The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-10-07


The National Capitol. the cornerstone O
which was laid with Masonic rites AM
festive parade by President Washington
Sept. Is 1893, was slowly constructed. Ma
terials were hard TO get and the work would
have been stopped entirely had not Virgins
and MARYLAND advanced the necessary fund
that Congress refused to appropriate. B,
October, 1850, the work had progressed so IA
that Congress came from Philadelphia ant
took possession.
The north wing of the main building nov
devoted to the Supreme Court rooms, was The
only portion completed and there Congress
held its first sessions The opposite wing
which is now gallery of National statuary
was under WAY, but was not completed for II
years later. Between the two wings was
wooden pasSageway and this was still tho
only connection between the two houses O
Congress when the British fired Washington
in 1874.
The splendid extensions occupied now by
the House of Representatives and Senate re-
spectively, were not completed until hall
century later, or two years before the war and
the present grand iron dome which covers the
rotunda was not even begun until 1856.
The rotunda is surmounted with great
bronze figure, crowned with the Roman SYM
Dol of the liberty-cap Something more
worthy of the genius of our institutions
should have been chosen. as from almost any
point of vision this figure looks more like a
Comsnche Indian than it does like an in
spring, victOrious figure such as should typify
the genius Of our institutions
From its commanding position. and be-
cause Of its great hight, the dome of the Ma
tional Capitol is the first sight which greets
the visitor approaching Washington from any
direction. 1t is an imposing sight-an i'm
preston which is intensified upon nearer ap.
proach-towering high above every stately
spire and pinnacle. 1t suggests everything
that Is beautiful in architecture and exalted
In architectural expression.
The central portion OF the National Capitol
is built OF Virginia sandstone, painted white;
the wings are Of New England marble OF a
creamy color The buildings are Grecian, of
the CorInfhian order. and the fluted columns
OF the magnificent portlcces are surmounted
by capitals that are marvelously beautiful
Long corridors connect the wings with the
main building.
The Capitol fronts to the east and the
grand entrances are approached by three
broad flights of steps. Groups of marble
statuary are placed on either side of the CEN
trail porticoes, and in the pediments are
allegorical and historic figures in bas-relief
The tympanum of the facade of the north
ern wing, where the Senate sits, is adorned
by group emblematic of American Prog
ress, in which the art of agriculture, COM
merce, and industrial production, supported
by the sword, have displaced the rowing
Eborigines.
The grand central portico is 100 feet wide,
and has stood there for over three score years
and ten. 1t is set off by alegorical groups in
marble. The main entrance is from this
portico the glory of which is the bronze
coor, which opens directly into the rotunds
under the dome. 1t is - feet high and in
its massive structure 10 tens of bronze were
used The scenes portrayed on the door are
the principal events in the life of Christopher
Columbus and the Discovery of America, +"
enriched with multiplicity of ornate de-
signs.
On the key of the arch is the head of Co
lumbus and ON the sides of the frames lead
Ing mp 70 the same are figures of Asia, Africa,
Europe and America, intermingled with a
running border Of ancient armor, banners and
heraldic designs. On each leaf of the door.
set IN inches, are statuettes, Is in number, of
the patrons and contemporaries of Columbus
The central portico has witnessed the in
auguTation OF Presidents of the United States
since the time Of Andrew Jackson On these
occasions the portic0 Is temporarily extended
by draped staging, and here the oath of
Office Is administered by the Chief Justice.
surrounded by the retiring President and
other high officials.
The only time when the public was kept
~ distance was at the first inauguration of
Abraham Lincoln, when the District militia
were on guard and every front window OF the
Capitol is said to have been filled with a
sharpshooter. This was during the great ex-
element attending the outbreak of the civil
war.
The west font of the Capitol is very impos-
ing, approached by a long ascending walk
through a shady park from Pennsylvania
Avenue, the walk lined on either side bv
stOD: walls over which chambers a variety of
vines and iYies then up broad steps and
over successive platforms, until the entrance
with its commanding views. is reached 1t
was probably up such steps as these that the
Apostle Paul wendell his way when he spoke
to the men of Athens from Mars Hill
a. the southwestern entrance TO the west
front grounds Is the bronze statue of James A.
Garfield.
When one enters from the central portico
10 the Fotuiioa OF the Capitol, through the
beautiful bronze doors, he passes On one side,
set IA a niche the statue of War. in the guise
OF a Roman warrior and on the other side the
statue of Peace, while above the door is bust
Of Washington, crowned by Fame and Peace
Going back to the awful DAYS Of 1876
when the Capitol was fortress OF war, with
armed men guarding every point of exit and
entrance and sentries pacing up and down on
every side of the massive structure, how
marked ia contrast the scenes of to-day,
when even the police are growing fewer in
number, in proportion TO the population.
These statues take on a new significance as
one realizes that the Nation, like the indi-
SIdual, finds Its PAGES set between two
mighty forces, which will bless, or curse, ii
there Is even so much as the shadow of turn
ing between that which unifies and uplifts
and that which disorganizes and degrades
In war time the vast halls and beautifully
decorated commlttee-rooms were turned into
soldiers barracks, with barbados against
the oGteT-do0rs and set between the pillars.
The Easements were store-rooms Tor army
supplies and the vaults under the terrace
were extensive bakeries, in which every day
for many months l6, 600 loves of bread were
baked and distributed to soldiers on guard
al the Nations Capital
The roiundaof the Capitol is of lofty hight
and classic proportions Ii occupies nearly
the Whole width of the center OF the building.
ascending in unbroken hight TO the summit
Of. . IL = 10