Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-05-23
The Washington Capitol.

pnlIuedIre. Inc AnacOSJd Oh TIE
East and the Potomac on the West
unite and flow southwark. On the
opposite shore of each is range ol
hills that lose themselves in the hills
OF Virginia. A crescent-formed
height sweeps around north of the
city; about two thirds around, il
breaks to let tiny stream pass, and
then, rises ninety feet, spreads out
in broad plataeu, on which stands
the Capitol. Eleyen stteets and ave.
nues, fronm 130 to 160 feet wide, lead
toit. Itcontains 81 acres ofground,a land
covers 81 acres. 1t cost, in round mum.
bers, $12,000,000. 1t is the largest
building OF the kind in the world, and
when finished will be, it is claimed
the finest. Itconsists of centre, with
two wings and connecting corridors.
Length Of all, 751 feet. At present
the accessories are superior to the
principal, which greatly mars the ef-
feet, but the plan Of the accomplish
ed architect, Mr.. Clark, changes this
and in time will be carried out.
The centre-the original Capitol
is free-stone. painted. When the ex-
tensions became nesessary. the ques-
tion arose, Shall they match the Gen.
ire or be as perfect as possible
Perfect was the answer, for it was to
be built for an unlimited future, and
in that future the centre can be
changed. The wings therefore are OF
white marble. each with porticos on
three sides, and AZ marble, Corinthi.
an, monolithic columns, each 80 feet
high above pedestal. All the grand
old trees that toned the painted GEN.
tire have been cut down, and the
glare OF white makes one cry out for
the good time coming when the soft
tint Of delieately veined marble shall
take its place, and that wearisome
sky line OF 750 feet be broken by a
grand central pediment, full of Scrip
ture, according to the plans.
The west facade is broken by three
broad porticoes. Those OF the wings
are each reached by 46 marble stsps,
with four landings and two buttres-
ses. The House extension is rude,
but the Senate pediment has a group
by Crawford: The Progress Of Civil
lization In America. The bronze
door is 14i feet high and 8 feet wide;
in two leaves and six panels. The
panels have battles OF Bunker Hill
Monmouth, Yorktown; Inauguration
of ofWashington. and Laying Of Corner
stone Of Capitol, Sept. Is, 1893. This
was Mr.. Crawford's last work, indeed
it was finished by pupil.
On the south buttress Of the GEN.
trail portico Is marble group, which
cost Persico iive years labor,-Col-
umbus In armor, copied accurately
from some worn by him, and now in
Genoa. He holds globe aloft in
one hand, and on it America; half al
his side, peering around to lock up a,
him, is beautiful Indiap girl, with
an expression Of awe and alteration
on her face, as IL he were to her a
God. On the opposise buttress is 6
group by Greenough: hunter who
Is seizing from behind an Indian, to
wrest from him the tomahawk with
which he was about to scalp a moth.
er, who is clasping her babe. Or
either side OF the grand bronze door
Is a niche. In one is War:-Mars
mailed; in the other Peace:-a lovely
maiden in flowing, almost transpar-
ent robes, with an olive branch in
one hand and fruit in the other; bott
OF finest Carrara marble, by Persico
each nine feet high, and cost $4,000
In the words of Mr.. Clark, "If Peace
were In the Vatican, it would be the
admiration OF the world; yet hun.
dreds pass in and out without CLAN.
cling at it,
The grand bronze door OF Rogers i:
10 feet high, 0 feet wide, weighs 90,
600 pounds, and cost $4,000. 1t wa:
modelled in Rome and cast in Mu.
mich, 1860. 1t Is a marvel OF beauty
1t Is in two leaves, each leaf devided
into eight panels, and each panel is 9
complete picture, in alto relieUo, oi
scenes in the life of Columbus.
Before the Council OF Salamanca; 3
Before Ferdinand and Isabella;
Landing at San Salvador; 6. Triumh
al entry into Barcelona; then 7th il
chains and Sth dying. On the frame
Of each leaf are 16 statuetts OF his
patrons, and between the panels are
heads OF his historians. Every facia
expression is wonderfully fine.
The dome rises from the centre oi
the main building. and was built il
1856, Its diameter is 1876 feet, the
fifth in hight and fourth in diameter
in the world. 1t stands upon 40 large
interior columns with heavy arches
upon which rests the mosaic pave
ment OF the rotunda. As it leave!
the roof line Of the building it is IL
feet in diameter, and has 36 iron flu
ted columns 27 feet high. On th'
apex is lantern so feet high. 1t Il
lighted by electricity, and only wheI
one or both Houses has a night ses
sion. In it is reflector, so that tn,
light can be seen all over the city
Would there were more refiectors be
low, so their lights might be seeI
| fhrOuOhOut the world Or thi