and ] have no doubt that
with proper attention to established acoustic prin-
cples in the arrangement Of the details of the
rooms, they wi be free from echoes matter in
what part the speaking may take place.