The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-06-18
ON THE CAPITOL DOME.
Storm Described by a Recent Visitor
to Washington.

BROOKLYN
LAS it was my first visit to Wash
lngton, the Capitol, with Congress
in session, W as the first attraction.
There, after visit to the Senate and
House, the Library and Supreme
Court rooms, l made by way to the
dome for first impression of the
beautiful city. The glories of the Wis
ion from that heigh tonlY those know
who have stood on a fair spring day.
AS you encircle the dome you find
the Capital to be the center of broad
shady avenues, converging from all
points of the compass. If not paved
with gold, they are, as least, quite
as ideally smooth, and the prancing
horses, the great coaches, the street
cars, and gliding bicycles. pass
in a silent panorama far below you,
To the south and west are the park
ways called the mall, in which is the
Smithsonian Institution, and at the
other end the majestic Washington
monument, giant towering above
all else, as was he to whom the pile
was raised as a fitting monument
This monuments at or within few
yards Of the exact center of the orr
ginal District Of Columbia, While
viewing all this and with the beauti-
fui Potomac IN the distance, slight
cloud was observable in the south
western horizon. Lingering a little
time to drink in the fascinating
scene, it was soon evident that it was
questionable whether one could
reach Kendall Green, my destination
without encOuntering something of
a storm.
''In a moment more wonderful
scene burst upon the view, far over
Arlington, beyond the woodlands
in Virginia. 1t seemed as if 81
gantIc battle were raging just be-
yond the Virginia shores. Clouds
of rising dust seemed like the battle
fields, the lightning in the depths of
the storm were like the flash of
hundred cannon, the distant thun-
ders like the battle roar. The
scene was too fascinating for me to
think of rctreating before the ap-
preaching hurricane. There were
those on the dome with me who cx-
claimed, st. Louis cyclone and
fled, taking their flight headlong
down the dark stairways within.
But, if it were a cyclone, where could
one be safer than within the giant
arms Of steel which support that
great dome? On the storm came,
Suddenly Arlington and all beyond
were totally hidden from view in the
cloud Of dust, flying leaves and
small branches torn from the trees.
1.-The storm seemed fairly, to,
plunge down the placid Potomac.
In the pathway of the storm the
river seemed to turn black with
rage, then was lost in the confused
mass Of storm, while on either side
of the storms path the river was
still calm, rejecting its silyery light.
In another instant the whole water
front of the city was the scene of
some awful attack. On the right,
as the eye followed down in the gen.
eral direction over Pennsylvania
avenve, the dust shot forth from
the west in northerly direction,
while on the north side Of the storm
path another enormous tusk of dust
shot forth IN southerly direction.
1t was no longer q battle scene, but
rather that Of some monster hidden
within the cloud, which his OVID
terrible motion had created, plung-
ing down upon the city, to gore it
with those giant tusks and trample
it in his fury
1.-The old domekeeper and two or
three of us faced the awful sight as
long as we possibly could, then re-
treated before the binding dust to
the doorway of the dome. There
we held our ground throughout the
whole of the terrific scene. The
dome seemed transformed into
great boiler room, the wind was as
escaping steam whistling about orr
ears. The streets below were the
scene Of the widest confusion; work
mems coats went flying down the
avenues, hats and umbrellas were
lifted high into the air, cabs were
turned about, horses took fright, |
awnings were torn loose-and then
all was darkness-the cloud of dust
was so dense that the beautiful city
at our feet was totally obscured.
We could hear the crash of breaking
trees and hear the shouts of horse
men; then the drenching rainfall
drove us within the dome. When
we descended we discovered how
Soiled were our clothes, how thick
our hair and how dim were
our eyes from the cloud of dust
which had been raised to the lofty
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