El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-11-19
A HISTORIC ROOM.
HOW THE BURNED SUPREME COURT
CHAMBER LOOKED.


CHAMBER LOOKED.
Was Richly Furnished and Had Been
Occupied by the Senate-Destroyed
Busts of Chief justices Portico
Where InauEurations Were Held.
The chamber Of the supreme court OF
the United States, now black ruin,
was designed for the senate and was
used as senate chamber from 1900 I'M
til 1859, when the new wing was COM
pleted. During that period the supreme
court used hall underneath, afterward
employed for the storage OF records.
Designed by Latrobe. the supreme court
chamber is rs feet long by 45 feet wide.
It is surmounted by half dome, the
center Of which is 40 feet above the
floor level In its general aspect this
apartment resembles statuary hall, for
merly the hall of representatives., but
it ia smaller.
Thanked by columns Of variegated
gray Potomac marble rests the seat OF
the chief Justice, mounted on dais
and draped with heavy crimson cur
tains On the wide arch above lowered
an eagle. It was here that the president
of the senate formerly sat. In q semi
circular space, richly carpeted, where
the senators once had their desks, there
are tables for the attorney general,
counsel, stenographers. reporters and
other persons having business with the
highest tribunal of the nation. At
higher level, in front and to right and
left of the bench, are places for the
clerk of the court and the marshal.
Public seats occupy the rear Of the
courtroom. There was a time when
spectators looked down from light iron
galleries, but these were removed years
ago. Around the walls were ranged
marble busts of dead and gone chief
| justices. In view of the destruction that
has overtaken these grave eff1gies it Is
worth while to recall them. Beginning
at the right of the clock there were, in
order, John Jay, Oliver Ellsworth,
Roger B. fancy, Morrison r. Waite,
and ON the left of the clock John Rut
ledge (who, though nominated, was
never conf1rme6), John Marshall and
Salmon. p. Chase.
If 1t be true, as rumored, that several
of the supporting columns at the main
entrance of the building are out of
plumb, lovers of noble architecture the
| world over will experience a profound
| shock. There are "a columns support
| ing the grand central portico. which is
| 100 feet wide. They carry u pediment
| of 80 feet span, framing Persico's cele-
| brated group, the Genius Of America"
| This group Is cut in sandstone, after a
| design made by John Quincy Adams.
The commission was given to Luigi
| Persico, Roman, and one of the most
illustrious sculptors of his day. Ameri
| ca is shown as female figure in arnlor,
with an eagle perched at her feet. She
| is pointing to Justice, the traditional
| figure, scales and all, except that she
| also holds the constitution Of the Unit
| ed States. Included in the group is a
| figure allegorical Of Hope. to whom
| America seems to be turning an attentive
ear.
Another group Of Persico's, chiseled
In 1915, is the Discovery of America.
| The armor of Columbus is q faithful
copy Of the original suit Of armor worn
| by the explorer and still preserved in
Genoa. This group is mounted on one
Of the great buttresses on a level with
the portico. On the other is Greenough's
Civilization; or, The First Settlement
| of America" being an incident Of from
tier life. Like it's colossal companion
piece, it cost $24, 900.
1t Is upon thie portico that every
president of the United States since and
including jackson has been inaugurated.
In its center IL the celebrated bronze
door designed by Randolph Rogers.
which weighs ten tons. 1t cost $25. 900
-$S, 900 for the artists plaster models
and SIT, 900 for the casting, which was
done in Munich. On the 18 panels into
which the door is divided are portrayed
in high relief scenes representing the
principal events in the life of Column
bus. A fine head Of the explorer him
self looks down from the key Of the
arch. fanked by statuettes emblematic
Of Europe, Asia. Africa and America.
Set in the door frames are statuettes of
10 individuals associated with the his
tory Of Columbus and heads of those
who have written histories of the ex-
plorer's voyages appear between the
panels. surrounded with q running bor-
der Of heraldic designs. richly decora-
tive in execution.
Above this door is a bust of Washing
ton, crowned by Fame and Peace, and
on either side Of it are statues Of War
and Peace. The door gives entrance to
the noble rotunda beneath the central
dome.-New York Journal.
Restrictions on Cuban Railroads.
The railroads in Cuba by government
regulations are compelled to run three