The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-08-11
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
Proudly They Wave Over the Sem
ate Wing of the Capitol
A Talk with the Men Who Raise tho
Flag of Their Country Every Day
Congress Is In Session - Capt.
Clancey's Perilous Task.
Especial Washington letter.

Especial Washington letter.
To the right of the corridor, at the
head of the marble staircase, whose
wall is adorned by the celebrated paint
ing of the battle of Chepultepec, above
the western entrance to the senate wing
of the capitol, there is door the knob
of which is often tried by visitors, but
which never responds to their touch. 1t
is a mysterious marble and iron com
bination, and strangers wonder where
it leads to. Some of them even conjec-
ture whole dramas and tragedies in
which secret passages in the capitol
walls largely figure.
To-day, just few minutes before
twelve o'clock, saw man with a
great key approach that door, unlock
it, and disappear up dark, winding
iron staircase. Just couple of min
utes later, standing upon the floor of
the senate, and looking upwards at the
transparent roof l saw the figure of a
man walking in the sunlight dragging
body Of some kind after him. At
least such was the picture spread upon
the glass roof of the senate by the rays
of the monday sun.
l called the attention of venerable
Father Bassett to the shadows on the
roof, and he said: Il came here sixty
one years ago, and was appointed as
little page by Senator Daniel Webster.
At that time it was the custom to raise
the flag exactly when the senate was
called to order and to lower the emblem
when the senate adjourned. The Gus
tom is as old as the government and is
still maintained The shadows you OBJ
serve are made by the man and the flag.
AS the vice president calls the senate to
order, you will see, by the shadows on the
roof, that the flag is running up to the
peak. The deliberations of the United
States senate are always carried on be-
meath the starry emblem of liberty
The work of raising the flag is done
by Mr.. w. j. Reed, of the sergcant-at-
arms force. Let us accompany him on
one of his midday trips to the roof, and
see for ourselves the manner in which
the public is informed that the senate is
in session.
Opening the door, round which an air
of mystery has seemed to hang, we pass
into dark corridor, the great iron bar
rier to our freedom closing behind us
with snap not at all reassuring. Up
spiral fight of stairs we go, and with
few steps further in another direc-
ton, we are looking down from the
glass ceiling of the senate to the
floor below where the lawmakers are
already beginning to congregate
All around us are gas jets, but hap
PLY, the day being bright one,
they arc not lighted, and we do not feel
any great heat. This system of illumi-
nation by means of two layers of glass
with the gas between them is the most
perfect OF its kind in existence Passing
up slender ladder we are upon the
roof with the sun shining down upon
us and the thermometer at ninety de-
grees. From this point we obtain a
magnificent view of the surrounding
country. 1t is beautiful scene, green
walled by the hills of Maryland and
Virginia to the north, east and west;
while to the south the broad waters of
the historic Potomac glistcn in the
golden sunlight. Right above us rises
the flag staff to a height of twenty feet.
The ordinary flag, which is hoisted by
means of two sets of ropes, is twelve
by twenty feet, and requires handling
by strong man, especially in windy
weather.
"Now this is the way it is done,' says
Mr. Reed, getting the flag into posi-
ton where he can easily raise it, and
with his eye intcntlv fixed on the roof
of the state department building at the
other end of the city. THE inner rope
I use to keep the flag close to the pole
to prevent it's tapping, while with the
outer rope pull until the flag reaches
the top Of the staff As he speaks,
the great black ball on top of the state
department drops down out of sight,
and with couple of vigorous pulls, the
flag is brought into proper position.
Now all Washington knows that it is
twelve o'clock and that the senate is in
session. Simultaneously, the vice pres
ident, seated in his chair in the senate
far below, is saying those oft repeated
words 1.-THE senate will please be in
order"
Mr.. Reed has been hosting the flag
only since last January. but is thor
oughly in love with his work He
handles the flag as tenderly as though
it were an infant and takes great pride
in keeping it in good condition. Be-
sides this regular fair weather flag, he
has another and smaller one which he
uses in inclement weather. These flags
are laid away every evening, upon the
adjournment of the senate, in box
which has rested in this roof ever since
July, 1864.
The flag never floats except when
ator dies the flag is raised to half mast,
and so it remains until the burial.
When member of the house dies, the