The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-09
Eagle
COST OF THE CAPITOL.
IT FURNISHES A TEXT FOR A WASH
INGToN LETTER.
1T the Beginning the Government Was
Economical, Not to Say PenuriOus, but
in These Later Years the Money Is Used
with Much Greater Freedom.
Especial Correspondence

WIN VluCh Greater ITeeuOms
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Dec 29.-I have noticed as
the Capitol guides go about the national
state house with their clients they almost
invariably tell the cost of the articles to
which they call attention, and that when
they fail to do this the visitors are very
likely to ask Of this painting or that
statue, "And what did it cost" This
curiosity as to the cost of buildings, their
2dornmeuts and furnishings, is as univer-
sal as it is natural among people noted
more for their practical business sense
than for their art culture.
The founders of this city and the first
builders Of this Capitol never dreamed OF
the millions upon millions that would be
expended after they were dead and gone.
They began economically, almost penurl-
ously. The man who used his astrOnom-
ical instruments in setting the Capito!
foundations so that the building should
face precisely to the east, and whose genius
was shown in this and in the surveys Of
the city site-Andrew Ellicott-was paid
E5 day and expenses, and the authorities
finally demonstrated against the expenses,
and he agreed TO go on without theml
ANY one of a score Of clerks TO commit
tees that were never heard of outside the
Capitol, and whose existence is unknown
to many persons who are in the building
every day, draw as much pay as that, and
more. Why, when the authorities first
offered prize for the best design for a
Capitol of the United States, what do you
suppose it wasi Five hundred dollars and
building lot! And there was surprise
that among the dozens of designs sub
mitted there was not one worth using.
The site of the Capitol, considering what
a magnificent site it is-fs y-one and a half
acres on noble hill in the heart Of the city
did not cost much. 1t is generally be-
lieved the site has cost nothing; that it was
a part of the land reserved by the govern
ment when it created the Federal city.
But In site as well as In building our fore
fathers planned only for their own time,
and some twenty years ago Capitol park
was enlarged from twenty-five acres to its
present area at a cost Of 1856, 600. BY a lit
tie digging among the archives in the Office
of the architect Of the Capitol have dis
covered that the old Capitol, the Capitol
which the British found when they came
here IN 1914, had cost about s., 75O,0 Co.,
The part which his majestys soldiers, or
sion. DESTROYED with fire had cost $500, 900,
but was restored for 100000 But it was
thirteen years before the work was done,
and meanwhile congress met in an impro-
vised capitol a few squares away, put up
by the citizens Of Washington, who had
become alarmed at the talk of removing
the seat Of government to another city.
TIL lis temporary capitol still stands. Dur
i Il :. Ia
sIAd Wirz was executed within its walls;
Nov, remodeled into residences, it is the
home Of Justice Field, Senator Spooner and
other distinguished men.
( The statesmen of forty years ago did not
know what a large job they were under
taking when they started the senate and
house wings. The first estimate for these
nyw buildings was 81 675, 900 and five years.
time. Five years later the work was about
One-third finished, and the engineer in
charge called for another appropriation,
greater than the original estimate Two
million five hundred thousand dollars
aad been expended then, and he asked for
three millions more. 1t Is curious 10 note
Che cost Of some OF the materials used.
Massachusetts marble cost $3.50 a square
foot; Tennessee, Sc; Vermont green, s.;
Potomac Breccia, 81; Jevant, from Barbary,
S., and Italian statuary, IS Bricks, gen
orally brought from New Jersey or Penn
sylvania, cost from $3.50 to 1912 per thou
Sand, and the records show that it cost s.. 0S
per thousand 10 lay them. Instead Of five
years, sixteen years were consumed in the
erection Of the wings, and when the total
cost was figured up it was S, 000,0 instead
of 100000.
The fire in the library in 1851 narrowly
escaped destroying the old DOME and the
architect recommended the building of a
new one. Congress was very parsimonious,
however, and the manner in which $780,
GOO was obtained for this purpose is thus
described:
'Mr. Walter prepared plans for a com
plete extension of the CapiJol-new wings,
new dome, new marble front for the
middle building-and as he very well
knew that congress would never vote the
great sum required in the most economical
way-that is, in bulk-he first submitted
the wings. Next, as congress was about adj
iourning at the end of a session, and they
were all very merry at a night session
ladies on the floor and everything lively
the new dome was presented, splendidly
painted in a picture, and was adopted AZ
once
The first appropriation, 100000, was
barely sufficient to remove the old dome,
aud when the new dome was finished the
cost was found 10 have been 81, 2J0, 900. This
method Of bamboozling congress into
authorizing works by Understanding the
total cost, it being next 10 impossible 70
abandon a public enterprise once started,
appears 10 have been as well understood
and as skillfully practiced in the old days
AS il is in our time.
Uncle sam has spent a pretty bit Of
money for works Of art in and about the
CapitOl-how much no one viii ever know
precisely Greenough's colossal marble
statue Of Washington, which is crumbling
TO pieces so that il is deemed prudent 10
house II in every winter, cost 5000 This
statue stands directly east Of the main
portioo, snd on inaugural day have seen
a score OF boys sitting all over George
Washington-perched on his head, nest
ling between his legs. peeking from under
his arms-to see one Of his Successors take
the oath of Office. Near 10y Is a bronze
fountain, surrounded by flower Baskets,
lamp posts and lanterns, which cost SCI. goo
At the Pennsylvania avenue approach 10
the Capitol stands the naval statue. or
monument Of peace, which cost 81. 900.
Not far away Is the Garfield statue. which
cost $4,000. Within the grounds is Story's
statue Of Marshall, unveiled in 1854, and
costing $4,000.
About the Capitol itself the guide who
has his lesson well learned Is able to over
whelm his clients with figures concerning
the cost Of art works. lie points to the
huge group in the tympauum over tie
main portico and excla.ms, Genius Of
America, allegorical figures, = feet high.
designed by John Quincy Adams when sec
rotary of state, cost 81 500 lie pauses De-
fore the statues, which occupy inches on