River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-05-07

ton; for there may be houses in other
towns than Garwood where whitewash
may be needed, and whitewash is
cheaper than paint everywhere.
In the first place let it be understood
that 1t is erroneous to suppose that
whitewash is used for beautifying the
public buildings in the national capital.
The greatest piece of architecture in
this country, and probably the most
perfect specimen of architectural skill
H. the world. is the capitol building i'm
this city. The original building was
made of Maryland sandstone, and was
brought here from quarries in the state
of Maryland. 1t is surmounted by
dome of iron, upon the apex of which
stands the bronze statue of the Goddess
of Liberty.
The original sandstone building IL
painted white. and the iron work of the
dome is painted white. 1t takes thou
sands of gallons of white paint to keep
the original part of the capitol building
white and clean.
On the north of this original building
Is the senate wing of the building. and
to the south is the house wing. The
senate meets in the north wing. and the
house of representatives meets in the
south wing. These parts of the capitol
building were not completed until 1864,
and they are of white marble. No paint
is ever required on these new portions
of the building.
Whitewash is used deliberately down
In the basement and sub-basement of
the capitol building. but il is used for
the purpose of cleansing and purifying
the damp part of the building. There
is nothing better than lime for close at
mospheres; and, i'm spite OF me excel
lent ventilation of the big edifice, the
foundations and endorsements are
damp and would become disagreeable
and dangerous but for the precautions
taken. Whitewash is used there, but
not for the purposes indicated in the
letter from my unknown friend in Gar
wood.
The new congressional library build
ing which is approaching completion is
of white marble, and its exterior is
beautifully pure and almost dazzingly
white. The large dome is gild ID with
pure gold. The exact cost has not
been made public, but have been told
that upwards of $4,000 have been
spent for gold leaf to cover that dome.
In the cellar and sub-basement of that
building whitewash has been used for
purposes of publication of the atmos-
phere. II may be said that in the low
er portions of all the public buildings
whitewash is used; and il is prepared
Just us your own whitewash is prepared
at home. Moreover, it is applied with
a fiat brush on long pole, just as IL
Is applied in your own neighborhood.
The recipe is no secret.
There is considerable whitewosh
used in the treasury department base
ment. There are hundreds of millions
of dollars in gold, silver and bonds, and
other securities of the government,
down under the ground. and the vaults
are kept as dry as possible. The white
washing process there is necessary;
more necessary than in any other pub
tic building. People who have had OPP
portunity TO go to the vaults TO witness
the money counting, the money num-
boring and the destruction of the can
celed notes and greenbacks. have seen
the whitewashed walls cleaning in the
electric lights. The stone walls are
from two 10 five feet thick. The circu.
lar stairways are stone. The flooring
is of stone. Every thing is substantial
and perfectly secure. Air is pumped
through the corridors by powerful en-
gines and every scientific preca ution is
taken to prevent stagnation of the at
mosphere. Nevertheless the Damp
ness of the earth penetrates the stone
and affects the cement. and IL IL were
not for the lime used the air would be-
come heavy and disease-laden. So you
see that whitewash in Washington is
not used for the purpose of giving such
effects as are produced in churches and
public halls: but rather because of Its
usefulness in sanitation. Lime is ma
lures disinfectant. and il is best
handled in the form of whitewash.
Recurring to the capitol building. il
may he interesting TO note the fact that
in the senate and house wings of the
capitol large engines are kept in mo-
tion 20 hours each day, pumping air
into the great ediiice in order to keep
every corridor and committee room
well supplied with pure, wholesc ne out
door air. On the west side of the build
ing there are two circular brown stone
towers which people look at and make
inquiry about. They are about 20 feet
high and seem to have no practical bust
ness there. Hundreds of visitors have
looked mt them and wondered why such
towers should be built in the capitol
grounds. They are artistic, 1t rs true,
but thsy have no doors. no windows