The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-10-14

113 feet, with 0 width Of 30 feet, but this
rooms until its seating area is but "a by 81
feet, so that when one sits in she galleries
which hold . thousand persons, and looks
down upon the clustering Senators below,
the whole Chamber takes on the appearance
of decorated tea-cup; while. to carry out
the figure, one must consider himself fly,
sitting on the rim and peeping down at the
little figures sketched on the bottom.
A score and more of VIce-Presidents have
sat in the seat of the presiding officer, and
busts of these are being p, aced in inches in
the walls. Beginning with John Adams.
the first Fice-Pfesident. and the successor of
Washington IN the Presidential chair, and
Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, George
Clinton. Elbridge Gerry, Daniel Tompkins,
Martin Van Buren,, George ii. Dallas, Hanni-
bal Hamlin, Henry Wilson, w. A. Wheeler,
Chester A. Arthur Thomas A. Hendricks,
Levi p. Morton, and Adlai Z. Stevenson
Busts of John c. Calhoun and Richard NJ.
Johnson will complete the number when
really.
The corridors and committee rooms around
the Senate Chamber are fine in frsscoss and
mural paintings not only those of the main
floor but of the basement. On the main
floor, or the rotunda entrance to the wing is
to be found Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait
of Washington, painted from life, and one of
the gems of the Revolutionary period. A
portrait Of John Adams by the same painter
is directly opposite. Passing between thsse
portraits through door, one enters the cor
ridor from which leads the magnificent cas-
ern staircase of Tennessee marble.
At the foot OF this stairway is Powers's
10 IS IN
the wall above the first landing is Powelps
immense painting. so familiar TO the public,
OF Commodore Oliver Perry at the battle of
Lake Erie, in 1910, transferring himself and
his flag from the sinking ship Lawrence to
the Niagara.
At this end of the corridor one reaches the
bronze doors of the Senate, equal in work
manship to those of the main entrance.
Each door has six panels, setting forth
events connected with the Revolution, IS
follows: The Battles of Bunker Hill, Mon
mouth and Yorktown; The Welcome of
York in 1889; the Inauguration of Washing
ton in 1889; The Laying of the Cornerstone
of the Capitol, Sept. 10, 1893.
The prominent. figures are all likenesses,
and include John Adams, standing at Wash
,
Chancellor Livingston, administering the
oath. and Samuel OTIS, holding she Bible.
The Senate Reception Room is notable
apartment, so feet long, divided by an arch
with brilliant allegorical frescoes on the
ceilings, representing Liberty, Plenty, Peace,
War, Prudence, Temperance, and Strength.
Tie walls are stucco with 100000 designs in
high colors, heavily gilded. and the floors
are beautifully tiled. Under an arch on the
south wall is one of the best mural paintings
in the United States Capitol. representing
Washington in conference with Jefferson
and Hamilton.
1t is in this room that the Senators receive
most Of their visitors, particularly women on
business.
A door communicates with the Marble
Room, finding its name in the fact that the
entire interior is formed of variegated and
striated marbles, in warm, lovely colors and
beautifully sculptured. 1t ID a noble room
with lofty columns, the capitals of which, as
well as the panels of the ceiling, are all in
white marble.
Before leaving the Senate wing one may
pass to the western grand staircase of white
American marble and ascend to the gallery
floor In passing he will see statue of
John Hancock on pedestal at the foot, and
on the wall which he faces, going up, he will
see large canvas, representing the storming
of Chapultepec by Gen. Scott and his army,
Sept Is, 1S47, during our war with Mexico.
There is full-length portrait of Wash
ington at the head of the stairway, painted
in 1779 by Wilson Peale, from life-sittiugs,
at Valley Forge. Washington is represented
in the costume of a Virginia Colonel Peale's