Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-02-06

upVi tiie SOutll Wall llllcTuiculdlt WIFI
statues, are number Of vases, fam
ing pots, with clinging Cupids and
wreaths. Upon the corners of tho
north and south walls are fiat shields
with the letters L. S., the point over
hung by single star Anything
more out of taste than these shields
could scarcely have been devised.
They are neither decorative, enthusi-
astic, or artistic, and give the balus-
trade the appearance of the upper shelf
of a country grocery store with hugh
sugar hearts or fanciful paper designs
amidst the more substantial articles.
SURROUNDINGS AND APPROACHES.
The present fence surrounding the
Capitol grounds is very light and
plain, and was intended as the merely
temporary structure it is. The lowness
and meagerness of this surrounding
greatly detracts from the appearance
of the Capitol and grounds, and re-
duces the approaches in effect. A
sketch, therefore, of the future sur
roundings of the beautiful terraced
grounds will be interesting. The
fence, gates, entrances, ETC., to be
erected, were designed and drawn by
Gordon j. Cummings, the Capitol
architect. a design for the entrances
upon the north and south sides of the
Park is an elegant one. 1t is drawn in
purely classic architectural lines, but
of no one particular order; generally,
however, inclininG to the Roman
Doric. The supports are crowned with
a rich and Very heavy cornice sur
rounded by urns, with due elegant
lamp in the center. The frieze is orna-
mented with a row of stars, one for
each state in the Union when Cali
fornia was admitted. The fronts and
inside consist Of four columns to each,
with double columns and pilasters at
each wicket entrance, of which there
are four, one on either side the two
carriage entrances, which are thirteen
feet il. width. The wickets are each
four feet six inches in with. The base
of the structure is of rustic granite,
and the main body rises up in free
stone, including the pilasters, capitals,
cntablature, archatrial, etc. The
arches over the entrances are of the
kind termed the silted arch, being the
section of % circle, as the full arch
would be too high and not in keeping
with the building. Upon the arch is
mounted an elegant lamp. The gates
to these entrances swing back con-
cealed, the depth of the entrances be-
ing ten feet each, with grOined arch
and ceiling and affording on either
hand in the interior neat tool houses.
fg s. THE FENCE J##s
is very novel and appropriate de-
sign, and meets the approval of all in
terested. 1t consists Of cast iron orna-
mented wickets secured upon rolled
iron horizontal bars. The posts and
lamppOsts are also of iron, the latter
being so constructed that they can be
put on at any post of the fence by UNI
screwing the ornamental top. The en-
tire fence is to rest upon q granite
base fourteen inches in hight and self
supporting, needing neither stone,
brick, or other foundation beneath.
The posts are deliberately ornamented
with bears heads, ETC., and terminate
in acorn tops. The gates for the front
and corner entrances are of the same
design as the fence, but are somewhat
higher. We next come to the steps,
which are to take the place of the wide
wooden steps by which the terrace are
now reached. They are unique in de-
sign and very strong and serviceable.
They are constructed of cast iron,
plainly mounted and set at the head
of each flight; on either hand is an
iron lamppOst with truncated corners
embossed with the ELECTORS" staff.
The ramps,or side defenses to the steps,
are nodded to fit the graceful curve of
the grade Of the terrace descent, and
are ornamcnted with open panel work.
The foot of the steps on either side are
graced with posts of like design with
the upper ones, but bear instead of
lamps, large vases, in which Towering
plants and dropping vines may be cul-
| tivated. From each of these posts an
ornamental iron shoe descends to meet
the line of the path below. 1t is to be
readily seen how greatly this fence.
! the carriage entrances and the gates
and steps will add to the beauty of APP
proach to the Capitol, and vastly i'm
| prove the general effect of the view of
| the building and grounds. These iron
structures are the most economical
known and are easily fashioned with
out propOrtionate expense to almost
any design of beauty and appropriate
! ness.
=, Work will be suspended ut the Capt.
toll and on the grounds on Tuesday, and
cannot proceed to the completion of
the fence and steps herein described
until sufficient funds are set aside for
| that purpose. - Record.