The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1865-09-02
improvements at the Capitol.
THE DOME AND TIE LIBRARY.

THE DOME AND TIE LIBRARY.
The Washington correspondent of the Portland
Daily Press thus describes recent improvements
in the Capitol at Washington:
On the 18th September, 1893, General Washing
ton laid the cornerstone of the Capitol The cdi-
flee has passed through various mutations since
then, having been partially built then sacked AMI
burned, so far as it was combustible, then rebuilt
ana s now % later 30 @
tecturaa character, and almost oblitcrate the orig
inal design: Only now OF length, when our politi-
cal institutions seem grounding themselves more
fully than ever before upon the everlasting and
| immosablc principles Of justice and right, and so
appreklnating assured stability and permanence,
is the Capitol at last approaching completion.
THE DOME.
The dome, it's geGndest feature, is now finished
externally, and stands in it's graceful majesty
| against the Sky, q monument of modern architec-
tural skill. So symmetrical and beautiful ia it,
that you hardly realize its magnitude, but when
you climb its giddy height, and Chamber among
the network of iron bars and beams between its
learn that eight thousand tons OF iron, and one
million dollars, have been used in its erection. The
great fresco that is to ornament the upper sec
tion of it's interior surface, forming the vaulted
ceiling over the centro of the rotnnda, on" hun
dred and eghty-six feet above the floor, is now
progressing in the hands Of Mr. Constantine Bru-
THE poRT1coEs.
The eastern porticoes of both extensions are
now complete except few blocks yet to be added
to tho one upon tho southern or Representatives
end of the building. The tympanum of this por-
tico, moreover, has not yet received any statuary
like those groups which form SO pleasing d feat
urc OF its fellows. Both are supported by double
rows of CorinthiGn columns and present, now
that they, are completed, front of rare magnif-
cence. -Four more porticoee, smaller than these,
and to be supported by single columns, yet remain
to be built, viz one on the northern and another
on the southern end face of the Capitol, and
one on the western front of each extension. The
amount OF marble already used in these works is
trnly astonishing and still the Capitol is musical
with the cnk OF hammer and chisel while huge
blocks on every hand are slowly assuming the
frieZc and cornice The time necessary to COM
plete the exterior Of the Capitol will, of course
depend upon. the force employed. At past rates
OF progress two or even three years will be hardly
more than sufficient.
THE LIBRARY.
A very extensive enlargement of the Congress
sional Library is now in progress. A number OF
small rooms adjacent to the Library. formerly
used for the meetings Of committees and for other
purposes, orc being demolished, to form two
spacious halls, one on the north and the other on
The c. south 91 the Library room and with
occupied by the Library is nincty-four feet in
length by thirty-three in width, and the new
rooms are of the same width and nearly as long
whereas the old part has but two, they Will each
be about equal to it in capacity. The new rooms
are to be finished in all respects like the other,
that is to say in rich and tasteful STYLE and per-
fecty f1rc-proof The iron shelves and other cast
ing, necessary to fit these spacious halls for their
intended purpose, to be furnished by the archi-
tectural iron works of New York. The north
the first of January and the south by the first Of
July, 1866: The cost OF the enlargement is esti-
mated to be s160, ,000 When completed the Libra
ern front of the Old Capitol, will contain $50 900
volumes, and will be worthy of our capital and
nation. The enlargement is going forward upon
plans Lln made by Mr.. T. U. Walters, late Capitol