Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-14
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The state Capitol and Other Promi.
nent Ediaees.

/ visitors to Nashville can scarcely fail e
be attracted by the noble proportions and
architectural beauties of the State Capitol,
and the more distant Of our readers viii
doubtless take some interest in reading the
following elaborate description, which we
extract from work upon Nashville and
Her Trade, /" published in 1870:
"The State-house is parallelogram, 112
by 239 feet, with an elevation "a feet 8
inches above an elevated terrace walk.
which surrounds 1t, or "A feet s inches
above the ground. Rising through the
center Of the rocf is the tower, which is
S6f square, and so feet high. The main
idea Of the elevation Of. the building is a
Greek Ionic Temple, erected upon a rustic
basement which, in its turn, rests Gin ap-
pearanee) upon terraced pavement. The
building has four fronts-north, south, east
and west, each side graced with noble
Portieo. The end porticoes-noth and
south-are each composed Of eight magnifi-
cent Ionic columns. The side porticoes-
east and WeSt-are composed each Of six
columns. These colums, % in all, are
each four feet in diameter, by thirty-three
feet high, and rest upon the entablature Of
the basement. This entablature is support
ed by rustieated pier, rising through the
basement story, under each column Of the
portico above. The end portieoes are
capped by an entablature, which is contin-
ued around the building. Above this en-
tablature is heavy pedlment. The side
pOrticoes are capped by the entablature and
double blocking courses. .
"The building inside, is divided into three
stOries-the crypt, or cellar; the basement,
or first floor; and the main, or second floor.
The crypt is used for the State Arsenal,
and for furnaces and the like. The base
ment has passage or hall through the cen
ter Of the building 2O4 feet long BY "a feet
wide, crossed transversely by three halls, the
main one 100 feet long by 80 feet inches;
height Of this floor, 10 feet 4 inches. This
floor is divided into Supreme and Federal
Court rooms, each 50 feet by 81 feet eight
inches, and offices for the Governor, the
Comptroller, the Treasurer, the Secretary
Of State, Register Of Lands, Superintendent
Of Weights and Measures, and Keeper of
Public. Arms, and Clerks Of the Supreme
and Federal Courts each Of which is 10
by "a feet, and BY the Archive-room,
which is "a feet square. This room is fitted
up in handsome manner, with book and
paper cases made Of white walnut, and the
room is otherwise handsomely furnished.
The Court rooms are also well furnished
the Supreme Court room in a very excel
lent manner. The main floor is reached |
by a handsome flight Of "A steps, IL feet
wide, at the west end Of the basement
transverse hall. The balusters, or hand /,
railing Of this stairway, are Of East Ten
nessee marble, a most beautiful colored !
mOttled marble, very hard, and taking a
high polish. The transverse hall of this /
upper is the same as that Of the lower floor
in dimensions. The longitudinal hall Of |
this floor is 12s feet two inches long, by "a
feet two inches wide, the same as the side
passages below. The height Of these
halls, and Of all Of the rooms Of this floor,
is SO feet. The rooms are, the Representa-
tive Hall, 81 by % feet; Senate Chamber, /
"a feet s inches by 20 feet 3 inches; Libra
~ Rooms, respectively 10 by "a, and "a by
81 feet, and Committee rooms, each Is feet
s inches by 10 feet inches.
'The Representative Hall Is truly q no
bic apartment, and an honor to the taste
and genius Of the architect. The main
floor, 81 by 81 feet, is fianked on the east
and west sides by eight committee rooms,
IS feet s inches. Above these rooms, on
each side are the public galleries. The
front of each of these galleries is graced by
eight coupled columns, p feet II inches
high, and ? feet 10 inches in diameter, Of
the Composite order and futed. The shaft
Of each column is Of one block Of stone,
capped by exceedingly graceful and elab-
Oraie capitals, the device Of the architect.
This room is well furnished, and windows
curtained. The Speakers stand and screen
wall is composed Of red, white and black
Tennessee marble. The chandelier is very
graceful and costly. The chief
points in the design are representations Of
he natural, animal and vegetable prOduc-
ions of the STATE, such as cotton, corn and
tobacco. There are also six bufaloes, ex-
.remely well executed, and a number Of
Indian warriors, each nearly two feet high,
and Of most excellent proportions. The
burners are As in number.
''The Senate Chamber, "a by 70 feet is
also well fitted up, and is surrounded on
.hree sides, north, west and south, by
gallery for the public, 10 feet Q inches wide,
by II smooth Ionic columns of
ed Tennessee marble, each 10 feet 3 inches
high, and feet 81 inches in circumference,
With black marble bases, and architTave Of
red and white marble.
"AbOve tn center Of the building, and
through the roof, rises the tower, supported
~ four massive piers rising from the ground,
10 by u feet. The design Of this structure
the tower)-for it is a noble work in itself
is modified and improved reproduction
# the "Choragic Monument of Lysicrates;"
y, as it is sometimes called, the "Lantern
# Demosthenes," erected in Athens about
I25 B. c., and still standing. The tower
5 composed Of square rustic base, 80
eet square and a feet nigh, with window
n each front. Above this the lantern, or
ound part Of the tower, rises, 20 feet s
inches in diameter, by 81 feet high. 1t
consists Of a circular cell, with eight most
beautiful three-quarter fluted Corinthian
columns, attached around its outer circum-
eTence with alternate blank and pierced
windows between each two columns, in
.ach Of the two stories Of the cell. The
columns have each a very elaborate and
wrought capital Of the purest
JoriRthian style, and above all heavy en-