The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-05
Especial Correspondence;

MODEL. OF THE GODDESS.
come dull'and irksome, the great struc-
ture itself appears to possess new charms
with every passing day. To the visitor
who has never been down in the lower
regions of the capitol would suggest a
journey thi;hcr at the first opportunity.
You will BIZ surprised at the things you
find there. You will not expect to en-
counter steam boilers and engines big
enough for IL great factory, nor will YOU
think of coming upon a burial vault I'M
der the very center of the rotunda.
Scores Upon Scores OF Rooms.
Suppose you go down first from the
senate side An elevator will show YOU
the way, which you could never find by
yourself. At the bottom you will find n
sub-bascmcnt, largely filled with ma
chlncry. Hero arc elegant bathrooms
for the use Of senators; also storerooms
filled with tons upon tons of public doc
uments, which are rotting away. There
are steam boilers and engines, electric
lighting machines and part of the clab-
crate system of heating with which the
senate wing of the capitol is provided.
Still lower down is the floor of the ter
race. Underneath the handsome mar.
bic structure which surrounds the capi.
toll, save its eastern side, and which was
erected purely for architectural effect.
arc scores upon scores of rooms, many of
them used by committees or as the indi-
vidual private rooms of senators. Others
have various uses. You will be amazed
at the number of things that have to be
done for the senate There is n carmen
far- oh ~.
binders outfit for repairing books and
files without sending them out of the
building, machine shop and several
rooms filled with archives One room
down there is never opened to the pub.
lie, and its contents are guarded with
much mysterious secrecy. 1t is said ia
contain Il large supply OF fine vines and
liquors, the residue of outfits provided
for various funeral parties of the past.
1t is the property of The government and
may be used, wholly or in part, when
ever another senator dies and a biz and
jolly committee is sent across country
with his remains.
Pumping Fresh Air.
Under the terrace there is still another
large engine and boiler room One won.
NCiS W isio litth lllC y l1llct OllttS SENATE
has for SO much power. But when yon
consider that it must have heat from
steam, power for the elevators, electric
lights, and that the luxurious body has
constant stream Of fresh air pumped
into its chamber, this hi. being warmed
in winter by passing through coils of
steampipeS and cooled in summer by
passing over large masses of ice, it is easy
to understand why so many boilers are
required that this part of the terrace
looks like tho hold of transatlantic
steamer.
For the convenience of visitors who
wish to see just how the fresh air is
pumped into the senate pcephole has
been cut AS you walk through the cor
ridor of the terrace you perceive a small
glass window, and looking through this
you observe II huge fan driven at a high
speed. 1t is poised over the top end of
brick tunnel which runs out into Capitol
park and there energies in the little stone
tower which you see in the grounds
The fan pumps the fresh mir through this
tunnel and forces itinto the senate cham
Der, where it comes up warmed in win
ter or cooled in summer from gratings
placed under the desks of senator's.
Things Run on Forever.
Under the house wing of the capitol is
another array Of boilers and engines. In
room which is grated off like bank
vault, and wherein there must be about
q hundred bushels of dust, are files of the
old archives of congress. invaluable,
though not very interesting A gas Jet
is always kept burning in the vault, but
no one ever enters it. Not far away in
one of the long. low corridors of the sub.
basement stands figure which every
American takes more or less of patr
otto interest in. 1t is Liberty Enlight
ening the World" This is the model
which was sent to congress when an eff
fort was being made to induce that body
to appropriate funds for the erection OF
the pedestal on Bedloe's island. New
York harbor. When the model was first
GENT here IN elactric LIGHT ,voS p,,+ -, ~.