The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-10
STORY OF CAPITOL
WILL SHELTER NOTED COMPANY
ON CENTLNNIAL DAY.
FAMOUS HOME OF CONGRESS.
DECIDED DITTERENCE BETWEEN
B~n0 AND 1900

Is Growth IA "a Hundred Years.
Architcct. Who Have Bcen Ia
-harge-BriItant Army of states
men TO Gather Dee. ~.
Washington. Dec. spectators in The
gallery 81 the House % Representative
o. Dec Il Will look down upon the lnrg-
es ana most complete assemblies y
ilustrl0us men ever gathered together .n
one sheltered space since history began.
gno occasion viii be the impressive core-
fnorles celebrating the one hundredih an
nlversary Of She removal OF the nation
eeat 81 government from Philadelphia 20
Washington. u $50.
President Mckinley will Boz given th'
honor seat on the floor % tals vast hall.
In the great taronE tne ESQ Of the sPe
ta.or VIII fan upon Vice Prcsldent-eleci
Roosevelt, the cx-Vice FEcsldcntH. tHe
members q the Presidents cabinet the
chief justice and Justices * ihe saprem.
court @. the United States. Tho senator
aud rcprosoHta..Ncs. Admiral peNt., t1'
hero OF Manila bay Lieut.. Gen. Miles
Sc command o; the army. Secretary Lang-
lev Of the Smithsonian Institution, toe
Governors 81 the states ana territories Of
the Union. the commissioners OF tine DE-
tr.ct OF Columbia. ard various men VINO
have received a vote Of thanks from Con
Eress
The Capitol sheltering this distinguish
81 congregation Wlll be- a vastly more pre-
teuuous structure than that in which
much 20 their disgust tho members az
the First Congress assembled IN Wash
fnFton met on Nov. II. 1900 on that date
century ago the cornerstone 81 t1r
Capitol aad been laid for seven years.
Gen. George Washington had performe1
the ceremonies o. sept. 49, l7es. a gran4
Masonic. military, and clvil procession
took part ia the ceremonies. the Masor=
being represented 1y the Grand Lodge
al Mayloud ana Lodge 40. o of AeXau-
drls. Va. Tho Father % Ills Country
delivered an Grafton. after which the
sssemblage retired 10 an extensive booth
where they enjoyed a barbecue feast
Many Grotc-que Designs.
Capitol Hin had been selected as the
ste for she Capitol building because u
was regarded as the probable central
point % the future city. The three com
missionevs appointed by Washington 20
govern the District 81 Columbia offered
a premium OF $50 and a building lot for
the best design of Capsoi. Fourteen
designs, mostly hy artisans. were submit
ted. one showed a build ng adorned hv
weathercosk forty feet broad. Another
depicted a churchlke odlnce with a row
or Brownic-like figures arranged across
the front. Secretary OF state jefferson
promptly rejected an bat two OF these
designs as beneath serious consideration.
The latter were submitted by Dr. Will
lam Thornton. an English amateur drafts
%
architect Halletto's design was about 20
be accepted when decision was given
in favor OF Thorutons which won the
premium. Halletto wa. however. made
supervising archtoc. OF the Capitol. with
salary % $4,000 a year Thornton and
Hallottc subsequently, quarreicd The lat
ter was dism ssed and was succeeded hy
George Haddeld. an Englishmau Tho lat-
ter soon fell out with tho commissioners.
and James Hohan. architect Of the White
House. proceeded 90 make che building
ready Tor Congress
In November 1900 whom the Senate and
House Of Representative moved from
Philadelphia 10 Washington they found
only the north or Senate wing OF the old
Capitol in place The south or House
wing had not been commenced. and only
the Foundations OF the rotunda between
the two wings were in place. A picture
OF the Capitol as u appears to-day shows
central dome. The portion Of the build
ing Immediately beneath the small dome
10 the north represents all OF The Capitol
standing century ago The Senate.
meeting for the mrs. time IN Washington
Nov II. 800. was called together by JEFF
feFson. then Vice President 30 the orig
fnai senate chamber. The Senate floor
was that Of the present basement beneath
what Is now the Unsed States supreme
Court room. The ceiling extended up 90
the garret floor. where a working space
was left for clerks. The Senate gallery
was about on level with the present
Supreme Court floor. Just behind the
Senate and IN the center Of the basement
was the Senate lobby. running north and
south and behind the latter were several
committec-rooms lining the wess side Of
the building.
Temporary Hail OF Representatives.
The wing designed for the House OF
Representatives not having been even be-
gun. that body met Nov Il in a long
apartment. including the northwest cor.
ner and the greater part o. the west side
81 the Senate's main wings main floor
and Immediately over the senate Commit.
tee rooms. The ceiling extended entirely
TO the roof there being no attic spa "
provided. A SINS . ante-room In che south
wet corner was occupied by the clerk 90
the House This entire space. occapied
a century ago IS a House OF Representa-
tives is now sub-divided into several Of
fices attached 20 the Supreme Court
The House OF Representa- tves thus
holding ITS sessions in a room designed
for the Senate officials. was scriouel y
crowded. Loud complaints were uttered
IL was soon decided 10 construct a tenn
porary house on the site OF the proposed
south wing. and TO build the walls Of thai
wing around this makeshift later 10 bc
replaced by permanent hall. The
oven" a. this temporary house became
known. because OF It's lack OF ventilation
was ready for the FIRST session OF the sey.
cnth Congress when u assembled Dee d.
1851 The ground plan was an ellrse 5'
BY - feet The curved walls. eighteen
feet high were Of brick The foundation
laid under the present statuary hail
The oven" was connected with the sen.
ate wing BY a covered way ifj feet long
built OF rough pine boards and provided
with windows. In 1865 the House re-
turned 10 its FIRST temporary quarters
back Of the senate gallery
The FIRST permanent Han 81 Representa-.
tives was occupied Oct 60. ls05 II was
IN the old south wing on the site OF the
present statuary hall. whore the secrets
q the whispering gallery are revealed
% visitors u was an ellipsicai room en-