The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-05-28
ana WnshInrion CnnItol.

The capitol fronts the east, and stands
Nl on q plateau ninety feet above the level of
the Potomac. The southeast cornerstone
- of the original building was laid on Sep
t.. tember 1S, 1898, by President Washing
- ton, aided by the Frcemasons of Mary
urp land. 1t was constructed of sandstone,
VIZ painted white, from an island in Aqua
creek, Virginia, under the direction of
Stephen H. Hallett James HOban, George
Hadfeld and afterward of b. ii. Latrobe,
architects. The north wing was finished
in 1900 and the south wing in 1911, q
wooden passage-way connecting them.
On August "a, 1914, the interior Of both
wings was destroyed by British incen-
diaries, but they were Immediately re-
built. In 1918 the central portion of the
building was begun under the architec-
The tural superintendence of Charles Bulinch,
'nno' and the original building was finally COM
tsse 1 pleted in 1897 Its cost, including the
I. a grading of the grounds, alterations and
rour repairs, up to 1927, was 50, 433, SAL
,ro s. The cornerstone of the extensions to the
capitol was laid on July 4, 1851, by Presi-
dent Fillmore, Daniel Webster officiating
w. MS orator of the day. Thomas U.
DRh Walter was architect, and subsequently
~ Edward Clark, under whose direction the
work was completed in November, 1867
The materials used for the extensions is
w white marble from the quarries at Lee,
). M Massachusetts, with white marble col
aS ~ q umns from the quarries of Cockeysville,
W. Maryland. Tho dome of the original
@ n central building was constructed of wood,
cand but removed in 1856, to be replaced by
licar the present stupendous structure of cast
w iron, which was completed in 1865. The
BEL entire weight of iron used is g. 900, 200
date pounds The main building is 352 feet
csag four inches long in front and 121 feet six
inches deep, with portico 100 feet wide,
w of twenty-four columns on the east and
coo a projection of eighty three feet on the
oate west, embracing a recessed portico of ten
pup coupled columns. The extensions are
" placed at the north and south ends of the
d;d main building, with connecting corridors
nnb forty-four feet long by tifty-six feet wide,
hanked by columns Each extension is
142 feet eight inches in front by 22S feet
W ten inches deep, with porticos of twenty
sb;, ty-two columns each on their eastern
hiect fronts, and with porticos of ten columns
:. on their ends and on their western fronts.
rTs The entire length Of the building is 751
can feet four inches, and the greatest depth,
toI including porticos and steps, is 324 feet
The area covered by the entire building
. is 153, 112 square feet. The dome is
~ crowned by brown statue of Freedom,
can modelled by Crawford, which is nineteen
car feet six inches high, and which weighs
Z IA, 985 pounds. The height of the dome
r. above the base line of the east front is
for 2S7 feet eleven inches; the height from
the top of the balustrade of the building
is 217 feet eleven inches, and the greatest
IS. diameter at the base is 1856 feet five inches
ass The rotunda is ninety-fve feet six inches
sui IN diameter, and its height from the floor
to the top of the canopy is 1870 feet three
w inches. The Senate chamber is 112 feet
eal in length by eighty-two feet in width and
joy thirty feet in height. The supreme
ri court room was occupied by the Senate
fo, until December 1861 the court having
re previously occupied the room beneath,
now used as a law library. The Library
BI of Congress was burned by the British in
ca 1914, and was partially destroyed by an
je, accidental fire in 1851. The present cen
ter hall was finished in 1853, and the
E wing halls were finished in 1867.