Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-06-16
BENEATH THE CAPITOL.
TOUR OF THE suBTERRANEAN
PASSAGES.
The Creipt Which Was Bull. For WASH
inston's Dust-Miics of Iron Pipes
and the Great ventilatin.
Apparatus.


depths and subtcrraneous ramitications
OF the vast region beneath the great
white Capitol building as a Washing
ton Post reporter did is in some re-
spects like entering the immense IN
derground caves pictured IN the fiction
OF the ancients. The average visitor
in passing over the tiled floors of the
portion OF the capitol has
little conception of the vastness of the
region OF perpetual gaslight below and
the many Interesting sights to be seen
down there.
The reporter entered the central
portion OF the section under the new
terraces on the senate side and pro
ceeded first up two flights OF dusty ana
age-worn stairs to small apartment
directly under the crypt which has
an interesting history. The little room
was cleanly whitewashed and in its
center was a large catafaique. or flu
neral bier covered with black broad
cloth in striking contrast with the
snowy white walls and ceiling.
There We're three deep old fashioned
alcoves and the single gas Jet flick
cred and tluttered in the draught cau,-
ing ghostly shadows to lit about the
weird apartment while mustr odor
filled the atmosphere. This IS the
chamber in which it was proposed by
congress many years ago to place the
remains OF George Washington and
keep him forever lying in state. The
opposition OF his family prevented the
consummation OF this ard the Father
OF His Country was Inferred at his
tsric Mount Vernon. AT the time the
sepulcher was selected for General
Washington's body congress, also by
act appointed keeper of the vault
and it is related that he drew his sal
AIRY regularly for several years with.
out rendering any service therefor I'M
til the act was repealed.
The black covered catafalque is
taken up into the rotunda and used on
the occasion of the death of any great
.tate upon i. were Presidents Lincoln
and Garfield, Senator's sumner. Logan
and Others.
Along the west front of the capitol
beneath the terrace there are over
l. 300 feet OF space devoted TO sub
terranean rooms, vaults, and passage
ways In these are stored hundreds
OF thousands OF public books and
documents. On the senate side alone
3 oo0 feet Of steam pipe are employed
to keep out the dampness and con
sequent mildew.
AT the extreme north of the terrace
is the entrance TO the senate engine
room and elevator, the whilaing and
whirring sounds produced by the
machinery causing strange and ghost
ly echoes to fill the dimly-iighte
region. Near the central portion is
the OFFICIAL reporters file room which
has been made as dry as chip by
means of steam coils and rapidly
revolving fan
Al the air duct near by is a great
fan nj work drawing fresh air through
the duct from the great gray shaft in
the ground and forcing it into the
! Senate chamber. The curved APP
proach TO the lower duct is Il queer
looking place. resembling IA minia-
lure Niagara Falls in concrete.
Further along are the dynamo-rooms
filled with whining sounds and
flashes OF many colored iights and
reminding one of the regions Internal.
In that portion devoted to the COM
mittee- rooms of the Senate an ingen
ious contrivance"is employed to show
the circulation of fresh air therein.
Feathers are suspended high up on
the walls in front o. the ventilatine
ilues and their iuttering in the
| artificial breeZes indicates the regu-
l;uitY Or irreSular.ty and force OF the
| ventilation
Passing over to the house side. the
darkness deepens ard one has to al.
most grope his way along under the
/! great brick archways After passing
| the House engine rooms and the grea'
air duet you come to the coil room
queer looking apartment for heating
| the house OF representatives and puri-
flying the air which is forced into the
chamber. Although the coil room
is small apartment 1t contains sever
miles OF steam pipe through which the
air passes. In the summer these
pipes are filled with cold water TO coo.
the atmosphere above and during the
winter they are heated by steam.
The air Is moistened in the ad Join
ing cooperating room or mixing
| chamber where the cold. the dry
and damp moisture are all mixed be
fore being forced into the chamber O
the house where it passes around the
seat Of each member through perfor
ated brass. The mixing chamber was
filled with great clouds OF steam
which arose from heated pool on the
floor, through which all the air passes
In warm weather this chamber has al
arrangement which causes water t.
fall from overhead like a perpetua
shower and the air. coming in con
tact Herewith. is made cool and re
freshing.
Near this apartment is hugh fan
sixteen feet in diameter revolving
rapidly and producing what resemblet
a stiff sea breeze. This fan throw
$40 cubic feet of air into the uppe
| duct at every revolution. This air i