, 1873-04-27

Tayloe the chief stock-breeder and the richie:
i citizen OF the District. DR.. Thornton always il
sisted with vehemence TINT he was the origin
Of the capto and IN no
a conclusion. Jefferson says Of it: "!h
i grandeur, simplicity, and beauty Of the e1terio
| the propriety with which tho apartments are dlt
trbnted and the economy in h the mas mass Of 1 -
next day, he says that Thornton's plan has cal
tiyatod the eyes and Judgment Of all. =, 1T ]
simple, NOBLE beautiful, e1collently distributed
and moderate in size. An, among lIg ADM,
cision is most important, meaning Washing
toll-
JEFFERsoS'a ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE.
bir.. Jefferson, at the time above referred tt
was held in great consideration By Washington
He had been stationed at the Court OF France
and to take patrons delight in the legislativ
edihces Of his country. We can got an idea Q
his sentimcnts on art from letter which b
wrote April 10, 1871. He says:
| "For the Capitol should prefer the adoption
Of some Of the models of antiquity, which hay'
| for the Presidents Housc, should prefer the
celebrated fronts Of modern buildings.",
"A controversy sprang up auongst tne archl
:tects. which outliyod tho life OF Washington,
and Thornton WAS put upon the defensive.
| TIE ARCHITECTS FALL OUT.
| In 1904, 1ir. Latrobe addressed report to
| Concrees. in which he denounced, Thornton'a
| plan, and animadverted with some severity upon
the principle Of competition for designs OF great
public buildings, saying that :" picture" was
not plan, and minimizing that Thornton's work
in the premises wns merely. pictorial. To this
Thornton rejoined in q pamphlet OF which q
copy exists in the Congressional Library, "a
purchase With Mr.' Jeferson's collection. Thorn
.'Ar. Hallet was not in the public service
when or since was appointed Commissioner,
which Was on the 18th day of September, 1904.
Nr. Hadfed Was appointed to snperintend the
work at the Capitol, Oct. Is, 1885,
: Thornton says further: -
"Mr. Hal1et changed and diminished the Sen
ate-room, which. is now. too small. He laid
square the foundation at the centre building, e1-
Guiding the dome; and, when Gen. Washington
saw the extent OF the alterations proposed, he
expressed his dsapp1obation in style Of such
warmth as his dignity aud self-command seldom
permitted. =. :. Mr.. Hallet WAS desirous
not merely Of altering what might be improved,
hut even what was most approved. He made
some iuaiciona alterations; but, in other in
Washington % on M honored % ne With ili tho appointment @
of Commissioners, he requested that would re-
store the building to q correspondence with the
original PLAN"
It further seems that Washington addressed
Thornton, and Alexander Whitc,-Feb. q, 1877,
expressing Ills ''real satisfaction with their con-
duct;'. which involved an Endorsement Of Thorn
toms ideas.
WAS HA1rEr sAsn's PUPIL?
Mr. HalIet's first design for the Capitol, as
ssme show that he was au architect Of veryparfect
knowledge: Mr. Clark, as I have eaid,-the
architect in e1873,-to1d me that he had heard
that Ha1let waB pupil OF Nash, who was the
leading English architect Of his period. Thore
il no proof OF this, but none to the contrary.
Nn1@, hnry1 T1YdnF> in 17f0 and ffnr 11t3.
dergoing course OF training IN his profession, :
and practising it for some timc, withdrew under
the delusion Of speculation, and lost considora-
BILE sums Of money. When he returned to his
opened an Office in London in 1882. Hs de-
signed and constructed numerous splendid
mansion houses for tl,5 nobility and
gentry in England and Ireland, and performed
some Of the most celebrated streot-improye-
ments in the British metropolis. He was an in
yentor as we'll, and in 1897 obtained patent for
in the construction of arches and
piers OF bridges, which led him to assume the
credit OF introducing the use Of cnst-iron grid
era. His work in London has been quito cole
street and its beautiful blooks. the Langham-
Place Church. the Haymarket Theatre, tho ter
races in Regents Park, and the pavilion Mt
Brighton. England contains many superb in
toriois aud imposing maneior1-houses accredited
to him; and he lived until 1885. =
THE OLD PLANS INSPECTED
It would be interesting only to architects to
go at 1ongth into discussion Of the relative
Hallet's plans, nnd Of the amended Capitol as
We see it to-day, the work Of Latrobe and Bull
finch.
The building has received the genera1 eppror-
al Of public sentiment, and, with the magnia-
cent marble extensions OF Mr. Walter,-which |
TIE most imposing buildings in the world. |
Thorntons original design Of the Capitol had |
but one dome, q great eagle in the pedi1nent, o
statue with club on the top Of the pediment,
linked by two female statues on the ba1ustrade
md oak or laurel encompassed the rounded top |
II the chief window in each wing.
The original ground-plan by Hallet placed |
he dome Outside of the rectanglo OF the centre,
md put the Senate-chamber in TINT rotunda,
The centre of tho building was made square.
,pen court, with d covered walk around the
dea, and . carTiage-trrn in the middle. The
Supreme Court took the place Of the old Senate
hamber; and the Vice-President's room Was
mi-ci1cular, and facing the long main corridor,
fhich trayersed the edifice lengthwise. -.
IT would appear that Hallet :was in Washing
on. until Feb. q, 1795; for, in the bunch 0f
rawlings recently consigned to the library,-an
Shicl were doubtless sent to the authorities by
lallet to prove Lis right to the premium -there
ion, which the President; having seen acciden-
ally in September, 1773, agreed with the Com
ion thereof
Hallets g 'fancifu1l plan IT WAS surmounted bya
ONE With drum, with pillars, and light, open
upola. Six Doric columns supported the con-
re, which upheld curved pediment, with large
agile in the tympanum, and below were four
landing colossal figures or .~~.-:::.-l ::
WAR, PEACE, JUSTICE, AND TIME. :: r. :,
hree columns danked the portico, which had ;.
'1rS doors Of equal size, and, low flights Of
cps. Shallow curtains, with one door and one !
indow, connected the centre with the wings, f.
hich consisted OF base1nent> and one story !
he basement Tas Of stone, rusticated, and the !
1rtico above had four Ionic columns, dankod = =
windows flush with the portico. In the pndi- !
ent OF each Of the wings was group Of stat :
NJ Of ha1f-a-dozen figures, representing
- - WAB AND PEACE. .
Tie reoens, under the portioo. were three large
signs IN relief, over tho three doors which / r
ensd upon tho portico. Ha1lets "fancifull 4
N ".+Naa borrowed by Thornton. - II !;
$50. 1.-THE EARLY SCANDALS. '~ e
Ne nay congratulate ourselves that the pres n
= h!a!e # the arts and the unity OF official d.
Gnon IN tns. country prevent such scandals IN r.
lDne construction as attended tie building of -
Old Capitol: !. DOES hot appear that INV q
tmony prevailed and diahontatr waa ma oftes I s m