Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-29
FROM HARRISBU URG.


HARRISBURG June 70 Iob1.
The work on the capitol is rapidly progressing
the cellar walls have been laid they look as though
they were built for ages yet to come, the massive
red sand stone blocks are being placed upon them
and upon these the brick walls to be built. The
Doric columns and capitals are being shaped by
the workmen, and all is hustle and labor The
Treasury and Executive building has undergone
entire change internally. New marble floors and
furniture below, and new carpets and painting
above Mechanics are engaged i'll repairing the
land office. Since the fire by which the Telegraph
Office injured, the type setting for that paper
has been done i'll the representatives hail.
When the present building was erected, forty
seyen years ago. it sufficiently large for all the
purposes for which it needed, but our State
has become ii great empire almost, since then.-
For several years the executive department was III
the capitol but about twenty-five years since an
addition was made to the treasury building and the
Governor and Secretary of State, with all his dep
uties and clerks and the audtor-general now occr-
py that new part of the treasury The office OF the
| Canal Commissioners was also i'll the main build
ing as long as there was such board Of officers.
! Then there were several committee rooms on the
second floor But all the rooms are occupied
by different departments during the whole year,
even the Supreme Court room. Rooms for com
mittees and other Legislative departments, have
been made in each end OF the hall, by putting up
partitions, and III one instance fitting up gas
stove.
The library has increased SO much that the books,
very many of them, have to be piled away in the
garrett there to remain to be eaten by moths, and
to mould unless they are handled over frequently,
and to be thrown about from place to place. The
books put into the.ot of those that are
the least used. but not always, perhaps, Of the
least value hundreds of rare, valuable documents
are thus piled away for want of room place them
on shelves. The library numbers now about 26,'
600 volumes, many of them works, that if fdestroy-
ed could not be replaced, hence the necessity OF
having much more spacious rooms with suitable
Accommodations for the whole library, it now is,
and for the additional volumes that may accumu-
late for the next half century.
That the addition, now being erected, is requir.
ed, no one doubts, who has been around the capi,
tol during the last three years. The whole, when
completed will cost S8S, 727. The contractor is
JOHN B. SIMoNs.
The building to be erected is to be one hundred
feet long by fifty wide and will be placed upon the
east side of the old one fronting on East Capitol
Street. The plan as presented to the Legislature
with the accompanying drawing appears to com
bine, solidity, durability utility and beauty, tho
front will be "A square colonnade Of the Dorc style
of architecture, and will present fine appearance
from the east.
The second story is to be occupied exclusively
by the library, and the lower one will be used fol
committee rooms. A wide hall will extend through
the centre. y.