Arizona republican., 1900-12-13
The Home of Congress For
 100 Years
Unfinished and Uncomfortable When the Senate and House First Assem- bled There How It Has Grown.


 that in which, much to their disgust the members of the First congress as sembled in Washington met on No yember r, 1900. On that date, cen tury ago, the corner stone of the cap ftol had been laid for seven years General George Washington had per formed the ceremonies on September 1S 179S. A grand Masonic. military and civic procession took part in the ceremonies, the Masons being repre- sented by the grand lodge of Maryland and lodge No. 22 of Alexandria, Va. The Father of His Country delivered an oration, after which the assemb- lage retired to an extensive booth. where they enjoyed a barbecue feast V
 MANY GROTESQUE DESIGNS. Capitol Hill had been selected as the site for the capirol building because it was regarded as the probable central point of the future city. The three commissioners appointed by Washing ton to govern the District of Columbia offered a premium of $500 and a build ing lot for the best design of a capi- tol. Fourteen designs, mostly by arti- sans, were submitted. One showed a building adorned by a weathercock forty feet broad. Another depicted a
 
 Brownie-like figures arranged across the front. Secretary of State lief derson promptly rejected all but two of these designs as beneath serious con- sideration. The latter were submitted by pr. William Thornton, an English amateur draughtsman, and Stephen Hallette, French architect. Hallette's design was about to be accepted when a decision was given in favor of Thornton's, which won the premium. Hallette was, however, made a super vising architect of the capitol, with salary of S2000 a year. Thornton and Hallette subsequently, quarreled. The latter was dismissed and was succeed ed by George Hadfeld, an English man. The latter soon fell out with the commissioners. and James Hoban, ar chitect of the White House, proceed ed to make the building ready for con gress.
 In November, 1900, when the senate and house of representative moved from Philadelphia to 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 TO- tunda between the two wings were in place. A picture of the capitol as it appears today shows a small dome on either side of the great central dome. The portion of the building immediate ly beneath the small dome to the north represents all of the capitol standing century ago. The senate floor was that of the present basement beneath what is now the United Staues supreme court room. The ceiling extended up to the garret floor where a working space was left for clerks. The senate gallery was about on a level with the present supreme court floor. Just be- hind the senate and in the center of the basement was the senate lobby, running north and south, and behind the latter were several committee rooms lining the west side of the buili- ing.
 TEMPORARY HALL OF REPRE-
 SENTATIVES.
 The wing designed for the house of representatives not having been even begun, that body met November r in long apartment, including the north west corner and the greater part of the west side of the senate wings main floor and immediately over uhe. senate committee rooms. The ceiling extend- ed entirely to the roof, there being no etNNAN SpdSt pIONluGu. A SIIldll ante room in the southwest corner was oc- cupied by the clerk of the house This entire space, occupied a century ago as house of representatives, is now subdivded into several offices attached to the supreme court.
 The house of representatives, thus holding its sessions in a room designed for the senate officials, was seriously crowded. Loud complaints were u,.- tered. 1t was soon decided to con- struct temporary house on the site Of the proposed south wing, and to build the walls of that wing around thls makeshift, later to be replaced by permanent hall. The Oven," as this temporary house became known, be- cause If its lack of ventilation was ready for the first session of the Sey- enth congress when it assembled De- cember II, 1891. The ground plan was an ellipse 79 by 90 feet. The curved walls, eighteen feet high, Were of brick. The foundation was laid under the present statuary hall. The Oven was connected with the senate wing by a covered way, 145 feet long, built of rough pine boards and provided with windows. In 1865 the house re- turned to it's first temporary quarters back of the senate gallery.
 The first permanent hall of repre- sentatives was occupied October 26 lSO' It was in the old south wing on the site of the present statuary hall where the secrets of the "whispering gallery arr revealed to visitors. II Was an elliptical room. entered upor at the principal floor Benjamin La trobe, an English architect, given the contract to build the south wing de- signed this hall to resemble an. ancient Greek theater. After the removal ol the house to these chambers it's reu,- poFary quarters in the north wing were converted into the first congress siCnal library
 ALL SENATE SESSIONS SECRET
 During these first years of congres. in Washington the senate sat wf.f closed doors and admitted no specta. ttrs to It's galleri- s. The senators