Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-11-21
WASHINGTON.
Public improvements and Public
Buildings---The Soldiers Home.

OuiAuinSS---Auoo Olu1eIS home,
To the Standard;
When Congress convenes and the
members who have been absent from
Washington during the summer re-
turn, they will doubtless be surprised
at the change which has taken place
both upon the interior and the sur
roundings of the Capitol. Congress
at its last session made a very liberal
appropriation to be used in the con-
struction of marble terraces at the end
of the building, and for commencing
work upon the grand stair case at the
west front. Work was commenced
in March and has been continued
without intermission during the en-
tire season. The terraces are being
built of white marble, and will be
about fifteen feet in height, surmount-
ed by substantial marble railing,
and when completed will add greatly
to the appearance of the building, as
seen from the west front. The ter
race upon the north end is nearly
finished, while work upon that of the
south end is well under way, and
ground has been broken upon the site
of the staircase. The interior of the
building has been thoroughly removal
ted, and many of the rooms have
been reprinted and frescoed.
AS the season is drawing to a close
the contractors in charge of work
upon various government buildings
in course Of construction are availing
themselves Of the advantages afford
ed by the fine autumnal weather, and
work is being pushed rapidly for
ward.
The new State, War and Navy De-
partment building, the cornerstone of
which was laid in March, 1872, is
rapidly approaching completion.
With the exception Of short delays
occasioned by lack of granite in suffi-
cient quantities to keep the workmen
busy, the work has progressed steadi-
ly sinceits commencement. The south
wing was completed in 1875, and was
at once occupied by the officials of the
State Department. When the east
wing was finished it was occupied by
the Navy Department, as was also
the north wing by the War Depart
ment, when two years later it was de-
clared ready for occupancy. When
completed the building will have cost
a very large sum, the appropriations
toward it having already amounted
to several millions of dollars. The
building is 12S feet in height, 342 feet
in width and 5G7 feet in length. The
basement and lower portion has been
constructed of granite from Fox
Island, Maine, while the superstruc-
ture is of granite from quarries upon
the James river, six miles above
Richmond, Va. When finished il
will without doubt be thehandsomest
official building in the world.
: An effort is being made by the War
Department to have the various mill
tary companies of the District organ.
lied into one command. There are
eight distinct military companies
here, four of which are white and the
Others colored, and the difficulty met
with is due mainly to the fact that
the white and colored soldiers do not
work well together. The colored
companies are as much opposed tc
the proposed consolidation as are the
white organizations.
Serious charges have been preferred
against the management of the train
ing school of the Signal Corps at Fort
Myer, and an investigation has been
ordered, which may result in the
abolition of the station, or in the
transfer of its management from the
War to the civil authorities.
: The annual report of the Board Of
Commissioners of the Soldiers Home
has just been given to the public
According to thereport there has beer
a greatincrease Ofdrunkenness among
the inmates during the year, the
cause of which is said to be due to the
existing law for the disposition o
pension money of inmates. About
$1O,O is paid quarterly to the treas
urer of the Home, from which the
pensioners are permitted to draw
small sums from time to time. Mucl
of the money thus drawn finds it
way into the grog-shops in the vicini
ity of the Home. Such is the law a,