The evening times., 1895-10-28

Electricity will supplant the old sys-
tenn of gas lighting now In vogue at the
| Capitol. Extensive improvements are now
being made, and hereafter the House and
Senate will receive their Illumination
from finely equipped electric plant which
has Just been installed.
This plant will consist OF two sets Of
engines In each wing of the Capitol, and
each set will consist OF two engines and
dynanios capable of furnishing 16, 900 in
candescent lights.
The system will be SO arranged that in
other can be switched in, and can be made
to keep alight all the lamps In the circuit
of the entire building.
The Introduction of electricity will do
away with the horrors of the old gas
lighting system formerly used in the House
and Senate.
CAUSED COLLARS TO WILT.
So poor and incomplete was this sys-
tenn that the heat generated above the
magnificent glass panels in the Senate
Chamber was great as to ruin every
year the glass and metal skylights in the
roof, necessitating its yearly renewal and
raising the temperature OF the chamber
TO an almost uncomfortable point.
Those who had to sit through the long
night sessions of the Senate during the
summer of 1894 remember with horror
the great waves of heat that used TO roll
down from the ceiling. causing wilted col
lars to grow more limp and spelling
effcctually the not 100 sweet tempers Of the
grave Senators in the chamber below.
All this will be changed, and, instead of
the hot and dangerous gas lights, large
arc lamps that will burn steadily without
needing attention for one hundred hours,
Will be substituted. The light Will not only
be brighter, but the comfort assured to the
Senators Will many times repay the outlay.
As a consequence Of the introduction Of
electric lights, the old gas pipes in the
dome will probably be removed. These
pipes have never been renewed since first
pat in place, and, as Il consequence. they
are badly rusted and leak in a manner
that piles up the gas bills of Uncle Sam
in a most frightful way.
The putting in OF electric wires will lead
to the removal of all these old pipes and
the danger that constantly threatened from
gas explosions In the dome will be removed.
AIR OF THE HOUSE.
rhe experts on ventilation have also
been at work. and, as a consequence OF
their labors, the air Of the House, which
that of the Senate, will be fit TO breathe
this session. The air conduits leading TO
the House have all been cleaned out and,
where possible, have been whitewashed.
In cleaning these ducts it was found that
the members had been in the habit of using
them as spittoons, and they We're filled
with filthy mass, that easily accounted
for the horrible odors that constantly filled
the hail during the day.
In order 10 protect the members of the
House from themselves, the duets have
been so arranged that il will be impossible
to spit in them without era Wing under the
desk. There are several members of the
House who will probably attempt this feat
however as they are men who would spit
tobacco on the golden streets of Paradise
II they could only get supply of the weed
nicotiana after passing the great river.
The Capitol besides these improvements,
has been put in shape for its tenants this
winter in other ways. The walls Of the
House and Senate have been tinted afresh
and new colors have taken the place or
the dingy old kalsomine in many OF the
committee rooms. The Capitol. in fact,
has undergone thorough cleaning at the
hands of Architect Clarke. who has gen |
eral supervision OF the building.