The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-01-05

be filed to overflowing. The Quay
managers are on the aggressive, and
are leaving nothing undone to make
votes for their leader. The anti-Quay-
ties are just as active. but there are
not near so many of them.
The New Capitol.
The new capitol, although unfinished,
presents a very credtable appearance
inside. and the legislators will be COM
fortably housed. The senate and house
chambers are large and well ventilated
and appointed for the use of the legis-
ators. The floors are covered with new
carpets of modest designs and the fur
niture has been utilized that was used
at Grace church by the last legislature.
Thirty large committee rooms have
been furnished for the use OF the as
sembly, and there are rooms for news
paper correspondents, telegraph and
telephone offices, postofices and lava
| tories.
There is an abundance Of room for
the Legislature in the completed part
of the building. The structure does not
present a very fine appearance on the
outside, but it is substantial and well
built. The exterior walls are of or
binary red brick and are so constructed
that they may be faced at any time
with marble or granite. A temporary
stairway has been built leading to the
senate and house chambers and the
spectators galleries. The stairways
and rotunda will eventually be covered
with marble.
The walls of the assembly chambers
are covered with red and white burlap.
decorated in gilt, and the ceilings are
festooned with shields and small flags,
making a very pretty effect. The cap
tol building commission estimates that
1t will require an appropriation OF S5,-
000.0 900 to complete the building and
erect departmental wings according to
the original plans of the architect The
question of an additional appropriation
is one of the most important that will
come before the next legislature.
A low dome in rough finish, is SO
feet inches in diameter and 160 feet
lower than the ultimate altitude of $50
feet intended. 1t is now 80 feet above
the foot of the main stairway. which,
| though with wooden steps and railing
at present, is imposing, and at the top
winds gracefully on each side to the
chambers. Great possibilities of i'm
pressive finish suggest themselves in
the magnitude of the already sym
metrical rotunda, with its circle of Is
great iron columns surrounding, on the
first floor, a corridor 20 feet wide, and
on the second, the main lobby, of grand
proportions
spacious Corridors.
The extreme length of the present
building is 3l5 feet, to which the pros
pective north and south wings will add
an aggregate of about $50 feet, each
projecting so feet from the main front
From front to rear of the existing
structure the distance is 260 feet. Spa
cious corridors branch north, south and
east from the rotunda. The rear wing
is 90 feet wide The front cornce is so
feet above the ground. The work al
ready done on the building cost about
$500, 900, the remaining $4,000 Of the
last legislatures appropriation having
gone for the famous litigation architect
expenses, etc.
1t is claimed that over 80 per cent
of the visitors here, and other people
who have expressed themselves on the
subject, while anxious to guard against
waste or corruption in the proposed
building. declare in favor of having a
capitol of which the commonwealth
will be proud, and against limiting the
The entire floors in the east wing are
not yet partitioned. The floor on a
level with the senate and house is
ready on one side with rooms for the
officers of the former, and on the other
for the house officials. Postoffice, tele-
graph and telephone facilities are on
a scale not formerly approached, and
for the first time each legislator and
officer will have his own locker for
| clothing, etc. A restaurant Is still In
prospective. For the toilet rooms,
though but of temporary finish, are
claimed the best sanitary provisions.
, The plumbing, conduits. wiring, steam
pipes. Yer i'ating system. etc.. are pro-
nounced l. for all time.
The Lighting Facilities.
! The night lighting in the halls Of both
, houses is entirely from above the CELL
, lngs through ground glass diffusers in
, form of skyllghts, there being 70 "in-
candescent arc" lights above the house
! and As over the senate, shedding mel
. low glow without glare. The heating Is
by both direct and indirect radiation
there being steam radiators under al
= the windows and in the corridors, while
) for both houses a blower system in the
cellar supplies fresh air through tenn
; lpering coils. This air Is drawn dowr
and out of the chambers. so that 1t Il
: said TO be completely changed every
ten minutes. Eventually under every
! chair will be an air exhaust" Tht
= direct heat is kept at a uniform degree
as wanted, by thermostats. Two of th'
; proposed four electric elevators ar'
, ready for use.
I Rough brick walls like those of 6
great factory present an uninviting as
pect to the state legislators. The bes
= Is not on the outside. however. for, ever
= in the unfinished state of things, tn
e members, when in their respective
, chambers, will be thoroughly com
+ Portable and enjoy more pleasing sur
r roundings than the men longest in tn
states service as lawmakers ever ha'
= in the old capitol or Grace church.
e Even what is already erected Is mucl
8 larger every way than the old capitol
Their difference is best illustrated b,
o the fact that the hall Of each house l
/ 20 feet longer and wider than the for
a mer. while the ceiling Is 4S feet high
= and the back building of six storie
:. runs 40 feet further eastward, towar
= Fourth street, than the old two-stor
. | raar CT Rippeec 10 the drgt GIL o