The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-01-28

| att Oh wv" itfHl'''ii
ing hard times" j. y. BARTELs.
Some Account Of the Original Plans CT n
Natl Capitol.
In the International Recies Tor th'
coming quarter ar. james q. iIowar,
has an article OF deridcd interest on "Th,
Architects OF tho American Capitol" Ii,
SAYS:
TO contrast the Capitol built with tn,
one advertised for, We will d'greSS Il
say that the com rled Capitol contain,
! lis rooms or apartments Used for pab
ne purposes, Instead OF fifteen, with III
aggregate capaclty Of 1000 supei ticia
feet ; that instead OF hrjck, ii Is buns
chiefly of iron and marble, wit, IL
rXqn>itely graceful Cornthian columns,
100 Of which arc moHni;ihir; that the
seating capacity al lis Hall OF Rrprcsvr
tatl"cs Is 400 Oh the floor and 900 u
the gallery, and of the Senate, 500 Ia
Its gallery, with room on il, floor for
The Senators from Il hundred States ;and
hat each Of these halls will admit uIl
grsat occasions more than 600 spccia-
tors. It's new wings alone covtra larger
area than any cathedral i'll Europe ex-
ccpt st. Peters.
When the 18th Of July, 1892, arrived,
the date named on or before which the
plans fo. Il capitol should be handed IN,
no designs had beer received of sufficient
merit To meet the commissioners. or the
Presidents approval. The designs sub
mittcd were for the most part crude and
ianciiul sketches Of impossible strrc
lures, originating with noupr"fessionaI
men or amateur architects. The arts,
like the country, were III their infancy.
The plan of George Turner is worthy of
notice, because in it We find the first
suggestion of u dome. Washington
writes from Mount Vernon, under date
of July % that he is more a.recabiy
struck with Judge Turner's plan than
with any other" The dome, in Washing
tons opinion, would give Il beauty
and grandeur 10 the pile" Bat the plan
did not provide for an executive apart.
ment, and lacked portlcos aud an impoS-
ing col1nnade, features upon which the
first President always insisted. Subse.
quently the commissioners notified rur
ner that his plan was Inpraclicable and
was DOT approved. Other designs were
discussed and rejected. On the 9Th OF
April, 1898, the President gaze his
formal approval of u plan submitted ~
Dr.. William Thornton, oil Philadelphia,
because grandeur, simplicity, and con
were combined In ii, and the
advertised first premlun of building
lot and 5000 waS awarded Thornton a.
The successful competitor.
This would seem To- settle the question 4
who should ha q TIE credit for The oririn (
Al plan Of the Capitol; but it does not. .
stephen uaiIet. Il French architect. IN 1
stead OF receiving the $3.50 the premium
advertised for the ,erond best plan, was
awarded s3C0 and u lot; the same as Dr.
Thornton. In point of award the plans
Il i,.orI ton aud Haiiet were placed ON
IN equality. Subsequent examination
Iroved tina, DR.. InprHioh's design na>
defective, and ia many
aspects impraclicabie lie was not i
iraciical architect, had studied drawing
'ut three months IN his life, aud had
urnI>hrd 30 designs tor public build
uS.. dis design was an ideal sketch
ather than practicable plan, very
ieasing la the eye, bat HnaccompanIrd =
;lih drawings "f grounds plan, est
lIte>, elevations, ar sections, 10 explain {
hc external ur internal structure. fu +,
iScuS> The objections made i,V arvhite Is
, his design, J tler,nn, al the request
I Washington, called together James
oban, stephen llallci, Dr. Thurnl1n, {
ir. Carsiain>. aud Colonel Williams, :
Ie two latter friends 81 DR.. Thornton, j
hu>en by himself This board ot con e
lilIuE arcllie' l. decided. Jefferson ia 7,
rms u, that there were Xix valid u
aieriai. and ln>nrmoausabie otiecilunS .
; Dr.. rhornto = plan ct a CaplInl, not q
Ie least important OF which was that :
ANY paris uf the building wanted iighl a
nj AIT Ia "a degree that rendered them "a
ntt Tor theIr purposes. Stephen Halle II
a. directed by jefferson 10 maxi allera- q
Ins IA the plan. The valuable ea~ T.
The original sketch we're preserved by =
al'ct aud rendered susceptible o.: execu- IL
On. Thorn,ons iaapraciicabie design =
a. reduced To 'praciicabie form" All {,
E-uitcd agreed that in this "rrioi med y
an The objections before existing we're a
Irrly remedicd. aud that IL was N
sign of great merit. The architects e
osen BY Mr.. Thornton himic.f. pro- .
'uaeei the ucl'rl plan best. aud the
ie " hIch they, ~ praeiical arrhitse;s,
paid choose Ia execute. They ex. n
e~sed the op,nlon also that the build =
= executed according 70 Ilallei's ideas -
tu.d not cost more than halt So nns.h =
il executed GCsurdlug 10 Thornton :. r.
After these opinions" says Washing. =
n, in letter of July p, 1898. "thsre
aid remain 10 hes;is.ion hssr 20 &c