The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-28
READY FOR CONGRESS.
BIG IMPROVEMENT MADE IN THE
SENATE CHAMBER.
Cappressmeu Can No Longer Spit In the
VentiIators, Unless They Crawl IN
der Their Desks.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Oct. H.-Spec.al.
Architect Clarke. OF the Capitol. has been
doing a great deal of work the last few
months, and, as consequence, the oid
members. when they come back to their
Iabors under the great dome. will be sur
prised at many of the changes that have
been made The old. inefficient gas ser
vice has been replaced by modern cleo
tric-lisht plant, and u better light VIII be
guaranteed 10 the members and senator's,
while the intense heat that characterized
the gas service will be remedied.
one OF the biggest pieces Of work In
connection with the installation of the
new electric plant was the placing IN
position Of the two engines and dynamos
i'm each wing. Either set of engines will
supply 500 iyteen-candle-powe electric
lamps. and are'so arranged that they can
be used INTERCHANGEABLE. in case Of ac-
cident TO either. as either set of engines
will carry the full service.
The most important work this plant will
have to do will be in replacing the gas
that formerly lighted the Senate ceiling
above the painted glass panels. Arc lights
will probably be used here. and the re-
lief from ;he intense heat VIII be a wei
come relief to all who will have TO re-
main in the Senate chamber for any
length of time while the Senate is in
session at night. The heat generated by
the gas above the transparent glass cell
ing of the Senate chamber was at times
so great as TO endanger the ceiling itself
a thermometer placed there having reg
istered over two hundred degrees OF heat
This not only sens.bly affected the tenn
perature OF the Senate chamber. but ne
cessitated the renewal every year Of the
metal skylight above. The arc lights that
viii probably be used are now being
tested by the architect. and II they are
all that they are claimed TO be. they
will be placed IN position before the a.
sembling of Congress. The chief point In
their favor is the claim that they will
burn for one hundred hours without need
ing attention.
one piece of work that viii greatly
add TO the comfort or the members OF
the House has been the renovation of the
ventilating apparatus, over which con-
siderable discussion was raised last year
All Of the ducts and conduits have been
cleaned out and wnitswashed. where pos
sible. In doing this work IL wos found
that the members were themselves re-
sponsible for the condition OF which they
complained. They had been using the
yentilators under the desks as cusp;dors,
and had so fouled the large ventilator
i'm front OF the Speakers desk that the
only wonder is that the nuisance was
not greater than II was. These air pas
sages were in most filthy state, and
the doors waited from them were or
most disgusting character.
4 number Of changes nave been
made in the manner of ventilating the
House. and the ventilators will be so
protected that the members cannot spit
I'm them unless they crawl under the
desks TO do So The engines in the base
ment have also been altered so as 10
give all the needed ventilation from every
part Of the House.
Colonel James u. Brady. in an inter-
view to-day, declares he is not a candi-
date for the craftsmanship or the Repub-
Iican State Committee. He says his law
practice in this city is taking all his
time.
Colonel Brady believes the sentiment
of the Republicans in Virginia is divided
between Reed and Mckinley.