Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-06-24
FRIDAY, JUNE "a, 1859.
From the Opposition.
The Capitol Extension and the Ex-
.- travagances thereof.

The Capitol Extension and the Ex-
a- travagances thereof.
In a preceding article we have
shown by the statements of Demo
cratic Secretary of War, that two
years or more after Mr.. FILLMORE left
Office, and when the execution of the
work was in Democratic hands, the
original FILLMORE plan and estimate,
based on the style of finish found in
the main building, was departed from,
and a higher style of finish adopted,
at an estimated additional cost of two
million one hundred thousand dollars.
The actual additional cost of this in
diligence of Democratic taste for the
''higher fnish," will doubtless be much
greater than the estimated cost. The
following, from the numerous items OF
expenditure which have been incurred
by this qualification of a Democratic
fondness for fine things, will be found
both interesting and suggestive:
The two front doors, and their out
side trimmings, cost $47,072.
The items for each are as follows
two figures, over door, Sc, 260; bronze
door, $l3, 900; and marble work, 81,
076-making, for both, the sum of
$47,O72.
The designs and models for these
doors cost $l2, 600 more.
BY the original contract made by Mr..
WALTER, the Architect appointed by
Mr.. FILLMORE the front doors were to
cost about 5000!
The door which will separate the
old Representative chamber from the
entrance into the south wing of the new
Representative Chamber will cost, by
estimate, $I4,416. This is simply fol-
that part which swings on the hinges,
The design and model cost $4,000
This latter sum was paid to Mr.. RAN
DoLPH ROGERS, and the work was done
in Rome
The cost of sculpture for the east
peGiment is 100000. This is only for
one wing. The other costing the same,
both will amount to 1920, 900 Much
Of This is estimated cost. The actual
cost WILL 10 doubt, be considerably
more. The models alone for the pedi-
ment of the north wing cost, in Rome,
$4,000.
The cost of marble, workmanship,
&c, for each window, as contracted
for by Mr.. WALTER, with PREvosT,
WINTER & Co, was 1922 GA. BY the
change made by Capt. MEIGs, who it
will be borne in mind, has acted under
the direction of a Democratic Secretary
of War, each window actually cost
about $4,000; or more than double.
BY this change more than $780, 900
was added to the cost This is only
for the marble work.
The handrails for the private stair
ways, in both wings, cost $l2, 200.
The painting for the agricultural
committee room cost So, 900; that, in
one other room, $4,000.
1t is computed that there is about
three miles of polished Italian wash
board around the rooms and passages,
which cost $500 per foot, or $4,000
The floors of the committee rooms
and of the Representative Hall were
first laid with "encaustic tile" at 81 90
per square foot, and in the winter GOV
cred with costly carpets.
One of the changes made by Capt.
MEIGs, who acts under the direction of
the Democratic Secretary of War, is
the addition OF very large number of
marble columns, very few Of which were
contem lated in the original design of
Mr.. WALTER. One hundred of these
columns are to be placed on the ex-
terror of the building, aud are contract
ed for In the rough, provided the con-
tractors will furnish them at $1,400
each. Here is an addition of $40, 900
for outside columns in the rough How
much the workmanship upon them is to
cost, no one knows.
The four grand stairways, two in
each wing, leading 10 the chambers
and galleries, with all their polished
marble aud embellishments, will cos,
one million of dollars.
These few items will serve to give
the reader faint idea of the splendid,
magnificent, and costly Democratic way
of doing things, as distinguished from
the old fogey. Wing way in which Mr
Mr.. FiLLxokE proposed to do them.
It is a proverbial saying that one ex-
travagance leads to another. An ex-
travagant outlay in building must be
followed by an extravagant outlay for
furniture. And 50, the splendor OF the
finish of the rooms in the extension