New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-15
REPAIN7ING THE CAPITOL DOME.
From The Washington Post.

The work of repaintng the great white dome
of the Capitol which has been IN progless
several months under the imP ps;Iin0o es-
tgni the well known Italian artist ana
frescoist. is offering daily attractions 10
hundreds of people, not few OF who are
olly employed upon the outside of the dome are
twelve In number They are Washington painters
men of more than ordinary daring in their pr0fes-
sion who are not afraid to risk their lives for fancy
prices and that is what the Government pays 1or
all its work. The dangers TO winch THESE men are
daily subject would no doubt freeze the blood III
the veins of their loving spouses and cause their
hair to stand diZziy on end. but fortunately LOT
the good danes. they are told nothing aoouo 'ne9o
things They only hear about the wages. III ~
n mistake to say, as some adventurous CORE
spondcnts have done IN years gone Dy. thal lle aI
around the upper part OF the 1ome rs in lIoe~,he
STonnd below or course at even this elevation
there is n delightful profuseness OF breeze, Crisp
cool air and all that sort OF thlg' out oh I'll
dav i'm this autumn weather the workmen Nlelu
their brushes their shirt sleeves anu even thls
does not Keep them from proiuse peisp,rat,on.
II NAV seem incredible, but 1t Is taGt neVertHe-
less that TO rcpaint the outside OF Inc uOme re-
ouires fifteen tons of pure white lead ms dmouhs
OF material under ordinary circumstances, wouiu
La sufficient TO palnt every house on pennsylvania
avenue from the Capitol TO the treasury Dulllius'
Common white paint would wash OIL the ROOF OF tne
dome III the first rain that came aong, ana trcSie
down i'm big streams leaving the dirt as palpaDle
as before. The work OF repaintlng w0uiu nov 10
rendered often necessary were IL nov IoI tne ao
ioints or ribs of the walls. which are oil iron, as Is
the entire structure do not come I'D aciuai cohtact
with each other, thereby allowing INC ram ~ Boa
in and rust. Were they Joined the gIanu ou uom1
would assume. each day, under the influence OF
fine weather new and horribly fantastic shapes ana
some unusually cold morning. wOui9 nhu IL cIusIiIu
like an egg-shell into "a thousand fragments. / nc
PAINTERS on the roof of the dome Resemble nOthlhs
so much as tiny flies ana the rope iauuers
stretching down from the TOP III every direction
like HAIR lines, remind one OF delicate streaks OF
molasses which these flies are working Tor ali
they are worth. To reach the bottom OF me 9ohe
it is necessary to lie prOStIaJe anu clhip uoN if
these ladders a proceeding which Is rot Uf liScII
peculiarly dificut. but becomes so when he VINO
Gescends has IA dizzy head. an unsteady nerve du'
is encountered with too many paint pots ana seVerai
brushes. Fortunately no accidents nave rs NeJ
occurred. although single mlsstep or the SlVlnS
way of a slender piece OF rope would SEND the nm
lucky painter rolling down the stecply curvlng
roof and of inUO-well, eternity. .
The most wonderful thlng a3ont the Capito t
dome however, Is yet TO be told. 10 Is SAID that
There was a statue in ancient Egypt, caiicu
Memnon, which whispered sweet words OF melody
to the sun as he appeared above tne horZoh' aH SUN
The grand, naughty Goddess OF Liberty on top OF
the dome has heart OF bronze. but good Ieart lor
all that, and one filled with true ola virginia
courtesy. She has not yet picked up enough
courage to attempt TO do the prlma Jouna act, DuJ
every morning the good dame courtesies 10 the SUM-
and wher be- sinks IN the West she again cOurteses,
but without turning around. some TINE since
Architect Clark suspended plumiuet line from
the interior of the dome and 1t was found by actual
measurement that the leau sWuh0 over u spdco "
four and Une-quartcr inches. making a total
dip ont of tie perpendicular OF eight and one
half inches. This is caused by the alternate
contraction aud expansion OF the IRON
ludicrous mistake. which occurred not
long SINCE may te mentioned in this connection:
The coast survey had in charge the surveying OF
the river front preparatory 10 locating the line for
the reclamation of the Potomac flats. The top OF
the dome taken one point OF the surveyors
triangle IN estimating certain distances The cal
culations thus arrived at found TO sadly diner
almost every day. and much swearing and perplexed
thinning upon the part Of the brilliant engineers
was INDUCED in before the dipping OF the dome was
brought to mind. After that tho top OF the w ash
ngtUn Monument did unceasing duty as mathe-
matte guiding star
To remove the paint from the done II is necessary
to use potash. This is applied with mop. In
closing il may be remaIku that 1t Is IN contempla-
ton to remove The copper roof over the Congress
sional Library, owing to It's c1acked. Insured cOhul-
ton. The cost OF TepalntluS the out slice oil the
dome Is estimated ut $4,000. This is for paint ana
labor. And while the dome is putting on snowy
robes without, Costiginl is within weaving his
wonderful frescOcs.