Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-15
THAT MIGHTY EDIFICE,
THE CAPITOL OF THE UEITf0s1AIfS
OF AMERICA.
Its Graad Appearance from the
Great and Lofty Dome-The Massive
Porticos-The Senate Cham
bsr-Presidents Room
Hall Of the Repre-
sentatiyes.
AN. INTERESTING ePIsILE FROM A
REGISTERReP0RTER'S PEN.
Inl corre.pondenee Of the Register.

The United States Capitol, Ike the
Capitol of ancient Rome, stands upon q
hill, commanding a view westward, pro-
nounced by the great traveller Hum
boldt one of the most beautiful his eyes
had ever seen. Its grand position was
determined by General Washington, as
an imposing site. overlooking the city
like the Acropolis at Athens. The i'm
mense size OF the Capitol grows upon
one. This is true also, am told, OF the
Louvre, st. Paul's, st. Peters and other
great buildings OF the world. The same
effect is produced as we continue to gaze
upon the great works OF nature-the
Falls OF Niagara, the Jungfrau, and the
mighty ocean. Who cannot recall his
first sight Of the seaH-its waves beat
ing like pulses and breaking
on the beach. Bat it was only
after a time. its immensity
imperceptibly stole over the soul, and
thought became lost in the sense OF its
rashness.
General Description.
The Capitol OF the United States, as
now completed, is unquestionsbly the
finest and largest building of the kind
on the face of the earth, and does credit
to the skill of the architects and the
taste OF the nation. In durability OF
structure and costliness OF material it is
also superior to any other. The great
edifices Of the 0'd World are accumula-
tions Of a number of centuries. The
Capitol OF the United States is the stu
pendous work OF less than single GEN.
tury, The eevatel seat formed by nature
and art, upon which the Capitol stands,
is ninety feet above ordinary low water
in the Potomac, one mile distant, and is
admirably adapted to the display Of its
vast proportions and architecture. The
entire length OF the building is 75l feet,
and the greatest depth 324 feet. The
ground.plan covers about three and a
half acres.
The Capitol occupies very nearly the
centre Of the plot OF the city. The great
white dome which surmounts the
mighty pill, towering in the air nearly
four hundred feet to its top, as seen from
the ground west and down the hill-a
height over twice that Of Niagara Falls
is visible for miles around-indeed
from every elevated point in the Dis.
trict. II is OF cast iron. painted white,
and resembles in general appearance
and gracetulness the great domes Of st.
Peters OF Rome, st. Paul's OF London,
st. Genevieve, and of the Ipvalides, of
Paris, and that Of the latest OF all modern
works OF the kind, the Russian national
church, the Cathedral of st. Isaac's at
st. Petersburg, which also is partly built
of iron. 1t hangs there, up in the
clouds, real something OF what haunt
ed me, a dreaming schoolboy, as sat
gazing al the pictures of the worlds
cathedrals in the Geography long
ago. From this lefty dome, as
far as the eye can reach,
NAV be seen rolling hills, broad
valleys and rivers. The east facade OF
the building looks out upon the expan-
siye plain OF Capitol Hill, with a back
ground OF beautiful elevations, those on
the right being beyond the Anacostia; ;
the north across broad intervening
valley to the wooded encircling hills Of
the city; the south down upon the low
grounds and sparsely settled portions Of
the city, with the broad Potomac and
Anacostia mingling their waters in the
distance; the west overloeks the business
and official quarters, the lawns and
groves OF the Botanical Garden, the Mall,
and the Presidents Grounds, aud the
wooded summit OF University Square,
with the shining domes of the 0bserva-
tory and Georgetown Heights beyond.
The Apex ofthe Doom
is surmounted by a lantern, Is feet in
diameter and so feet high, surrounded
by peristyle. and crowned by a bronze
Statue of Freedom. Just below the
lantern is balustrade around
the crowning platform. The QUE
domical shell is pierced with
a glazed opening for the admission OF
light. In the lantern Is a rejecting
lamp, lighted by electricity, and used
only when either or both Houses of
Congress are sitting at night. This light
is visible from all parts OF the city.
The Statue OF Freedom, which sur.
mounts the lantern Of the dome, repre-
sents the figure OF female, the right
hand resting on the hilt OF a sheathed
sword, the left on a shield and holding
a wreath. The crest of the helmet con
sists of an eagles beak, embellished
with plumes Of feathers. The drapery
OF the figure is both chaste and striking.
Over an inner garb is a furred robe,
tastefully adjusted over the shoulder
and falling over the left arm; at the
waist it is gathered in loose folds. and
held by brooch, bearing the letters L.
s. The attitude OF the statue exhibits
in a striking degree the beauty OF femi-
nine grace with decision. The statue is
twenty feet high, and stands on bronze
Gaping for the Dome representing a
globe, with a encircling zone, upon
which are the words "E Phrrib,S Un,tn.
The main entrances OF the Capitol are
by the three eastern porticoes, being
made easy OF access by broad flights oi
stone steps with massive check blocks
and vaulted carriage ways beneath to the
basement entrances.
The building, as heretofore mentioned,
faces the east, and the rear is in the di-
rection OF the principal part Of the city.
This location was made under the i'm
preston that the neighborhood OF the
Capitol would be first settled up in the
growth OF the new city, but the designs
OF the projectors not having been real.
lied, the building now faces the wrong
way.
, Standing in front OF the ediflce, and at
a distance sufficient to take in the whole
view, the effect is indescribably grand.
The pure white marble glitters and
shines in the sunlight, and the huge
structure towers above one like one ol
the famed palaces Of old romance. The
broad flights Of steps OF the wings and
central buildings have an air OF elegance
and hghtness which is surprising when
their massive character is considered.
At the Main Portico
on the tympanum OF the pediment is an
allegorical group in slto-relicro repre-.
senting the Genius OF America The
principal figure representing America,
is Of semi-colossal size, and standing. cn
broad unadorned plinth, holding in
her hand A noised ahield with IT