The morning times., 1895-07-21
Uncle Sans Dark Cave
Down Under fh6 Capit0l
Region of Perpetual Gas Light Where the Odds
and Ends are Stored and VentIatng
Machinery is Placed.

darkness of a series OF long Railways and
vaults, is another place of interest II is
known as the coil room. This is a pc
culia r-looking apartment with a small
lake in its center. Every breath OF air
that is sent flying into the chamber Of the
house has TO pass through this water after
having previously came through seven miles
of iron pipe. These pipes are filled with
cold water in summer and steam during the
winter months when the house is in session
BY this process the air is purified, besides
being either cooled or heated, according TO
the season. The pool or lake is employed
to moisten the air a fter 1t has passed through
the miles of iron pipe.
Each member receives a liberal supply
of this purified atmosphere. 1t circuIates
about the seat OF each through a per
forated brass contrivance
Next to the pool or lake room is an apart
ment where 1t rains perpetudlly. Showers
come down from the ceiling cooling the
air as ii is being dra wn through for use.
The drawing through process is the work
of Il huge fan sixteen feet in diameter in
the next chamber This instrument at
tracts the air and whrling it into a gale
sends $40 cubic feet Of the atmosphere
into the upper duct at every revolution The
observer has to hold his hat on while watch
ing this. As on the Senate side this air
comes through whitewashed duct. 800
feet long, with large fan wheels at its
inner terminus, which sucks in the atmos-
phere at great rate from the great gray
shaft in the park
THE GLOOMIEST PART.
The most gloomy part OF underground
Capitol is in the central portion OF the
building, away below the United States
Supreme Court. To reach this dark hole
OF Calcutta" it is necessary to descend a
number OF rickety stairs INTO a region
OF inky darkness. AS a match is struck
TO light a wall jet numbers Of gaunt rats
and mice scampcr Off causing a great
rustlng as they pass over the waste
paper. Here is also the abiding place
Of cOckroaChes and ugly 'thouEand-lcg
bugs" Everything thcreahouts bears the
Impress OF age. and the dust of scores of
years is settled upon everything. Leading
away from the central apartment are
numerous low vaults, built Of solid
masonry. They are as dark as Erebus and
the home of the lank Capitol rodents.
In some portions Of the reg ion OF darkness
beneath the Supreme Court are stored
the age-yellowed records OF the court
dating away back when this republic
was in its infancy, besides many hundred
volumes of ancient and forgotten lore,
The place is also filled with suggestions
OF hobgobblins and ghosts. The ventilat-
ing apparatus or the highest court IN the
land is not nearly so modern or perfect as
those OF the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives.
Along the west front of the Capitol,
beneath the terrace, there are 1900 feet
of space devoted TO the subterranean
rooms, vaults. and passageways. To fol-
low all OF the ramifications under the
Capitol one could travel several miles in
darkness or setni-gloom. In its entirety
it is an interesting place, fun of interest,
queer sounds, peculiar ucinatiOns,
tgI, md LtYrr .aSt f1-an