Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-01-27

To the west of the rotunda is the Con-
gressional library which contains over
10000 volumes. An appropriation of
about $4,000 is annually made by Con
gress to furnish the library with ad-
ditional books. Any citizen of the Union
may draw books to read in the library ;
but none except members of Congress and
few government officials are permitted
to take them out The fatal fire of 1851,
which burned about 10000 volumes, in
duced those in authority to substitute a
tile floor and iron shelves and an iron
finish in the place of wood; and being
heated by steam, the library is now fire
proof. The valuable scientific library
from the Smithsonian Institution has re-
Gently been added, making this one of
the most extensive and valuable libraries
in the world.
Passing to the north from the rotunda
to the Senate chamber the visitor sees at
his right the Supreme Court room which
was formerly the Sente Chamber. The
new Senate Chamber is square room
112 feet by SO and 30 feet high, lighted
from the top. To my mind it is tastefully
and appropriately finished as the one in
the State House at Montpelier South of
the rotunda is the old semi-circular Hall
of Representatives, with it columns of con-
glomerate rock, called Potomac marble.
No use is made of this except for promen-
ade and the exhibition of some specimens
of statuary. Still further ON in the south
extension, or new wing, is the Hall of
Representatives, a room 13 feet in length.
93 feet wide, and only 30 feet high, in
cluding the main hall and galleries 1t
is badly proportioned aud looks too
sGSIatty aud dark The only tight admit
ted from sun nr gas, iS through ground
and painted glass in the overhead ceiling.
The desks look cheap and the eh irs
being ofoiitferent styles axN colors re-
Bminds one of the South Carolina L. L,gi-la.
t1re. where black and white, high and
low. meet together in the ; me rom to
legislatc. TIE Hall looks che Up. gh,omy
and in I'd taste when compared to the
Representatives. Hall in the Vermont
State HoGsa.
GAroupd the Hall and Senate chamber
are CLOAK rooms, and offices for the nu-
merous clyk1 and officers and also Post
Offices fqS the two branches OF Congress.
The President nsd 6ice President have
each a room in the Senate ehanb wing,
finished ifo the best possible manner.
Tennessee Rarble enters largely iuto the
finish of these aud other rooms iIS thAuap-
itol, aud while it ADDS greatly to the
bear0y of the0work, It also gives evidence
of thep1aried wealth of the country which
is being developed. @wishsit were q ue
that all the marble gsed in the CapitS
was American. But it is not 30. The
fine 'Corinthian columns in the marble
room,' the Speakers dosk i'll the Hall of
representatives., and ia Many other places
italian marble is used. TlTit iso unng;es-
sapy aid wrong. Blocks of euowy white
ness OF SIMPLE ssEe could have been OBJ
taiued tor AL these from quarries in Ver-
mont. The material of wha'h the Speak
er's desk is made is not as gosd as that
uSed in the construction of The pulpit for
theoCongregational ohSrch in Brandon,
aE5 theFeloGded pill,a's of italian marble
are not SO fine as if made from the spot
8ss marble from Rutl@hd. But as long
o. italian marble is suffered to remain in
the State House ut Montpelier we must
expect to see it used in the construction
of 0thew putblic buildings in the country.
O. Thus far have described the portions
of the Capitol which most persons visit
who GSm& to Washington, but through
the courtesy of Col. s. B. Wells, one of
the Officers of the House, whose great de-
light seems to be to make others happy,
/ am able to describe the objects found
in the sub-basement and attic stories.
heavy masonry upon which the whole
structure rests, and in these deep apart
ments are the boilers, engines, pumps and
fuel, used to warm, ventilate and furnish
water for the capitol The boilers are ap-
parently as large as those used on the
large ocean steamers, and the ponder
Gus fans have diameter as great as that
of the side wheels of steamer Down
in these snbterranean rooms, too, are the
cooking ranges connected with!t the restau
raunts of the Capitol. But more interest |
tbay, IS tbn0o !, ,ho+
ally intended for the tomb OF the father
Of his country-this is directly under the |
dome and reached by long dark passage
from the west 1t was here that the re-
mains of Washington rested till they
were taken to Mt. Vernon, ard here, too,
were deposited the mortal part of the
martyr Lincoln, prior to its removal to
a final resting place in Springfield. We
will now make hasty trip to the attic
story, snd also go up and take look from
the dome, but not stop to describe the ex-
tGnt or beauty of the view mado visible, |
nor stop to enumerate the bolts, bars, or
braces, used in the construction of the
immense dome, but close this letter al
ready make so long chat fear it may be-
,ome tedious. We will only go to the
room of the Eloctrician,! Prof. Gardiner.
Here we see ranged round a spacious room
, hundred glass jars, more or less, nearly
fled with liquid and plates of zinc and
copper. These form battery and by its
lid all the lights in the Capital, even to
he one in the top of the dome are in
simultaneously and simultaneously lighted
oy the Electrician as he stands in his Of
nee and touches the proper keys. 1 ask
pardon Tor extending this letter so as to
say word more on the subject of tenn
perance.
The Congressional temperance Society
held meeting last evening Sunday at
the Metropolitan Church, e,hich was
iensely packed with people, and presided