The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-12-09

homes that the Government VIII extend It's
fostering care TO the navy, which has won the
gratitude and admiration OF the country.
Congress Halls--Oid and New.
From an article in the Matio"al Lstelligencer,
entitled Notes from the Capitol" we extract
the following
When the Sixth Congress met here, 10 COM.
mence its second session, on the sixth of No
vember, 1900, there was . no quorum present
in either the Senate Chamber or the Hall OF
the House, which had been lifted up III the
north wing Of the Capitol, the cornerstone of
which had been laid by George Washington
seven years previously. In a few days the
the Two fHs Hoats saMEFys M ana on s ID Pres,
the session, in accordance with the parliament
tary usage of Great Britain, The President
took his seat in the chair OF the presiding Off
Ger of the Senate, and then the House tame
in headed by Mr.. Speaker S"figwick. The
President then delivered his address, after
which the House withdrew. Replies to the
address We're then discussed and aiODted in
the Senate and in the House, and We're pre-
sented by committees of those bodies.
In 1902 the House of Representatives re-
moved to a temporary hall, made by roofing
over the half built south wing of the Capitol
and consequently low that il was called
- the oven.' In 1904, the House moved back
into the north wing, until its hall was fin
shed, in 1eGS. These two wings We're tenno-
rarilv connected by q wooden gallery
On the Oath Of August, 1Sl4, RI, British
troops occupied the Capitol, ai.ef having fired
volley through The windows. Admiral Cock
burn, Of his Majesty King Georges navy, took
g Shall this harhor Of Yankee Democracy be
burned? All tcr it will say aye-contrary
minded, no. The ayes had it, and soon the
relocated Vandals had large fires kindled
which daS:rc;, ed the interior Of the wings and
the connecting gallery. A library 81 three
thousand volumes and two nne portraits of
Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette were among
the valuahles burned or stolen.
BEFORE Congress met in extra session, on the
10Th of September, 1Sl4 the citizens of Wash
ington had aided in preparing temporary ac-
commodatiOns i'll the ''Blodgetts Hotel
building, q huge pile built by lottery, which
occupied the site Of the present General Post
office, on + street, between Seventh and
Eighth streets. There We're some members who
advocated a return of the seat of government
to Philadelphia, and 10 prevent This, several
wealthy land d-OWners erected the building now
known as the Old Capitol, which Congress
leased by act of December s, 1915.
The Sixteenth Congress, which met on the
9th of December, 1919, re. e.cccupied the wings
OF the Capitol, which had risen, phoenix like
from their ashes. The central building con-
tanning the rotnndo, was not completed until
about ls25 or %.
The Thirty sixth Congress removed, early j..
the session of 1850 90, into the newly hni,t e-
tensions i'll which 10 day viii Etness. at noon.
the Senate and louise of Represen taliyes OF
, emitted States of America in Congress as
sembed.'' 1t will be the first session of the
Thirty ninth Congress, and its proceedings
will doubtless eclipse i'll Importance those of
any Congress which has precededit
COMPLETION OF THE CAPITOL.
Much has been done towards the compile tiol,
Of the Capitol since Congress ed journed ihe
exterior OF the dome towers unts-the he1sht
of three hundred foe. III majestic proportions.
and Al I,OrticOes of the eastern fronts, with
their monolthc columns are finished, with
the exception of the capstones of the cheek
- -<,ct l. I,
of the south hern portico. The portico on the
north side of the north wing was completed
last week, and The gigantic traverse crane-the
largest cne eyer used-has been removed to
the west side OF the north wing, 10 set the
porticO there.
The Library extensions, in the main build
ing of the Capitol, on the north and south
SIDES OF the present library are being built by
the Architectural Iron Works of New York
and in elearing away for them, that noted re-
fectOry for bibaciOus legislators, the "Hole-
in the Wall, has been demolished Each ex-
tension is 10 he nealiy one hundred feet in
four tiers of galleries and alcoyes, instead Of
three, as III the old library, The Capacity of
the present library is for IS, GOO volumes The
extension viii accommodate $4,000, and the at
tic Will accommodate 70, 0,OU0-making the total
capacity lil,"n0 volumes. BY the removal ,r
an archway over the stairs from the western
terrace door, the entrance to the library can
now be seen from the coinndo, and the archi-
tect mas sen-iDiy used some of the old pillars
for his doorway, rather than indulge in the
more fiashy styles Of fornamentation which dis
figures the more recent additions TO the Capi-
tOl. i
1t was expected that Mr.. Brumidi would
have had the fresco painting of the interior of
the upper dome completed ere this, but on
Saturday the concealing scaffolding had not
been removed. 1t represents .'he A9otheosis
4f Washington" and covers an area of over six
thousand square feet, some Of the figures being
eighteen feet high.