The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-21
UP IN THE BIG DOME.
the FAvoRIrE AMU3EMENT or Low
ERs IN WASHINGTON.


Sut the Walls Have Esrs, and Occasion
ally They Seem to Have Mouths-A
Climb That IL Bsset by DiniouItiss
Policemen and why They Arc There.
There Ia no elevator In the dome of tho
capitol, the outside and inside arc devoid
OF stairs, and visitors arc puzzled to know
now the people get to tho top Of tho dome.
IN tho little dark circular passage north OF
ehe rotunda, between the rotunda and tho
supreme court room, are two little swing
ing doors covered with grcon baize, look
ap9 very rusty, dirty and old small doors
which nobody would notice unless they
wefe pointed out by guide or some ono
familiar with tho capitol building. Who
swBr opens these doors, however, looks
upon a narrow stone landing from which
there leads circular, we'll worn stone
staircase, with iron railing, upward into
abe darkness Even when started mp here
Ay one Of the capitol guides, the visitor IL
GENERALLY puzzled very much to know
which way to 60. After climbing three
or four steep stairways one comes to
door which Is barred, and 20 much OF tho
climb has been for nothing. Retracing
ones steps half way down, swinging
the touch, and the visitor steps out into
the open air. Above and all around him
10 iron framework, while, after passing
along Q narrow portico, more winding
iron stairs are reached. by twists and
turns this leads up through the rough iron
braces among tho rsfters and then into
che dome itself. It has been estimated
that 500 people climb the dome every day
throuQhout the war
On some days there arc not less than
800 and occasionally there are a thousand
people going up by twos and threes and
sometimes In larger groups. Neither the
hot weather OF summer nor tho chilling
winds Of winter cap prevent the tourists,
male or female, from winding their labori-
'ous way up the narrow staircase, which
lends by these spiral twists through dark
passages, mysterious way into that mys.
1sa4eus eggshell. The people who have
heart disease, wooden legs, apoplexy or
who weigh over 400 pounds, especially fat
3smininity Of the ohapcron order, arc tho
only tourists who do not climb the dome.
They como from every state In the Union,
kron almost all conditions of life, from all
1stions, and their talking and laughing
make strange sounds, some Of them very
startling indeed 10 any quiet, thoughtful
person who asoends tho stairway for the
4sSs time.
Ehe only people who climb the dome
and do not get tired and complain Of 1t
Gor months afterward are the young lovers
or bridal couples. They take their time,
TOO, In summer and stop on every landing
10 whisper those things which nobody can
hear and yet which everybody knows by
heart. When these dearly beloved brothers
and sisters have reached the tiptop and
stand right close to the great painting go
feet In diameter and lean over the railing,
looking down at the pygmies traInping
about on the floor of the rotunda below,
they are occasionally startled by soft voices
of spirits In the air. Sometimes in their
most tender moments they are astonished
to be addressed by name in the most ia
miliar way by voice from one Of the allie
gorical pictures painted on the canopy
above them. The fact of the matter is
this great circular painting Is one Of the
fnest sound conductors In America and
makes an absolutely perfect whispering
gallery. A man sitting on the opposite
side Of the gallery can listen to the young
couples talking, billing and cooling and
mentioning people at home until he can
become sufficiently familiar with them
and their surroundings to almost scare
them out of their boots by some whispered
remark. Whatever Is said on one side Of
the painting Is carried right across and
sounds like q whisper In the ear Of the
person to whom 1t Is addressed.
On one occasion there was a young
couple hero from Fostoria, o., who re-
manned on one Of the seats In the airy gal
lery for an hour or more until the old man
who sells pictures up there learned their
entire family history. Finally he re-
marked: "Hello, Mr. Blank, how do you
do? Come up here on top Of this picture
and see me- We keep lunch up here for
all Ohio folks, especially for lovers from
Fostoria." The young man was fright
ened almost to death, but his girl actually
tainted in his arms The surprise was so
complete and overwhelming that the old
man did net dare to tell them anything
about 1t nor explain to them the whisper
gallery rs he used to do with visitors
after he had played with them.
In addition to the regular policemen
who patrol the main floor Of the capitol
building and who take note of the fact
every time any person or couples or groups
of people go up to the dome and when
they come down, there are three policemen
placed at intervals along the stairway
Wnlcn leauS I'd Jne uOI1e I'd prOUeCU VlSlb-
ors and see that nothing improper occurs.
These policemen have probably made no
arrests in the last go years, because their
presence prevents wrongdoing. Before the
stairway leading to the dome was properly
guarded by the policemen, however, a
great many purses and watches were
snatched and stolen from visitors The
principal duty of the policemen at present
Is to prevent visitors from defacing the
dome by writing their names upon 1t or
chipping Oft pieces to carry away with
them. The roof, you know, is uncovered,
and men used to sneak up and steal strips
of 1t, SO that it was really difficult to keep
the dome under cover. The policemen
have nothing to do but sit stiH and watch
the people and study the various phases
of humanity. One Of them Is quite an
elderly man, who has been on the landing
In the dome so long that nc has become
celebrated philosopher. He can tell many
odd stories about odd people and peculiar
characters who have passed I'm there, and
kInx toI thax, oa1r