National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-02
The Goddess Receives Some Electric Shocks
But the Electric Light Wires do Her no
Harm,

The Goddess Receives Some Electric Shocks
But the Electric Light Wires do Her no
Harm.
Several persons walking on Pennsylvania
avenue yesterday observed what appeared to
be hole oil the right shoulder of the figure of
the goddess of liberty which surmounts the
dome of the capitol. The supposed hole ap-
peared to be about n foot long and about half a
foot wide. This hole was said by some people
to have been made by the electric light wires
on the capitol. reporter went to the capitol
and on close examination, In company with
Mr.. Edward Clark architect Of the building,
found that the supposed hole was crevice
made by the mantle which shrouds the figure.
The mantle Is thrown over the right shoulder
and drapcd, making at.the point where the hole
was supposed TO be a sort Of loop. which from
the ground resembles q hole In the figure
itself. 1t is strange that the crevice has never
Sssn ycss SGSd that G Ss lower BUT part of
| mantle forms the background of the crevice,
so that the hollow place mistaken for hole
was made by, the scnl9t9r- the figure Of the
half feet high 1t is of bronze and rests upon
the dome, being held in position by bolts.
The figure has received several shake-ups"
in the last few years from lightning striking
II, but no serious damage has been done it.
Every time there il q thunderstorm the figure
receives the full force of 1t, but the many
safety rods ditfuses the lightning, sending, 1t
| la over tnc Dullulny During tne stOrln inc
shocks resound throughout the entire building
| like the report of rifle.
| Architect Clarke stated yesterday that he
did not think that the electric light wires at.
| tractcd the lightning and he knew that the
| lights did not cause any serious damage to
either the dome or figure. The lights were, he
said, Il nuisance, however and attracted thou.
sands of insects to the dome, which fill the
apertures and litter the dome and roof being
| a source Of great trouble. Another objection
| to them that he found was that the lights
| afforded no protection to the capitol grounds.
| The strong reilectOrs send the light straight
| down the avenue. and throw no light Mt all
within the grounds. Even ii the refectors
did throw the light in the grounds
! from the dome, Mr.. Clark thought that
| the shadows would be so great that pedes-
| TRANS through the park at night would have
little or no protection. Ii electric lights are to
! be used about the capitol, he thought that they
should be placed about the grounds, where
they would be of some service, as the lamp
posts are. Mr.. Clarke does not like the idea Of
| having the capitol used as a convenience to
light the city, and thinks that the tests have
proved failures. When the lights were first
| placed on the capitol without the retlectors,
Mr., Clarke says that the light was difiused,
and made the grounds light enough.
Q
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