Connecticut western news., 1879-01-15
The New Capitol.

" GssRhtOhs
 The site of the new Capitol, on the rise on the west, Tn division of Bushnell park. makes I it conspicuous object, not alone from every point in Hartford and vicinity bnt aIso from, | the surrounding country for a ionp distance dwellers so far of as Kensingtun se.inq lis
 towering dome plainly in clear day. its ma
 terial, also, of white marble, makes it very conspicuous. The style of the building is also
 striking. 1t is called by the architect Mir. R-
 M. Upjohn of New York, mo tern gothic, or the gothic modified for civic purposes. The f.ur
 fronts correspond nearly with the four cartil al points of the compass, and each is elegant and pleasing to the cultivated eye. The building
 Is 296 feet in extreme length the width l9O | feet height tt top Of root 9S feet, and to the top of the crowning figure on the lantern 257
 feet The foundations are of brownstone ma ! sonry laid in cement and brownstone and brick piers support the main stairs and columns | The outer walls to the plinth are granite, and
 all above are white marble backed with brick. work. The marble comes from quarries in
 East canaan, Conn, and is considered well adapted for architectural purposes. It sus-
 talns crushing force of s. 00O pounds to the
 square inch. The granite used is from Wtse
 teriy, R l., Cape Ann, Mass Jonesboro, Me-, and Stony Creek, Conn | The outer walls over the main entrances are l supported by highly polished granite columns.
 With capitals of carved marble, the arc cs be-
 tween belrg pointed and forming tympanums,
 ofai"inGn.ea t n wlth houldlngs and sarNeS clock- GUS; The tympanums are erected piafi, but VIII each receive historical or symbolcal carv- ings, similar to the elegant repres.ntatiun of
 tue Charter Oak on the sast tlOnt, carved by bels projecting from the walls also ornament each font, supporting columns and pedestals
 TOT the reception Of statutes, which will be pro-
 tscted by carved marble canopies. Several of
 these are already in place. Medallion stones, circular In form, project from the walls be- | tween these niches, intended to receive histor- ical and symbolical heads. Projecting from l the roof are richly carved dorner wiHdowa | ia ffAs1..n
 twel7e-sided structure at the roof, resting on
 square tower from the foundation to the roof.
 The tower rises above the roof to the cone,
 which is of iron, covered with copper to be gilded Above this rises the lantern 45 feet nigh, supporting colossal bronze female. winged figure fifteen feet high, and weighing
 three tons. At the intersections of the four l fronts with the main building rise square tow-
 CTS l53 feet high to the finial. The entire
 framework of the roof is of wrought iron. | The roofs are covered with slate where the
 slopes are steep, and with copper where the
 slopes approach level. The base of the dome
 is 10 be ornamented with twelve figures, ale gorlcal or symbolical in character, deslk ned Ly J. Q. A. Ward. The bronze figure on the lnn-
 tern Is the work of Randolph Rogers of Rome. | The north and east entrances through | open vestibulcs. the south entrance is a porte- | cochere for the accommodation of carriages, and the west entrance is into a fine hall reach | ing from the ground floor to the top ot tho | second story. This hall is finished in oak the | llntels around the borders of the ceiling sup
 ported by carved white mal ble corbuls, resting
 on black marble shafts finished with white
 marble capitals. The walls, which are russet red. are ornamented with medaiIions contain. ing the Stale and National coats of arms and | the figures of Liberty and Justice. Ibis hall opens on the hrst and the mezzanine floors, | and It Is intended for trophy room
 | The rooms of the state officers are on the
 first floor, those of the legislature and execu- tive on the mezzanine or main floor, the com
 niittec rooms on the second floor and the up- l per floors AnDllcAbln fnI M tnrny mn ntl,. purposes. All the floors are supported by ruli- | ed iron beams and brick arches laid in cement The flooring of the halls and corridors is of | marble. and those of the legislative rooms and l offices are of hard pine. All the 1lnishing, fit- | tlngs, and the furniture are of oak black wal
 nut and ash. None of the woud-work is ye-
 neered or vanished. The pores are filled with
 some preparation, and rubbed down with hard
 oil finish.
 The Senate chamber is fifty by forty feet,
 with height from floor to ceiling of thi ty-
 seven feet. It is lighted by three windows on | the east front of the building, and the central
 panel ill the ceiling. The galleries, which are
 on the north and south sidts. will seat about
 one hundred spectators The desks are placed
 so as to leave large rectangle in front of the presidents desk. The walls are frescoed in oil i l a neat figure, and all the furniture and fit- | tings are of oak.
 by fifty six feet, with height of forty-nine. It
 is on the 'uth front, and Is lighted by win
 doMs on the cast, south and west, that portion
 or the buildings being projection. The spec | iators gallery ls on the north side and is sep-
 arated from the hall by ten columns and two pilasters Of russet rel with bases and capitals
 of bronze and gold. A polished brass railing | also runs along the edge. The floor of the gail lery IS series of platforms, five in numbef. The floor of the House proper is aso a series
 of platforms ill amphitheatrical arrangement,
 the seats being arranged in radil from the
 speakers desk. The walls are of russet red hA nr s,,' 'cks, l.. ing finished in diapered pattern, with an el~ egant border. The cornice is modelled plAs-
 ter The ceiling is divided into fifteen panels,
 SIX or which have air openings for ventilation. | The speakers desk and canopy are in the gothic style of black walnut, as is all the fur- niture i'll the room,
 The Governors rooms consist of private | office and reception room and are situated in
 the southwest 0 rner of the building and | lighted by windows the south and west. They are finished and furnished in oak, The Lieutenant Governors rooms and tboaa | TOT the speaker Of the House are connected bv
 a doorway, and are similar to those for the
 Governor ill style and finish. The committee
 rooms and members' retiring and cloak rooms
 are adjacent to the legislative hall. The cloak rooms are two in number, fifty-eight feet long.
 furnished with toilet convcniences.
 On th> first floor are the offices of tie Adip. tant-Geheral, Paymaster- General, Insurance Commissioner Comptroller, Treasurer and School Fund Commissioner.
 The Supreme Court room is on the second floor in the western side of the building. It is nifty by thirty-one feet, and thirty-five feet l high, and finished in oak. It IS lighted by SIX | windows on the west side. arranged in two rows. The walls up to the windows are wsin- | scoted in oak above which tiiey are of ruseeN red and gray, ornamented ny scroll work. line judges bench is at the southern end of tba room, defended by paneled rolling. Adioin. ing rooms are for consultation,
 The Library is an immense 80 room eishty-f,ye
 by hfty-five feet, with height of thfrty-fye. 1t is situated on the north front iN the central portion, and is furnished with all the appli. ances necessary for the reception of docu.
 There are two large light shafts extentffnr rom the lower floor to the roof, which light the stairways, which are of stone, and are ors namented by columns of the elegant red stony Creek granite. In 8 vault outside the build. ? ing are four fifty-horse-power boilers, for heat. ing the entire building The gas-fixtures, car. pets, etc., are adapted in style to the orna- mentatisn and finish of the rooD,s A Tufts steam elevator is one of the conveniences of the building, which is probably unsurpassed in all the features necessary to complete a per- ."ct state edifice.-Hd,Eford Post.
 The Gnvarno nor,s WUca.-.