Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-12-26
OUR CORRESPONDENCE


| From the Rotun,tl on o;tr way to the
present hall OF Representatives we pass
/ through the Old Hall. Ia" room is semi
| circular in form, % ir,t long and 50 high.
/ Twenty four massive toiinthian columns
of Potomac marble >;!pu"li the cntablature.
( There are a number o. fine specimens of
sculpture and painting in the room, among
/ which are statues "i Hamilton, Trumbull,
| sherman, kosciuHl.o, Washington, Lin
coin, Roger Williams G:,rn, and q bronze
statue Of Gen. Clinton. Among the paint,
ngs is life sz' It snIa@ portrait OF Henry
! Clay, Columbus at The No:;rt of Ferdinand
and Isabel, teaching ,,c t'1" form of the
earth, the grand Canon o.! lie Yellowstone,
SC. \ conspicuous object in this room is
a scupturctl marble clock which is said to
have cost $4,000.
| Passing onward we enter the Lobby Of
the Hall of Rcpr, sentatiycs through mas
, sivc bronze door, richly ornamcntcd in has
relicfs of representations in the life of Co
lumbus, which are very interesting. The
designs are by Rodgers and the castings
were made in Munich. The lobby, or hall,
entirely surrounds the House of Reprcscn-
tatives, and, from its adaptabiity to private
conversation, no doubt had much to do
with the generation OF such schemes as
Credit Moblicr and Salary Grab.
The Hall of Representatives is 1870 feet
long, % feet wide and 80 feet high \ gal
lery running entirely around it will accom-
MEDIATE 900 persons; a portion directly
above the Speakers chair is set apart for
the reporters OF the press, portion for the
ladies and a portion for the diplomatic
corps. The other parts are unrcserved.-
Privileged persons only have access to the
floor of the House during the sessions OF
Congress The ceiling OF the Hall is OF
iron supported by ttusscs from the roof
Immediately in the rear of the Speakers
chair is his room; adjoining are the rooms
Of other officers. The rooms for the &C
commodation OF The different committees
and the post Office, for the members and
! other rooms are adjacent Many OF them
are beautifully decorated in fresco and form
! some of the beautiful sights in the building
The large paintings at the heads Of the
stair-ways represents the finest artistic tai
ent and skill in tie world One Of those
representing Pcrrv's victory on Lake Erie,
and another entitled "WcstWard the star of
Empire takes its way are magnificent be
yond dies cription. The staircasCs in differ
cnt Glasses of marble, the handsomely dec
Grated rooms, passage ways and walls in
the richest building material, the CORN
THAN columns in solid blocks of white and
varicgatcd marble, wrought in the most
elaborate styles, of that order of architect
IRE, congregate IN array OF beauty seldom
cuualcd. The Senate chamber is similarly
constructed The Presidents Room, the
Vice Presidents Room and the Senators
Retiring Room. undoubtedly the gems OF
the building. The Reception Room, Sen
ate Post-Oflice, Supreme Court Room,
Court of Claims Room, Law Library, con-
tanning 10000 volumes and the Congress
ional Library containing 100000 volumes,
are worth visit.
There is u corridor extending the entire
length of the building nearly eight hun
drcd feet long and 243 feet broad. The build
ing is heated by engincry located beneath,
which forces the heat to all parts of the
building. and is illuminated by gas jets
which are lighted by clectricity--the time
for which is four minutes.
These are few of the objects which the
stranger will notice on Il hasty visit,
while Il thousand things equally as inter
cstng will escape his attention in this vol
luminous depository of beauties and curiosi-
ties Nor are the costly and skltully exc
cutcl architecture, paintings and sculpture
from the labor and wealth displayed in
them, alone interesting Many of them
recall the great events that have transpired
upon this continent within the last four
centuries, which have made American his
tory illustrious and contributed SO much
to the progress of the world. Here are
statuary representing discoveries, warriors,
Statesmen, whose achievements rank them
among the