Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-02-15
Washington Correspondence.
CAPITOL NOTES.

wish to see the varied beauties of the
Capitol. The corridors are lined on
all sides with many famous paintings,
and statuary, of the finest marbles
the arched dome of the Rotunda is
frescoed, with original designs, repre-
senting the history of our country
not only the United Safes, but from
the discovery of America by Column
bus-the early settlements-the land
ing of the Pilgrims, the new Neither
lands, scenes from the Revolutionary
war-an mark our country as distinc-
tive - over all, the Eagle hovers,
holding in his talons, the cord binding
all States in one grand Union. In one
corridor the panels represent every
native bird, in another every animal
indigenous to the country - still
another is lined with the coat of arms >
of every state. The large painting,
| filling the entire wall over the landing
of broad stairway, $ Westward, Ho! :"
attracts a crowd, as it shows every
phase in western emigration in early
days. Life-siZed statues of Washing
ton, Lafayette, Patrick Henry, and
many other liberty giYers, in marble
and on convas, stir our souls to love
of country On the same floor with
the Senate Hall is the Library--a room
so inadequate for its possessions that
a new Library is in course of erection,
separate from the Capitol, and on the
east side; only the foundation is to
be seen, but rapid progress is an
ticipated, and from the architects
drawings exhibited in the present Lii
brary, the building will he magnificent,
and ample for the present and many
future years. Many rare old tones are
shown the visitor, by the librarian,
whose wonderful memory, as to the
location of every book, is courteousIy
at every ones disposal. From the
the south balcony Of the Library we
get splendid view of the Washington
Monument and the Botonical Gardens.
We go into the private room of the
President, where the appointments
are handsome and attractive, and in
| tended for the Presidents retiracv
when he visits the Senate and House.
The Vice Presidents private room is
on the same corridor, but has been
vacant, and kept under lock and KEY,
bricks, but through the courtesy of an
official, we were allowed to examine
the room. From here to Statuary
Hall, we slowly descend the stairway,
! critically observing every bronze up
right, supporting the fine bronze rail
| ing Of the baluSter, for no two bron-
yes are alike. "Statuary Hail." now
called, was formerly Representatives
Hall; but as state after state was ad-
mitted, this Hall became too small,
and the present Hall was added to the
Capitol. As you enter Statuary Hall.
it looks very large-the tesselated
floor and arched walls, give it the
appearance of size and chilliness-the
walls are lined with paintings and
statuarys while in several places were
small closets of wood, from where
came constant tic, tao Upon in
quiry, our curiosity was appeased, in
learning, that blocks of marble were
being clipped into the Iineaments of
some hero. \ few feet from the en-
| trance, advancing toward the center
Of the Hall, we paused to get good
view of 4 sne painting, which was
| hung very high, when from beneath our
feet, came very distinctly, Hello We
looked down for crevice in the floor.
when from the same locality the ques-
ton came, What time is it? Not
seeing any crevice, our first thought
was that ventriloquist must be in the
Hall, throwing his voice III our direc-
ton, but the laughing faces around us
persuaded us that we must be the vie
tim of "a SELL" and we found we
were standing on the Echo stone
where some acoustical freak, echoes
every thing said in the Hall In the.
center of the room, is the keystone of
the marble pavement, and singularly,
this block of MARBLE when struck,
gives out very different sound from
any other blCCk in the tloor-a strange
dull thud; and this, with the echo
stone, makes the Hall seem quite
haunted with the ghosts of departed
members
We take the elevator, and descend in
to the basement rooms to see the vast
heating apparatus for warming the
building and the immense fans, con
stantly revolving to keep the air pure.
Large streams of water, for the steam
power are on every side, and many
rooms for the engineers and their as
sistants, in charge of the complicated
machinery. Here is stored all the
waste printed matter, discarded from
different departments, and you can
wander for long time in the crook
ed WAYS of the basement floor.