Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-01-22
The Capitol at Washington.

We are indebted to Hon. j. O.
Smith, our Representative, for copy
of the Congressional Record, from
which we transfer the following de
scription of the Capitol to the col
umns of the HERALD, knowing that
it will be interesting to our readers:
The Capitol fronts the east, and
stands on plateau ninety feet above
the level of the Potomac, in latitude
50 degrees, So minutes, 48 seconds
north, aud II degrees, l minute, Al
seconds west from Greenwich
The southeast cornerstone of tue
original building was laid On the 18th
of September, 1893, by President
Washington, aided by the Freemasons
of Maryland. 1t was constructed of
sandstone, painted white, from an is
land in Aqua Creek, Virginia, under
the direction of Stephen H. Hallett,
James Hoban, Geo. Hadfeld, and af-
terward by B, H. Latrope, architects
The north wing was finished in 1900
and a south wing in 1911, a wooden
| passage way connecting them. On
the Oath of August, 1914, the interior
of both wings was destroyed by Brit
| ish incendiaries, but they were imme
diately rebuilt. In 1918 the central
portion of the building was commenc
ell under the architectural superintend
enee OF Charles Bulfnch, and the orig
inal bnilding was completed in 1927
Its cost, including the grading of the
| grounds, alterations, and repairs, up
to 1927, was S., ,433, 844
The corner stone of the extensions
to the Capitol was laid on the 4th of
July, 1851, by President Fillmore, Dan
iel Webster officiating as orator of the
day. Thomas .. Walter was architect,
and subsequently Edward Clark, under
whose direction the work was complet
ed in November, 1857. The material
used for the extensions is white mar
hle from the euarries at Lee, Massa
chusetts, with white marble columns
from the quarries at Cockeysville, Mar
ryland.
The dome of the original centra1
building was constructed of wood
but was removed in 1855 to he replace,
by the present stupendous structure o.
cast iron, which was completed in 865
The entire weight Of iron used is g.,
900, 200 pounds.
The main building is three hundred
and ffty-two feet four inchas long il
front and one hundred and twenty one
feet six inches deep, with portico
one hundred and sixty feet wide, oi
! twenty four columns on the east, an(
t projection of eighty three feet on
| the west, embracing recessed porticc
of ten coupled columns. The exten
S sions are placed at the north anC
e south ends of the main building, will
I connecting corridors forty four fee
e long by fifty six feet wide, fanked hy
s columns Each extension is one hun
dred and forty two feet eight inches il
$ front, by two hEhdred and thirty eig b
$ feet ten inches deep, with porticos o
: twenty-five columns each on their east
It ern fronts, and with porticos of te
q columns on their ends aud on thei
i western fronts. The entire length c
: the building is seven hundred aud fl
/ ty one feet four inches, aud the great
+ est depth, including porticos an
It steps, is three hundred aud twenty -fou
If feet. The area covered by the entir
building is one hundred and fifty thre
thousand one huEdred and twelv
square feet,
The dome is crowned by q bronz
d stature of Freedom, modelled by Crav
/, ford, which is fifteen feet six inche
e high, and which weighs Ia, ,985 pounds
e The heigth of the dome above th
d base line of the east front is two huI
le dred and eighty seven feet eleven incl
= es; the heigtl from the top of the ba
J. ustrade of the building is two hur
d dred and seventeen feet eleven inches
e and the greatest diameter at the bas
J. of the dome is one hundred and thi
ts ty-fve feet five inches.
ar The rotunda is ninety FIVE feet 81
j., ir ches in diameter, and its heigth frol
ID the floor to the top of the canopy
ne one hundred and eighty feet thrC
al inches.
Il. The Senate chamber ID one hundre
Or and twelve feet in length. by eight.
a two feet in width, and thirty feet
h. heigth. It's galleries will accomm
ut date one thousand persons.
}. The Representatives Hall is OF
as hundred and thirty feet in length,
IN ninety three feet in width, and thir1
DO feet in heigth.
IN The Supreme Court room was occ
= pied by the Senate until Decembe
es 1860, the court having occupied Il
o room beneath, now used as law libr
6v ry.
tn The library of Congress was burn
IS. by the British in 1914, and was pa
st TALLY destroyed by an accidental f
nd in 1851. The present center h
90 was finished in 1858, and the wi
halls were finished in 1867.