Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-06-04
THURSDAY, JUNE A, 1857.

the old dome is broken off. and thew ar
just now laying the foundations of tn
new and more splendid dome. Seventy
two iron brackets, weighing between tw'
and three tons each, have been lifted to tn,
summit of the building by the aid of steam
power, and are to constitute the fram.
work of the base. The huted columns
? large and long, now lying on the ground
will soon be raised to their places, and thu
proportions of the magnificent superstruc
ture will begin TO appear by the time the
travellers go by for the White Sulphur
Springs of Virginia. Walter, the archl.
tect, is ambitious 10 erect for himself a
monument at the same time, on the prnci-
pie of Sir Christopher Wren's Circuna-
Sptce. Latrobe's old dome had its day OF
admiration and yituperation, as has Green
ough's sitting statue of Washington in the
eastern park of the capitol; but it has dis.
appeared. Randolph's sarcasms will en-:
dure as long as the statues and paintings
at which they are leveled, and the memory
OF the originals longer than either. Moth
ing can exceed the beauty of Crawford $
works, most Of which are in shops ada
cent to the Capitol, some in an unfinished
state, the Italians being at work upon them
from the plaster models. Among them are
the genius Of America, robed in starry
mantle, the Genius of War, of Peace, of
Industry, OF knowledge, &c. All these
works are destined to adorn some portion
of the Capitol extension, while the interior
rooms are growing beautiful under the skill
Of the pictorial artists. Indeed this build
ing will, of itself, be a vast museum open
to the gratuitous inspection of the people
of the United States and of the world.
without money and without price. The
rustic Representative from the far interior,
where arts and cities are unknown, will
open his eyes and mouth in wonder as he
looks upon the gorgeous works of art des-
tined to decorate the Capitol. In truth,
such is the profusion of symbolical orna-
ment the Italian painters are putting on the
walls of the committee rooms that most
persons will requiressflsin!erpreter to bring
them within the understanding All This
seems hardly compatible with the simple
ity of our institutions; but what shall the
Government do with its superabundant
money?
Not far from the Patent Office building
is soon 10 be erected Roman Catholic
church, OF the Gothic order, in ihe-place
Of an old structure that has stood fifty
years. A meeting of the leaders of the
congregation was held this week, layman
called TO the chair, the priest be ing present
and advising. 1t was resolved "to erect a
church becoming the perpetual historic
grandeur of our holy faith its steady Dig
nifed progress in this free country, and
while at the same time it will be keeping
with the well-sustained efforts OF the whole
country 10 adOrn our Federal Metropolis"
The intention is 10 build spacious church,
capable of seating 5000 people; length of
the nave to be 2ll feet, width 80; transept
TIA feet, and SO wide; extreme altitude of
the front elevation 3l2 feet. The space of
ground covered by the edlfce will be 3d.
$50 square feet. But little more than
$1,000 was subscribed to commence this
great enterprise. They propose, however,
to employ five years in the work, and there
will be the most assiduous and protracted
solicitation of moneys from our citizens
until the work shall be completed. For
eign aid will no doubt be obtained, for the
Catholics are persevering, and allow no
distress of debt TO force sale of any of
their eirchurches.-Correspondence of Jour
nal of Commerce.