Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-20
THE CAPITOL.
The New Bronze DOOrs--AnteT-
eSting Description.

From the Springfield (Msss) News, Aug. 3D.
Everyone has heard of the new bronze
doors for the Capitol at Washington,
now being made at the Ames Company 5
works at Chicopee; and now that they
are nearly completed a history and de-
scription of them will be Of interest to
many who may not have an opportunity
Of seeing them.
To begin at the time that they were
first considered necessary to the beauty
and convenience of the Capitol, recall US
to when the now notorious J eferson Davis
was Secretary Of War. More o was
needed for the increasing business at,
Washington, and two wings were added
to the Capitol to supply the want, and
in one of these the bronze doors are to
be hung.
An Art Committee was appointed by
Congress to receive proposals and models,
which in turn were to be referred to the
Secretary of War for his approval. Out
all that was submitted, Crawford re
eeiyed the contract for designing and
making them. Although he is an Ameri-
can artist, he went with his design to Mu-
mich, where skilled laborers were more
easily obtained and at more satisfactory
prices than in this country. During the
time he was engaged in preparing the
models. he died, and his wife assumed
the responsibility of carrying out her
husbands plans, and completing the
work. Through the influence of Mr..
Ames, they we're brought to this country
and to his establishment, to be finished,
and after four years of ineessant toll are
nearly completed, and it is hoped that
before the first of October will be placed
in the position for which they were de-
| signed, to be admired by all who visit the
city where our laws are made, and which
is the temporary home of our Presidents
and greatest statesmen.
The parties who had this work in hand
in Munich, not liking the idea of having
| it transferred to America, packed the
plaster Of Paris models so that they would
surely be broken in transportation, and
at the time of their arrival in Chicopee,
they were in very bad condition but by
careful work the pieces we're cemented
together, and from the same models were
made perfect images that will soon grace
one Of the entrances OF the Capitol.
The cost Of material and labor has
been infinitely reekoned by those having
the work in charge, and the expense IN
CURED by the government when the doors
have been placed in their position, will
not vary much from S75,0
The doors are about twelve feet high
| by three feet wide, and each IS divided
into five panels, which are ornamented as
follows On the upper n is a beautl-
fully designed wreath with a star inside
its circle, which is made to answer the
purpose Of an elevator. The design on
the second represents the death of Warren
at Bunker Hill. 1t is certainly wonder
full with what perfection this scene is
rendered. Warren has fallen back IL
the arms Of a soldier, on whose face ano
in whose eyes is depicted the most in.
tense sorrow. The hat of the wounded
officer lies on the ground at his SHE, anc
the deathly expression of his face Is per
fectly portrayed a number Of soldiers
lust in front of where their commander
had fallen, are firing at the enemy from
behind a parapet.
The third panel represents Washing
tom 5 famous rebuke of Lee at Monmouth
All are familiar with the history Of thu
picture, how Washington, always suspl
eious of Lee, finding proofs OF HI
treachery toward the cause for which thu
American army were lighting, cast uPol
him such a look as the human face sci
dom wears, and in the bitterness OF IN
hatred for treason, used language that l
nowhere else recorded Of him by an.
historian.
The fourth represents Alexander Ham
ilton at Yorktown, and the charge OF TN
Americans on the British forces, Tn
army is represented in the act OF charg
ing on the enemy's lines, some whom
have already fallen, and the implorlnI
look in the faces of some Of the wounde
men viii be pronounced true to nature D.
thousands who have witnessed the sam
terrible sights in u own late conHic'
The lower panel is designed to represen
a war scene. A man whose house an
family are assaulted by a soldier, who's
low breeding and purely animal fac
cannot be disguised, has come hand
| hand with his antagonist, after havln
, discharged his musket, and handing
to his wife who is crouching close benin
him with a child in her arms. The Who'll
/ scene is very vivid and natural, even t
: the bullet hole in the window Of th
a house of the assaulted family.
8 The other door, which folds with th
one already described, is grseed wit