The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-02-03

Sslc lldjt 10 ilS III anu STdctiuL. In shape
and dimensions it is similar to the new
Hall of Representatives, but to the eye
appears more finely proportioned. The
style and character of the decorations
are nearly the same in both Houses,
exceptithat the Senate the tone of col-
or is more subdued. The area of the
floor is eighty feet by forty-eight feet,
the difference being occupied by con-
tinuous gallery around the four sides of
the apartment, which is capable of seat
ing twelve hundred persons. The in
ner roof, or ceiling, of iron, is fat with
deep panels, twenty-one of which are
filled with ground glass, having in the
center of each pane colored medal
ion, representing the printing press,
steam engine, cornucopia, and other
symbols. The light is supplied wholly
through this window in the roof. The
gas apparatus is placed above the cell
ing. The ceiling is thirty-five feet from
the floor, but presents an appearance
OF greater altitude. 1t is incrusted with
floral and other embellishments in high
relief, and all of iron. The floor of the
chamber is covered with seventeen hum
dred yards Of tapestry carpeting, hay-
ing large pattern of flowers on a pur-
pie ground. The Vice-President's desk
is modest table of mahogany, as un-
like as possible to the marble bar of the
House of Representatives. The places
of Senators are arranged in three rows.
The spectators galleries are uphol-
stored in drab damask. Ample accom-
mediation is supplied, even to the extent
of a ladies robing room. Access to the
galleries is obtained through doors of
maple, inlaid with bronze. The gale
ry set apart for the press is fitted with
desks for about twenty persons, and it
is understood that no one will be per-
mitted within itunless specially accred-
tied by the Vice-President.
The wings of the Capitol being of
the Roman Corinthian order of archi-
lecture, the interior fittings and decor
ations are, of course, in harmony there
with. The. hall itself is approached
by two grand stairways, the east of
Tennessee marble, the west entirely of
white marble Of extreme purity. Meth
er is yet completed, but enough, is
shown by the broad marble steps, the
massive balustrades ::of the same ma
terial, and the superb columns, with
their capitals heightened with bronze,
to indicate the magnificence of the
design. Both stairways are lighted
from the roof, with special adaptation
to the walls, being covered with histor-
ical paintings. This situation is consid-
cred the most favorable in the building
for the execution of some work of art
recording the deeds of history.
The Senator'S retiring-room and an
techamber are the most highly finished
rooms in the Capitol. They are in to-
tilly different styles, The retiring
room is entirely of marble,-the roof
supported by columns of rare beauty.
Il is impossible to desire an effect more
-haste than this apartment presents,
with the cold glitter of its walls and
roofs unadorned, adorned the most"
Three mirrors, inserted as panels in the
wall, are each of the dimensions of
l2O inches in height by co inches wide.
The ante-room is excessive In orDa-
mentation, and is yet unfinished. The
walls are divided by gilded work in re-
lieoo, into spaces for fresco paintings.
The dome ceiling of the room is pane
led, each panel being filled with ros-
cite of FURNISHED gold. The four
spandrils and the center of the dome
have allegorical paintings executed in
superior manner, and forming a con-
trast to certain medal lions in another
portion of the building where one rep
resents a celestial being with diaboli-
cal hip, another the Goddess of Melan-
cholly dancing the bolero.
The Presidents and Vice Presidents
apartment, and the Committee rooms,
enter from the level of the Senate floor.
All are decorated. Some few are fin
ished, but the greater number are COM
pleted, in consequence of the action of
Congress in Withholding supplies. The
corridors and passages are likewise in
progress of embellishments. All are
laid with encaustic tiles. The arched
roofs. are, generally speaking, finished
in geometric designs, inclosing land,
scapes and heraldic devices. The
walls are covered with treIlis work of
flowers and foliage, in which Cupids,
and American birds, beasts and Creep
ing things are ascending and descend
ing, with more or less resemblance to
nature. Some of the flowers and fruit
pieces arc gems.
The heating aud ventilating arrange
ments are said to be the largest in the
world-those of the English House of
Parliament not excepted. Every por-
ton of the Capitol-that mountainous
mass of marbles at once ventilated
and warmed by one apparatus. Eight
boilers convey steam to coils set In diff
ferent places of the cellarage, supply
ing any required degree of heat, and at
the same time motive power to two fans
in either wing. One of these fans
sends continual breezes of medisated air
through the smaller apartments, while
the other performs the same service for
the Senate Chamber. The air is grad
uated, according to the atmospheric
temperature without and the political
Temperament within-during section
al debate never to exceed 90 deg. and
on ordinary occasions to range between
20 deg and IS deg. Thirty thousand
cubic feet of air are circulated though