The evening times., 1896-06-03
lhC LIGHTS IN THE DOME
Electricity Will Soon Replace Gas
in The Capitol.
CONGRESS HAS AGREED TO IT
Changes VIII Be Made During the
Recess-wOrk to Commence IM-
mediately After July 1-PlaHs
Which VIII he Folio lowed-GrOunds
to he Brilliantly Illuminated.

Congress will be welcomed by an illu-
minauon when it returns in December.
One of the Senate amendments agreed to
in conference Oh Jne suii,.fy civii Oiii was
an appropriation for lighting the Capitol
GROUNDS by eeclricity. Tue worK VIA ne
begun Immediately after the adjournment
OF Congress ana t,ie gas Ignt Viii reiuain
in the land OF shade.
An Improvement i'll the lighting of the
Capitol grounds has been urged for years.
Tue first Question asked ny the Visitor
is about the miserable lighting and for
years the darkness of the grounds has been
considered ny police oIIIcia.S as one oI Tue
dangers of the Capital City. But all this
is 10 go now ana the brightness OF The
electric lights will be one of the most
popular reforms OF Jue present Congress
On every gas post now erected in the
grounds is 10 be paced an incandes cent
arc light. 1t is estimated that on the
terraces and III the grounds there win he
at least 125 arc lights. 1t will make the
grounds five times lighter than they now
are. Five thousand ca ndie powerlights will
be given then where there is only one thou
sand now.
IN THE DOME.
The greatest improvement will be made
in the dome. AT present. the thoius, or
part OF the dome Immediately under the
Goddess of Liberty, is lighted bya spiral
of gas jets. In place of these there will be
four or five arc lights Behind each will
be reflector and the light will be almost
as strong as 4 search light. The beams Will
spread far over the city and do own the river
Instead, too, of man painfully climbing
upint the dome with a torch, as now, it will
be lighted by the turning on OF a switch.
A number of Representatives are aDN-
ious that the outside OF the dome should be
covered with various cOlored electric
globes This is under advisenient now.
Anyhow il is expected that the windows
in the covered part OF the dome will be pro-
vided with lamps and it will be possible TO
make the entire dome u blaze of bril-
liancy.
The east front of the building will re-
celye especial attcn tion. Just back of
the Washington monument, looking east
from the Capitol, are four handsome lamp
posts. On these will be placed arc lights
in opal globes. The Curving rows of gas
lamps on each side will be replaced with
arc lights and all the steps leading up to
the Capitol will be treated in the same
manner. Under this light the east front
OF the Capitol will show up each night as
If IL were snow palace.
The west front will be literally pro-
vided with lights. The wide walks will l..
lined. as well as the stairs. But the ef-
feet wiil not be so good as on the east
front. All will be arranged so that on
pa rticular occasions the entire grounds
can be made almost as light as day.
THE INTERIOR LIGHTING.
The interior of the Capitol will also be
strung with wires. Gas pipes will be taken
out OF all portions OF the building cx-
ccpt the ceilings of the two chambers.
lncaDdesccnt lights will be used in the
future, but gas Will be kept in reserve
All tie corridors will be lighted by cleo
tricity, the present cluster system being
followed. Then the Capitol, as far as the
system of lighting is concerned, will be
an up to-datc building.
The contract for the work will be let
as soon as possible after the lst OF July.
The contractor will be required to finish his
work hy the middle OF November so as to
give the Capitol electricians a chance to
test the plant. Only in the northeast sec
ton OF the grounds will there be much
tearing up. on the west side the air
ducts, leading from the center OF the
grounds, Will be used for distributing con-
duits. IL is expected that permission will
be given 10 use the tunnel leading to the
new library building for the same purpose,
thus making it unnecessary to dig up the
grounds in the northeast section for any
large conduits.
An additional dynamo and engine capable
OF producing $500 lights will be placed on
the Senate side. All the dynamos are 50
arranged that they can be thrown into
one plant, can be worked as two plants, OF
can he used separately. 1t will be one OF
the most complete lighting plants in the
world. The present idea is 10 illuminate
the Capitol and grounds the first night
Of the coming session and let Congressman
see what they have done.