Washington sentinel., 1854-04-13
d 0 M m nunitate0.

g65- We give place to the following COM
mnication with great pleasure, for free dis
cussion, leading to sound results, is all we
desire:
Messrs. EDIToRs: do not wish to be drawn
into the discussion, now going on, as to the
propriety ofthe governments employing its own
engineers upon its own engineering works.
In your paper, of the 9th instant, however,
You reiterate the charge that the alterations in
the plans Of the Capitol extension, for which /
am responsible, have entirely destroyed the
rooms in the basement story, and speak of the
denial of this charge by the Union upon my
authority as an evasion.
| think that the difference between yourselves
and the Union results from misapplication on
your part of architectural terms.
The west or library projection of the old
Capitol consists of u sub-basement contain
ing some committee-rooms, o basement con.
tanning such rooms, principal story, and
an attic. In all the rest of the old building,
the sub-basement is replaced by dark cellar
The rooms in the sub basement being damp
and unhealthy, have never been favorites with
those who are compelled to use them; and
when Mr.. Walter designed the extension, he
determined not to attempt to make committee
ASoiho III SlOIy, Which lSy dCCOTulUg 10 MS
original design, cellar with undressed blue
stone walls. always intended to be covered by
the earth ofthe terrace.
Many of the rooms have no light at all, and
the little light the rest of them receive is ad-
mitted through narrow grated openings, as in
the cellars of the old Capitol
These cellars are the rooms in which the
new foundation walls, required for the change
OF plan, have been constructed: and there now
remains in these extensive vaults ample room
for the storage of fuel and such articles as can
be properly kept in such place.
lhe story containing the arcades and the
eastern steps, the lowest one faced with marble,
is the basement of the building.
This story is, believe, now quite as con.
veniently arranged as in the original plan, and
contains two more rooms, lighted from the ex-
terror, and available as committeerooms, than
the original plan did.
The sub-basement, or cellar, must repeat,
was never intended to contain committee.rooms.
1t had been completed, when took charge of
the work, upon such plan as to make it i'm
possible to use it for any such purpose, and it
now contains ample cellar storage, which is all
it was ever intended for.
The basement contains more rooms avail.
able for committees than in the original plan
and the rooms are as good
! do not think the question one of much
consequence. The great object of the extern
sion was to provide good rooms for the meeting
OF Congress, and the number Of committee
rooms, though some are very necessary, is of
minor Importance. hold that I should have
been justified in sacrificing dozen committee
rooms, if necessary, for the great object of the
building but it was not necessary
The drawings of the old and of the new plans
are deposited at the Office of the Capitol exten.
sion, within two hundred yards of your printing
Office, Messrs Editors, and shall be happy to
exhibit them to you, and thus enable you to
critcise them in your further discussion of this
subject, with the benefit of some knowledge of
the plans you comment upon.
| am, veryrespectfully, your obedient servant,
w. G. MEIGS,
Captain of Engineers, in charge of Capitol
extension and Washington aqueduct.