The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-03-18
DOWN IN THE CRYPT.
One Of the Interesting Nooks In
the Capitol at Washington
How the Senate Chambers and the Halls
OF tho House of Representatives Are
Heated, Ventilated and Kept
Cool In Summer.
Especial Washington letter.

In his brightest days, when he was ed
itor of the Sunday Capital, Dom Piatt
always referred to the senate as the
fog bank and to the house of represen-
tatives as the cave of the winds. There
was great deal more truth than mere
sarcasm and wit in the epigrammafic
illusions Of the distinguished writer
1t was his intention to indicate in a
word the density of dignity in the SEN
ate chamber, and the laxity thereof In
the house of representatives where so
many windy wars occur. But, dur
ing the executive sessions of the SEN
ate, when all of the doors and air cham
bers are closed, that body becomes in
deed fog bank Of foul air and an I'M
wholesome place in which to spend
even an hour. II Is like being locked
up like o steamed oyster in q super
heated chest. The house OF representa-
tives, however. Is Q veritable cave Of
the winds, by reason OF the constant at
mospheric circulation and chanGjzg
temperature through that chamber
Not ono visitor out Of ten thousand
land probably not more than one or
two members Of the house of rcprescn.
tatives who sit there daily has any
idea or knowledge OF the great pneu-
matte laboratory which has been grad
ually built and brought to perfcc-
ton, away down In the sub-basement
Of the capitol building. have often
heard visitors wonder how it were pos
sible for people to live in the great
windowless hall, which is box-lilxe and
oppressive in its closed-up appearance.
AS a matter OF fact, the house of repre-
sentatives and the entire capitol may
be said to be the best ventilated public
building in the world.
Far down in the crypt of the build
Ing, where daylight never comes and
never can be expected to come. is the
Office of the chief engineer, a man who
has brought to perfection this pneu-
matte machinery and who presides over
its operations. To reach this office on
either the house or senate side of the
capitol, for they are both built alike,
one must pass through a small vacant
room in the basement stairway at the
western end OF the house of representa-
tives. There half spiral stairway en-
ables the visitor to descend into the
first Of series of chambers, which con-
sist of almost labyrinth Of vaults,
channels and air ducts, with occasional
rooms walled in for the use of engines
and Offices. Upon entering the room Of
the chief engineer. the unscientific Wis
itor is greeted with surprising variety
of automatic regulators, annunciators,
steam guages, whose sensitive con-
struction and infallible exactitude en-
able the engineer to know precisely
from every throb Of the engines the
proper measurement of temperature
and volume of air passing through the
channels as the result Of the revolu-
tions of the air fans; so that he can
supply almost the exact quantity of air,
even unto the fraction of a cubic inch,
required for the respiration Of each in
dividual occupant of the hall of repre-
sentatives.
The fan which draws in from the
outer regions fresh supplies of pxe
air. and forces the same through great
cavernous air ducts of the perfectly dry
sub basement, Is sixteen feet in diam.
eter and is kept revolving by the power
of steam engine of corresponding d.
ameter. strength and capacity. The
engineer says that this fan will supply
fifty thousand cubic feet of air
per minute and when it Is revolved to
the height Of its capacity it supplies a
hundred Thousand cubic feet of fresh