Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-15

1
seats OF the Secretary Of the Senate,
Legislative Clerk, Chief Clerk and Min.
ute Clerk.
The floor is raised about three inches
for each receding semi-circle OF desks,
and is pierced by numerous double ven.
tilators, regulated with the feet, under
each Senator's desk. These ventilators
are fed from an air-chamber or reservoir
beneath the floor, and supplied BY fans
and steam-coils in the basement with
moistened air tempered from 6S to 20
degrees winter and from to 10 degrees
below the outside air in summer. The
ceiling is splendid specimen of taste
and skill. It consists OF immense cast
iron Yirders and transverse pieces, form.
ing deep panels, each with centre piece
symbolic OF the Union. the Army and
Navy, Progress, and the Mechanical
Arts. Its iron work throughout is
bronzed, with gilt decorations.
The walls are richly painted,
those supporting the galleries
being laid off in panels. The doors are
bird's-eye maple, elaborately finished
with foliated bronze ornaments. Niches
for statuary are also sunk in the walls.
The hall by day is lighted through the
paneled ceilings by means OF the sky
light in the roof. At night innumerable
jets ranged above the ceiling around the
glass panels, and supplied with gas and
ignited by electricity, diffuss soft
light throughout the chamber. The
public are admitted on the floor OF the
chamber when the Senate is not in ses.
sion. The rugular hour of meeting OF
the Senate is IL o'clock noon, and ad.
journs on its own motion.
The Presidents Room
is assigned to the use Of the President OF
the United States on his visits to the
Capitol. The room is rarely used, ex.
cept on the last days oi the session OF
Congress, when the President, with his
secretaries and Cabinet ministers, as
semble there to expedite the business Of
legislation, the President signing such
bills passed by the Senate and House OF
Representatives as meet his approval.
The walls and ceiling of this room are
richly and appropriately decorated.
On the south wall, under the arch OF the
ceiling, ID a portrait OF Washington-a
copy from Rembrandt Peais-with a
reclining female figure on either side;
that on the right representing Victory,
who holds shield bearing the inscrip.
ton, Boston, Trenton, Princeton, Mon
mouth and Yorktown. The figure on
the left Peace, with q laurel wreath.
On the four walls are medallion portraits
OF Washington's first Cabinet: Thos.
Jefferson, Secretary OF State; Henry
Knox, Secretary Of War; Alex. Hamil.
ton, Secretary OF Treasury; Edmund
Randolph, Attorney General; s. Osgood,
Postmaster General. Under the cornice
are number of small copper-colored
medallions, representing the coats Of
arms of the States. The rest OF the
walls are artistically decorated in ara
besques. Overhead are four corner.
pieces in fresco; the 1rst OF Columbus.
with globe and early instruments OF
navigation, representing Discovery /;
likeness from a portrait in Mexico.
Disgonally opposite, Americus Vespuc.
cius, with charts and telescope. EIplo-
ration, from a painting in
Florence. William Brewster, with
an open Bible, representing Religion; ;
and diagonally opposite, Benjamin
Franklin, with manuscript and printing
press, Hristory. Four medallion
pieces between these represent Religion,
Liberty, Legislation and Executive.
The medallion from which the chande.
lier is suspended is enriched with three
infant figures, supporting an American
flag. The ceilings are further embel-
lished. The room is the most richly dec
Grated in the United States. The floors
are beautifully tiled, and there are three
large mirrors in the walls. In winter
the room is richly carpeted and fur
nished.
Hall OF tho Representatives.
or the "House OF Representatives." oc.
cupies the centre OF the main floor OF the
south extension OF the Capitol. The
dimensions OF this superb legislative
hall, the finest in the world, are:
Length, l39 feet; width, 90 feet; heigth,
SO feet. The form OF the hall is paral-
telegram, with a range OF galleries on
the four sides, and capable Of seating
about two thousand five hundred per-
sons. Beneath these galleries and
against the northeastern ami western
walls are the cloak and retiring rooms.
Under the galleries and over the back Of
the Speakers chair, is the lobby.
Upon tbs floor OF the hall are oak
desks for 30I members and delegates ar
ranged in seven concentric semicircles.
The aisl IS diverge from the Speakers
'desk," which is raised three feet from
the flo)r, and in front are desks for the
clerks )f the House, and still in front
desk, for official reporters. These are
made OF white marble, with base Of
Tennessee marble, and are ex-
trenely beautiful. East OF the
Speaker is circular pedestal
OF Vermont marble, upon WHICH the
mace OF insignia OF authority is placed
when the House is in session. Ii con-
sists of bundle OF lictors' rods, bound
together by silver ligatures, and sur
mounted by silver terrestrial globe,
crowned by the American eagle. Against
the wall on the same side is a full length
portrait OF Washington, and in the cor
responding position on the west q simi'
lar portrait Of the Marquis de Lafayette
by celebrated French artist. The lat.
ter was presented to Congress by Lafay.
ette upon his last visit to the United
States. On the south wall is fresco
representing Washington at Yorktown
receiving the officer sent by Cornwallistu tu
ask two days cessation OF hostilities,
and in place OF which two hours were
granted. The ceiling OF the hall is ol
cast iron, paneled, aud highly enriched
with gilt holdings, and supported on
decorated cornice. There are forty.five
panels, filed with glass Of appropriate
designs, thirty.seyen with stained centre
pieces, representing the coats OF arms
OF the States. Between the ceiling and
the roof Of the building is the illuminat.
ing loft, which also accommodates the
truss-work connecting the frame OF the
ceiling with the roof Inside the panel,
are gas Jets, numbering about 800
lighted by electricity, and which during
the night sessions, shed a mellow ligh
upon the hall beneath. During a reces,
or Adjournment OF the House visitor.
can enter upon the floor. When the
body is in session, the rules allow the
privileges OF the floor to the followins