Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-01
CHANGES At THE CAPITOL.
Ola Basement Omces and Library
Converted Into Com nnftfee-R0Ons.

Old Basement Omces and Library
Converted Into Committee-Roonas.
The General Assembly OF 1ss5-1S9s Is to
be blessed with one convenience which
has long been needed by the Legislature
Of Virginia. All the places for the holding
of committee meetings will be under the
roof Of the Capitol building.
The Legislature at III last session adopt
ed q resolution providing for a number Of
improvements and changes as soon as
the basement offices and the state
Library should have been ..aoved
out and into the new library,
and appropriated $1,000 to pay for the
work. The changes were placed In the
charge of a special committee, consisting
of the Lieutenant-Governor, the Speaker
OF the House Of Delegates, Senator VIII
liam Lovenstein, and Delegates John b..
HARDWOOD and ]. Aston Cabell The sum
allowed was insufficient, as was contended
by Senator Lovenstein 1t would be. when
the matter was discussed In the Senate.
The removal Of the offices was closely
followed by a general tearing up Of the
basement, and conversion OF the former
quarters of the Auditor Of Public Ac-
counts and the Treasurer into committee
rooms There were some alterations In
the Register of the Land Office, where
an additional committee-room has been
provided. After the original plans had
been agreed upon It was found necessary
to made accommodations in the base
ment for the Superintendent OF Public
Printing, and that official has been given
very nice apartments, with room. also.
for one Of the committees. as ~.
The old ONCE of the Second Auditor
al Nd rofffod ard Riupn
the Virginia Historical Society, which or
ganization had previously occupied
room on the fourth floor between the
offices Of the Governor and the Secretary
of the Commonwealth Thit latter room
was fixed up as an Office for the private
secretary of the Governor.
The large room on the south side OF
the fourth floor Of the building, which
was for SO many years the home Of the
State Library. has been conformed into
five very nice committee-rooms. well
lighted and ventilated. The large new
committee-room. forming an entrance to
the Office of the Secretary Of the Com
monwealth, was formerly the eastern wing
of the Library. This department is also
to be used by the Secretary for the
storage of part Of the books OF his
office. On the main floor OF the Capitol
the room which was used as an enrolling
office has been fixed up as private
Office for the Clerk to the Senate. another
room having been assigned to Colonel
Bigger for the enroIlers, committee clerks,
etc In many places the flooring has been
renewed and the walls improved, and
there Is an air of newness about the en-
tire building.
The work will be completed In a Few
DAYS. and will be q source OF great con-
venience to the members Of the Legisla-
ture, and considerable economy TO the
State, as many of the committee-rooms
have heretofore had to be rented outside
the Capitol. The committee In charge
decided not to assign the rooms to the
various committees of the General Assem-
bly,, preferring to leave this matter to
such committee as the Legislature
might choose to appoint.
All the newly-provided rooms either
have been or will be furnished with tables.
chairs, carpets, and record-cases. 1t will
also be necessary for the Legislature to
make an additional appropriation Of about
81. 600 to cover the difference between the
sum allowed and the cost Of the work.
These improvements have been made by
Mr.. II. L. Carter. almost entirely under
the SUP ,rvislon of the local members OF
the committee. as the Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor wrote here that he would not be
able to attend the sessions, and Speaker
Ryan could only be here once.