Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-02-18
The National Capitol-.-No. 1.


it. Like the capitol of ancient Rome, it
stands upon hill, commanding view pro-
nounced by the great traveller Humboldt, one
OF the most beautiful his eyes had ever seen.
The plateau east extends an elevated plain
for considerable distance towards the
banks of the Anicostia, or eastern branch of
the Potomac. The descent of the hill north
and south is graduated admirably, art as
well as nature assisting in producing the
present graceful declivities. The capitol
is eight hundred and fifty-one feet and four
inches in length the greatest breadth, in
Guiding the steps of the extensions, is three
hundred and twenty-four feet. The whole
covers an area of three and one-half acres.
Its cost to the present time has been 3d.
100000. The center portion of the build
ing, the original capitol, is built Of yellow
ish sandstone painted white, procured from
an island in Aqua creek, Virginia. The
island was purchased by the government
from the Brent family, for $4,000, in 179l.
The extensions are Of white marble slightly
tinged with blue, obtained from Lee, Mas
sachusetts. The monolith marble columns
of the extensions, of which there are one
hundred, were taken from a quarry in Mary
land. The dome is of iron painted white,
| surmounted by the statue of Freedom,
bronze figure nineteen and one-half feet
high. 1t weighs fourteen thousand nine
hundred eighty-fve pounds, and was placed
in position December 9, 1868, Mr.. Crawford
receiving for his model of it $4,000, and the
casting of it by Clark Mills, with attending
| expenses, netted an additional sum OF $780,
1862. The tip of the feather of this
statue is two hundred and eighty-seven feet
| and eleven inches above the base line of the
building east Capitol hill is within frac-
ton of ninety feet high, consequently the
head of the statue is three hundred and sew
enty-seven feet above tide water. In com.
parison it may be interesting to say that
the hight of St. Peters at Rome is stated in
Knights Cyclopedia to be from the pave.
ment to the top of the cross four hundred
and thirty feet, and that st. Paul's in Lon
don is four hundred and four feet.
The east capitol park has frontage of
fifteen hundred feet east of the center por-
tico Fronting either side is magnificent
fountain costing from $4,000 to $4,000
Costly lamps are interspersed throughout
the grounds, making at nighttime, when
lighted, scene resembling our idea OF
fairy-land.
The eastern front of the capitol, properly
speaking is its main front. 1t consists OF
a central portico one hundred and sixty feet
wide, with projection including steps Of
Sixty-fve feet, ornamented with twenty-four
pillars and twelve pilasters, crowned with a
pediment of eighty feet span. The whole
front of what was the original capitol is three
hundred aud ffty-two feet to this has been
added on either side colonnaded corridor Of
forty-four feet to these are attached the ex
tensions, that of the senate on the north and
that of the house on the south end. Each
extension is adorned with portico one hun
bred and forty.two feet and eight inches
wide, with pediment of seventy-two fee
span twenty-five columns and twelve pi
lasters of the Corinthian style ornament thu
extension porticoes. The north and soutl
fronts of the capitol are alike.
The west front is that with which stran
gers are most familiar. 1t consists of thre'
ornamented porticoes the central one col
onnade one hundred feet front, with ten col
ums, eight of which are coupled, and a cor
responding number of pilasters. This por
gress. Then to each of the extensions is at
tached portico similar in architectural de
tails to the north and south portions, with
length of one hundred and five feet, orna
extend to First street west, and connect will
the botanical gardens.
Immediately opposite and facing the cas-
central portico of the capitol is Greenough'
famous statue of Washington. 1t is o
colossal size, and has an interesting history
1t was ordered in 1882 to be placed in tn
center of the rotunda, over the tomb o
vaulted chamber built for the reception o
the remains of Washington. In the sam
year, it being the centennial year of hi
birth, congress made application to the the'
owner of Mount Vernon to obtain the re
mains of the illustrious dead to be place.
there, but they were refused, consequently
it has remained empty. Now the catsfalqu
built for Senator Summers remains to res
upon while lying in state stands there. l
was also used for Vice-P President Wilson
It is made of wood simply covered wit
black cloth, of which relc-hunters, the wors
Of all vandals, have torn nearly all off. Tn
statue was finished in 1910, the artist re
ceiving $4,000 while working on it, Tw
other bills in connection with it were pai
him, amounting to $40 1855. The expens
If transportation from Italy and of the pee
,stal upon which it is placed have absorbe
! $4,000 more. The chair upon which tn
figure sits is ornamented with acanthus lea
and lions heads. A small figure of Coluu
bus and another of an Indian chief lea
! against its back. On the pedestal is il
scribed the eulogy on Washington PR
nounced by Governor Henry Lee /" First i
war-frst in peace-frst in the hearts of hi
countrymen." Washington sits in majest,
His person is nude to the waist. In his lei
hand is a sheathed sword, and with his rigf
hand he points TO heaven. On the rigt
side of the chair is a blsso-reiiepo of Phebi
Apollo driving the chariot of the sun roun
= the world, thus representing, in pictured all
CORY, the rising sun, the crest of the nationi
arms of the United States. Ga the left
the chair is depicted the infant Hercul
strangling the serpent, while Iphiculus, h
feeble twin-brother, stretched on the groun
shrinks from the contest illustrating Il
genii OF North and South America
Upon the steps of the capitol the pres
=. dents of the United States are inaugurate
!. over a hundred thousand people occupyiu
:, the eastern park might witness the ceremon
!, Above the south end of the steps, on .
elevated block, stands marble group
Signor Persico called +" The Discovery" {