Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-04
improvements i'm and About the
Capitol.

During the past summer weN men have been
gagged making various improvements In the
Capitol, especially in the Hal Of the House OF
Representatives, and the passages leading from
the rotHRda to the Senate and House. The
parrovpess OF these passages caused much incon-
vtnIence, and an appropriation of SO 600 was
made at the last session OF Congress to widen
them, inpruye the ventilation of the House side:
lay a new floor in the Halh-fsc. These improve
meDts were commenced about the first OF Nav
last under the supervision of Mr.. Clarke, the
architect, and the interioref the building now
presents greatly improved appearance.
A INV FLOOR TX THE HOUSE
has been laid, and instead of being perforated
for registers under each desk, the heat in winter
or cold air in summer ~ distributed through
adjustable re gisters in the front of each platform
for the Desks. BY this arrangement, the air Is
Distributed more equally. new carpet Of !, 400
yaIds h2sbeen ordered irozn Philadelphia, and
will soon be placed upon the floor. The desks
have Ak been revarnished and covered The
walls around the galleries have been seraped
and repainted. The gallery seats have bees
upholstered and new car-et will also be placed
upon the gallery floor.
THE BEATING DEPARTMENT
has been thoroughly renovated. Two new fans
tor expeIlipy vitiated air from the Hall have
been placed in the cellar. They are eight feet
in diameter, and capable of expelling $4,000
cubic feet of yitiated air per minute. In warm
weather il Is an easy N after to ventilate the
Hall by raising the khutttss in the roof, but in
cold weather this plan will not answer; hence
TO give more perfect We lSilatiOn, the 15-foot
square shafts, extending from the cellar to the
roofs, have been enlarged TO SO feet, through
which the vitiated air is expelled. Two other
shafts, ID feet square, exteRa from the cellar to
the space between the celiR rand the roof of the
House, and through these the impure air Is
drawn down to the tan, bySshich Ii rs expelled
through the fines above mentioned. Tie air i'm
the hall OF the House, it becomes impure,
rises to the ceiling, and through the perforatiOns
to the space between the roof and ceiling, and as
ascends pure air Is forced rP the registers by
the old fans. The new fans at the base of the
fines connecting with the space between the
ceiling and the roof create.e vacuum, which
csnses the impure air to descend through the
hses, and it Is then driven through the other
1tnes out OF the top Of the buik!i2R by the new
Lars.
COVERING THE STEAM PIPES
Another important Improvement is the cover
inga the pipes for conveying the steam with
remembering cement Heretofore the
iarifiad the air below the ball, wiiss, Of course
assembled through the passages to the hall and
galleries, carrying with it the smell of the cook
shop located near the heating department, As
well as eosl dust and other Impurities A large
saving Will be effected in the item of fuel by thus
covering these pipes The steam pipes from the
wings haQe. been further extended in the central
building, SO that now nearly all the roeas and
passages in that portion Of the building have the
benefit Of heat from the wings.
Another Involvement is
TO SAVE THE WASTE STEAM
which formerly passed into a sewer. Instead of
allowing it to pass OF, il will be conveyed back
to the hot well, where it will be condensed, end
Iuel TO heat it, a. the water will retain large
portion OF its caloric when pumped back into the
boilers.
TIE ENLARsEMExT OF THE DooRwAYs
leading from the Totunda to the Senate and
House wings Is another great Improvement, and
one which will be appreciated. They have been
expedient to interfere with the foundation OF the
dome By cutting any more away. The depressed
floor between the rotunda and the old House has
been raised TO level with the floor OF the
rotunda. The old blue bulkhead surrounding
the main door of the old hall, and which was
used TO convey cold air to the galleries when they
were occupied, has been torn away. Nearly
twenty thousand documents which have been
stored in the passage leading TO the old gallery
will be arranged In cases in the gallery, and
properly classified, though not visible to the eve
from below, the cases being no higher than the
railing of the gallery. The passages leading to
the Old gallery nov containing these books will
be shelved and used for the documentary library,
as thousands of the books therein have not been
classified for want OF room.
THE ROGERS BgONZE DOORS,
representing the life OF Columbus, formerly
swung at the exit from the old hall to the pas
sage leading to the House, have been removed
TO the eastern entrance to the rotunda. The
models for bronze doors for the eastern entrance
TO the House wing have been prepared. The
hanging OF the Columbus doors at the eastern
entrance TO the rotunda necessitated its enlarge
ment, as the doors are much larger than the
doorway.
HoUDoN's WASHINGTON.
Among the improvements nearly completed is
the thorough renovation OF the plaster cast of
Houdon's statue OF washington, in the old Rep
resentatiyes Han. II was rapidly crumbling TO
pieces, but when Congress meets it will look "a
well or better than when first copied from the
original marble.
1he whole exterior of the old portico has been
painted, as well as large portion Of the interior
The copper roofs have been kept in order and
improved. The statuary OF the central pOrtico
has been cleaned by means OF the chisel, all
other methods tried proving Intellectual, owing
to the injudicious use Of acid In former clean
ing. large amount OF earth has been deposited
on the grounds at the south; temporary road
way made on the north, marking the proposed
arc, running from street to Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and LIST street. 1t Is recommended that
United States, be laid out and planted. and that
the street at the north be curbed and paved. The
ground at the south being newly filled, will
probably subside 50 much that 1t would be use
less TO attempt planting next season.
ON TIE SENATE SIDE,
but few changes have been made. Improved
registers have been placed In the floor Of the
Senate chamber. Fire-places have been placed
under the roof, by which the blinds of the sky
light can be adjusted with ease. The Lighting
apparatus OF the Senate will be started by means
OF Wilson's Electric Lighter" which " now
being put in place. Quite a number of com
mittee rooms have been repainted and frescoed
and newly carpeteG.
OUTSIDE WORK.
The terraces have been nearly completed, and
the tagging laid with the exception of the space
in front OF the western portion of the south
wing, which space has been left unfinished
on account OF the necessity Of taking down
and resetting the steps of this portco.
THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
During the la season the iron railing on
Maryland avenue has been completed, the
tagging of the main walk finished, and large
basin, with marble coping for the fountain, has
betn made, one green-house entirely recon-
structed, and several others enlarged. The at
tention OF the committee having charge of these
grounds is respectfully called TO the condition of
the wooden portion of the conservatory. 1t is
in such a dilapidated condition that its destruc-
ton is possible at any high wind. To secure l.
for the present il has become necessary TO place
props at the south side, the winds having already
forced the walls out OF the perpendicular line
The architect recommends that q wing cor
responding to the one at the west of the rotunda
be constructed.
THE FIRE RELIEF FUND.-The treasurer of
the Chicago relief committee acknowledges the
receipt Of Si0O.25, being proceeds OF concert
given by colOred citizens. Mr.. j. w. Green, of
Treasury Department, acknowledges the re-
ceipts OF a collection of 500 from the Navy De-
partment for the Michigan sufferers, and S130. %
IRON the First Congregational Church, to be di-
vided equally for the benefit of the Michigan and
Wisconsin sufferers. Messrs William S. Hum
ME0Hn