Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-12-04
miscellaneous.
THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

| N'""' VIZ V"o""JsVW cUHtHy uu~6tC,
When the cornerstone of the Capitol
was laid in 1903, President George
Washington and other celebrities par
ticipating, they little dreamed at the
time or had but faint conception how
soon, if ever, that its dimensions would
have to be enlarged, or how soon it
would be found Inadequate to the lcgis-
lativc purposes for which it was intend
ed. The cornerstone was laid in the
southwest corner of the original build
ing, and the north wing was finished in
1SO0-the south wing in 1871. In
August, 1914, the British destroyed the
interior of both wings, but it was immo-
dlately repaired. In 1918 the CEN
trail portion was commenced, and in 1927
the building was finally complcted--tho
cost being 81, 433, S44 10.
Not quarter of a century elapsed
before the cornerstone of the "exten-
sion" was laid, which happened July
4th, 1S5l-President Fillmore perform
ing the ceremony and Daniel Webster
officiating as the orator of the day.
The Senate extension was first com
pleted, both House and Senate being
finished in 1867. And in the past few
years, though no more extensions arc
being made above the basement, in
creased accommodations have been found
necessary, considerable undermining and
extensive additions at the basement and
cellar wings for the purpose of building
walls and rooms have been done, and
more rooms given for the benefit of the
committees of both Houses.
The dome of the original central build
ing was constructed Of wood but was re-
moved in 1856 to be replaced by the
present stupendous structure Of cast iron,
which was completed in 1865 The en-
tire weight of iron used is 5000, 200
pounds.
The main building is three hundred
and fifty-two feet four inches long in
front and one hundred and twcnty-one
feet six inches deep, with portico one
hundred and sixty feet wide, of twenty
four columns on the east, and projcc-
ton of eighty-three feet on the west,
embracing recess portico Of ten coupled
t .In mnrti ond aon,h nnd. "s H. a'Du 800
I";,d;aa I'll " oou"aa,;n - o s
~ Co." g. W IT," l.. Gc,s ~; Co., -; ~
fanked by columns. Each extension is
one hundred and forty. two feet eight
I; o o;aL, eea. ~ 49, LUZ ' Iu
ILL., " IS 49,, .,un o",.', ao'p' %'Sn
po...'oa s ~ ~" So9, WV ~ ';,h eao ,; ~
'9o. 'a a,'. ,ion'', I'M aHu WY" poi'oos
~ .en oo,unus VI '"V, ~. 'nus anu On
.s0'' "0I a'';,i, ,'o'.' ao ons''o ,9"ssI
81 &c, 'no v sn. a NV" "I" ,a auu
my ,onJ '0eS ioIi ,"'"eo, anu .n9 e.oaS
%. uop'I l ,'us PO.s'So' "ra 'teP''
,T 'n,oo "unu,oJ i anu s"oay 'I t.,, nv.
w afva oVfe'sa y a ,aa . ,i pu,iain
- one nuuIrcu uau u,'y -'nreo 'noa a
oh9 T, n anu swcIve square 'e 81
nc oc'1o 70 cro"hoa y p T
STATUE o, riecuc", 'noueicu ny oraw-
,ora' wnion - nineteen ',e' COZ OK lnoncS
n,gh, ahu "n,on "o'spS 1000 PounuS'
!, = nc ne'Sn' oi 'nc domc ABOVE Tue ousc,
llne Oh .ne IRON. Is .w9 nuaarea anu
elghty-seVen lecs nye 'pcnes INC ne'ght
rom inc top 0, INC 1aiust'adc OF inc
cuiiolpe 10 TWO nupufeu ana seventeen
icct eieVen ihTncs apa sno creates,
diameter AZ she pase Is one nuhored ana
'n, T zee. NY 'ncnes.
ihc roslnua % n'no!y-hye leee SIX
incneS III uia'nc.cr' ana i'S hcignt rom
inc moo, 70 ,no .1p oi inc canopy 10 one
hundred ana olgh'y ice' threc incncs.
Inc senate onaInDor - one nundred
ana thirteen 'ce' thrce inchcs N icngtn'
by e,ghty iees .nree incheS 10 w'dtn'
ana thlrty-slx ioe' u ae'sht. Tvs gal,
lerieS WIN accommodate one 'nousand
persons,
Inc representatives nan 10 one nun
drcd and lbIr'y-nino ieet IN length, ny
plnety-tnree ieet IN wiath' ana thirty-
SIX leet 10 neIsht
Inc supreme court room was oecu-
pied by inc senate until December,