Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10
Thornton and Hallette, mus. be credited about

Thornton and Hallette. must be credited about
equally with the honor of drafting the plans
ior the American Capitol although. after all.
owing TO still further notifications subse-
fnenily made. the finally accepted plan. 70
quote the words Of Washington. was .'nobody's.
put compound of everybody's"
I.allette, however. was appointed to the ofi-
clal post Of architect of the Capitol In June,
1874, he was dismissed on account of a rupture
mat had occurred between him and james
hoban. the superintendent of public build
iESs. over a question of authorlty. He was
succeeded by George Hadfe.d. an Englishman.
who continued to hold the position until 1903.
when. like Hailettc. he was removed under
similar circumstances. to be succeeded In turn
by another Englishman. Benjamin Latrobe OF
PhIiadelphia, upon the appointment OF Presi-
dent Jefferson. He retired in 1917 on account
Of difficulties with President Monroe's commits
sloner OF public works.
ERECTION OF THE NORTH WING.
In July, 1875. the foundations of the north
and south wings were begun and, after many
tribulations and vexatious delays from the
careiessness OF contractors and stonemasons.
the walls of the north wing were raised in
March, 1857. to within ten feet OF their intended
height and in 1900 the present Supreme Court
room and law library room below were fitted IN
for the reception OF the Senate and House re-
spectively.
The old south wing walls were begun in 1903
Bricks for the interior walls were made upon
the ground For the outside and also for the
original pillars in the interior the freestone Of
the Aqua creek quarries vas chosen. being the
cheapest and most readily delivered. After
eight years of energetic labor both the old
north and south wings were finished in 1911. The
plans for the rutunda and central section were
about ready in 1912. when the preparations for
continuing the work were suddenly stopped by
the war with Great Britain and the work was
not resumed until the restoration of peace in
1915.
DESTROYED BY THE BRITISH.
Then, too, had tn be commenced the re-
building or what the British h.d earnestly en-
dcavored to destroy on August "a. 1914. after
the 'BladenSburg races as the battle at that
place has been facetiously called on account
OF the speed and agility displayed by the
American troops in their retreat The victors
had piled the rooms full OF cord wool desks
aud chairs and set FIRE to them after saturating
the wood with lufGmmable materials. But
as Providence willed it. The most important
parts OF ths Capitol escaped wholly uninjured.
The picturesque entrance to the House of
Representatives. the corn capitals of the
Senate vestibule, the great staircase and the
vaults OF the Senate chamber were COM
parativelv free from damage. Some OF the
committee rooms were no. even soiled. and in
general me woodwork burnt only in
patches.
The sandstone or freestone columns injured
by the fire were replaced by pillars OF beautiful
conglomerate marble. obtained from the brec-
cia beds in Frederick county. Nd. and in Lou
doun county. Va. and other details were
changed to give greater strength and durability
10 the structure. Stone and iron were substi-
tuted wherever possible for wood and brick.
THE CENTRAL BUILDING.
Charles Bl!t1uch OF Boston. who succeeded
Latrobe as architect. and served from 1917 to
1880. laid the foundations of the center building
on March "a. 1878. finished both the wings, COM
pleted the rotunda AID dome in accordance with
Latrobes plans, and intact perfected the whole
building. 1t remained unchanged as ne finished
1t In 1927. save for minor repairs from time to
time. until 1851, although the steady increase
III the number of states AID the consequent
growth in the num5er'of Senators and Repre-
sentatives admonished the nation that the old
quarters were fast becoming inadequate.
The first public record of proposition to
extend the Capitol hy means of new north and
south wings is found in letter of the late JEFF
ferson Davis, then n member of the Senate
committee on public buiidipgs, addressed to
Robert Wills, the artist and architect dated
April 3. 1850. In answer 70 this Mills favored
the proposed extension and submitted designs
Tor new wings and a new dome. Later in the
same year Congtess ordered the extensions to
he added, and at the beginning of 1851 Thomas
{. Walter OF Philadelphia vas chosen by Presi-
dent Fillmore the ARCHITECT. to control the
work. The extensions contemplated an addi-
ton OF 1877 feet at each end of the old building
with hexa style porticos on eacn wing OF pro-
portions corresponding TO the center building,
the materials to be of imperishable white mar
bic and the exterior of the Old freestone por-
ton 20 be painted to match the new wings in
appearance.
TIE NEW SOUTH WING.
Work was at once begun on the foundations.
and the corner stone of the new south wing
was laid by President Fillmore on July 4IS5l-
nearly f.ty-eisht years after the laying OF the
original corner stone. There grand
parade then, too, in which the National Blues.
the National Grays., the Walker Sharp
shooters" the Columbian Riffemen. veterans of
the revolution and veterans OF the war of 1872
divided the honors, besides a little crowd of old
folks who had been present at the corner stone
laying in 1888, host OF government officials
and . great body of Masons in full regaia.
After a saluta,ory by the Marine Band Archi-
tect. Walter deposited in the corner stone a
sealed jar containing parehments and coins,
newspapers OF the day and this manuscripts,
written In the autograph OF Daniel Webster:
''On he morning OF the irs. day Of the
Ixt of fplO 81