National Republican., 1880-06-29
ABOUT THE CAPITOL.
Limited Appropriations for ImprOV-
ing the Grounds.
The Work to be Confined TO Ordinary Re-
pairs-Dnngerous Condition OF the Old
Han OF cntatives-Brumidrs
BELT of Historical Paintings
How the Work is to DO
Completed, Etc,
The Capitol and Capito, Grounds.

As already stated in TnE NATIONAL RE.
PUBLICAN, the appropriations made for work
about the Capitol building and grounds pro-
vide sum barely sufficient for doing ordinary
repair work and for keeping the regular force
Of mon, laborcrs and others in employment,
without undertaking to extend tho improve
mcnts. One hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars was asked by the architect to continue
| the improvements, and only 100000 was
appropriated. Among tho most important
| matters which the architect urged upon
the attention of tho committee OF public
buildings and grounds was the condition Of
| the old hall of representatives,, as tho walls
are not fireproof and the chambers and corrl-
dors and even tho space over the ceilings arc
crammed full OF old documents and other in
| fiammable material. This condition Of fairs
| constantly threatens the destruction OF this
portion OF the capitol at least for If q fro
should occur there, in the opinion Of the
chief engineer of tho District Gre department
| ii would be almost impossible to check
| it until it had swept all around the
old hall. In letter to the senate committee
on public buildings and grounds on the 9th of
May last, Architect Clark proposed to render
this part Of the building safe from fire by
changing the roof, taking away the domical
root, which is constructed on wooden ribs and
shcatbine, and replacing ii with double pitched
roof to be constructed of iron and copper, with
was So6,500 He also proposed to take out the
gallery and wooden partition, building a
semi-circular wall of brick aud extending the
marble flooring This work was estimated to
cost $4,000. The architect also stated that II
this change was made it would be necessary
TO make some provision for the accommoda.
ton of the $4,000 books now stored mostly in
the inilammable portion Of this hall, aud for
tho accommodation of the stationers aud
document rooms, and hn suggested that
authority be conferred on the speaker of the
house TO set apart rooms in The basement and
cellar story of the house wing for the reception
of tho books, documents and stationery.
Sgnor Filppo Costiggin the artist who
will attempt to finish the belt of historical
paintings III the dome left uucOmpleted by
Brumidi, will begin his task after the lst OF
July when tho appropriations become ayaila-
Bile. SignOr Costiggini will be paid at the
same rate per diem for his work as Brumidi
Those who are familiar with the works exc
cuted by this artist believe him entirely COM
peient to succeed Brumid. The cartoons
or sketches which Brumidi made fol
session of Architect Clark. These car.
toons are considered as government property
as Mr.. Brumudi was paid by the government
for making them. Siguor Costiggini in com
pleting the work will follow tho designs made
by his predecessor. The belt when complete ed
will consist of series of paintings represent.
ing the most important cpochs in American
history. The first four already completed
are u series belonging to the Spanish colonial
history, beginning with the Landing o
Columbus; next comes "COrtcz and Mon
tezuma in the Temple of the SUM-
Then "Pizario Going to Peru and las
'' The Burial of De Soto" These are followed
by Il series representing the English colonial
history, beginning with Captain Smith ant
| nj hNy rka I n
the Pilgrims" William Penn and tb,
Indians" and THE Colonization of New Eng
land" These arc TO be followed by "Oglo
thorpe and the Indians" the revolutionary
period represented by THE Battle OF Lexing
ton" The Declaration of Independence,
and "Tho Surrender of Corvallis" Th
belt will be completed then with painting
representing The Death Of Tecumseh,' whicl
it is supposed is intended rs an illustration o
the Indian policy, Tho American Army il
Mexico" and Tho Discovery of Gold il
California"