Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-11-16
washington CorresPondence.---rhe
Capitol.

. Capitol.
WASHINGTON, Nov. TO- 1865.
Editor Rutland Herald The growth of
the country and the admission of new
States TO the Union made an enlarge
ment of the Capitol necessary to the
convenience Of the members Of both
houses. Accordingly, in 1850, Congress
authorized an extention after a plan to
be approved by the President 1t con-
sists of wings placed at the north and |
south ends of the former building, at
distance of A feet from it, with con-
Meeting corridors Sc feet wide. Each
wing is l42 feet in front, by 23S feet in
depth. These are constructed OF white
marble from Berkshire, Mass. The
length of the whole building Is now 75l
feet, and the ground actually covered by
it is over three and half acres. The
dome of the old structure was removed
and a new one, of beautiful design and
composed entirely Of iron, was erected
in place of it. This is surmounted by a
bronze statue of Liberty by Crawford,
and has an elevation of 800 feet above
the basement floor
will not discuss the question as to
whether it would have been wiser TO
erect an entirely new building on
another site, and whether regard to
economy and tasteful proportions did
not imperatively require that the orig
inal Capitol be left for some other use,
as perhaps to become a repository OF art
and of national relics. The cost Of the
extensions will not be less than ten
millions of dollars,-a sum sufficient to
construct the most magnificent Capitol
in the world.
However these questions may be de-
cided in the judgment Of Americans,
the fact is no less patent the building
as it now stands is in many respects the
most wonderful one on the continent.
In lavish expenditure, profuseness OF
decoration, multiplicity of detail and
gigantic dimensions, l doubt If its
equal is to be found in the world while
in respect to those other and more I'M
portant particulars, purity Of architect
ural style, correct and tasteful correc-
ton of establishment between the diff
ferent sections, and simplicity and
| grandeur of proportion as whole, it
unquestionably has many superiors both
| in Europe and this country. Many of
| these faults are due to the yet uncom-
| pleted attempt to graft upon an old and
| comparatively cheap construction ad-
| ditions upon which it is apparently in
tended that art, science, and endless re-
| source shall exhaust themselves. 1t Is
vet our "anag,amm opus" and may inter
est your readers if endevavor to select
from the innumerable points of interest
which it presents those which, taken
| with my previous description of the
former building, will serve to give ar
idea of the Capitol as it now exists.
The Chambers, or Halls of Congress
are on the second -four, that Of the Sen
ate occupying the north wing, that o.
the House the south. 1t was the lnten
, ton of the architect who furnished the
plan to place each Hall on the side o
| the building so as to admit light an(
= air from windows ia the usual manner
= But the supervision of the work having
been transferred to the War Department
4 Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of Wal
: ordered that they be placed in the centr
K of the extensions, surrounded on a
r sides by corridors and committee rooms
4 Light is admitted from the ceiling abov'
h and both hot and cold air are forced u
III by steam engines placed in the bas
!. ment. Each Hall has spacious CALLER!
!. that of the House being so large as t
It accommodate 1900 persons. The seat
; in each are arranged in semi-circula
q rows. fronting the chair Of the Speake
and each seat has an elegant desk
% front Of it. Magnificent marble stat
re cases lead to the galleries pillars
Italian marble Of exquisite finish in IL
al north wing, and of clouded Tenness
v marble in the south adjoining them.
ID the north wing are found varions pu'
We lie rooms besides the Senate chambe
A retiring room for the use of Senator
r 80 by q feet, and 10 #, high, is co
re structed wholly of marble deeply pa
lg eled and highly wrought. The Prt
o. ident's room attracts great attention
the beauty Of its historical frescoes a
We the portraits of Washington and his ca
We met, which are painted on its wal
is An elegant reception room affords
i'd. convenient pace of waiting for the
on whose business or convenience calls
an interview with Senators during
sessions. A post Office, and numero
at committee rooms superbly finished
Of furnished, complete the list. The hs
,er below are frescoed most beautiful
3th many of the designs being taken fir
tai the ruins of Pompeii, while others
of adorned with illustrations of the ma
our raj history of the country. These
- | A. -o.t~ &c On italian artist SiO