The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-08
HISTORY OF THE CAPITOL
Notable Gathering Within It's Walls
on Centennial Day.
Has sheltered Congress for Hum
dred Years Uncomfortable
Place When the National LeEIsIR-
ture First Assembled There Its
Development During n Century.

Spectators in the gallery OF the House
Of Representatives on December II viii
look down upon the largest and most COM
plefe assemblage of nlustrious men ever
gathered together IN one sheltered space
since history began. The occasion wiz be
the impressive ceremonies celebrating the
Tooth anniversary of the removal of the
nations seat OF Government from Phlla-
delphia to Washington, in 1900.
President Mckinley viii be given the
honor seat on the floor Of this vast hall.
In the great throng the eye OF the specta-
tor viii fall upon Vice President-eiect
Roosevelt. the ex-Yice Presidents, the
members Of the Presidents Cabinet, the
Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme
Court of the United States. the Senators
and Representatives, Admiral Dewey, the
hero OF Manila Bay; Lieutenant General
Miles, in command of the army; Secretary
Langley, Of the Smithsonian institution;
the Governors OF the States and Terrific
ries Of the Union, the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia. and various men
who have received a vote Of thanks from
Congress.
The Capitol sheltering this distinguished
congregation will be q vastly more preten-
tieas structure than that in which. much
10 their disgust. the members Of the first
Congress assembled in Washington met on
November II. 1See. On that date. eentu-
~ ego. the cornerstone Of the Capitol had
been laid for seven years Gen George
Washington had performed the ceremonies
on September Is 1873. A grand Masonic,
military. and civic procession took part II
the ceremonies. the Mascns being repre-
and Lodge No 2. Of Alexandria, Va. The
Father of His Country delivered an Grafton.
after which the gsSemblage retired 10 an
extensive booth, where they enjoyed q bar
becue feast
Capitol Hill had been selected as the
site for the Capitol building because il
was regarded as the probable central
point Of the future city. The three Com
missioners appointed by Washington to
govern the District Of Columbia offered
premium CT $500 and a building lot for
the best design of d Capitol. Fourteen
designs, mostly by artisans, were sub
mitted. One showed a building adorned
by weathercock forty feet broad. An
other depicted a church-like ediflce. with
row Of Brownie-like figures arranged
across the front Secretary OF State JET
ferson promptly rejected all but two of
these designs as beneath serious consid-
Grafton The latter were submitted By
DR.. William Thornton an English ANA
teur draughtsman, and Stephen Hallette
a French architect Hailette's design was
about to be accepted. when a decision was
given IN favor of Thornton's, which won
the premium. HalIette was. however
made Supervising Architect of the Capt
tol, with a salary of g, 000 year. Thorn
ton and HalIette subsequently quarreled.
The latter was dismissed and was sac
ceeded by George Hadfeld, an English
man. The latter soon fell out with the
Commissioners. and James Hoban. Ar
chitect Of the White House, proceeded to
make the building ready for Congress.
In November. 1900, when the Senate and
House OF Representatives 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 rotunda. between
the two wings were in place A picture of
the Capitol as IL appears today shows
small dome on either side of the great
central dome The portion of the build
ing Immediately beneath the small dome
to the north represents all Of the Capt.
toll standing a century ago. The Senate
meeting for the lTst time in Washington
November Il. 1900 was called together by
JEFFERSON. then Vice President, in the
original Senate chamber the Senate
beneath what is now the United States
Supreme Court room. The ceiling extend
ed up TO the garnet floor, where working
space was left for clerks. The Senate
gallery was about on a level with the
present Supreme Court aoor Just behind
the Senate and in the centre of the base
ment was the Senate lobby, running
north and south. and behind the latter
were several committee rooms, lining the
west 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 November II in a long
apartment, including the northwest cor
ner and the greater part of tie west side
of the Senate wings main floor, and TN
mediately over the Senate committee
rooms. The ceiling extended entirely to
the roof, there being no attic space pro-
vided. y small ante-room in the south
west corner was occupied by the Clerk
OF the House. This entire space, occu-
pied century ago as a House of Repre-
sentatives. is now subdivided into sew
eraI offices attached to the Supreme
Court.
The House Of Representatives. thus hold
ing its sessions in a room designed for the
Senate officials. was seriously crowded.
soon decided to construct temporary
house on the site of the proposed south
wing and to build the walls of that wing
around this makeshift, later to be replac-
cd by a permanent hall s'The Oven as
this temporary house became known. be-
cause Of its lack Of ventilation, was ready
for the first session of the Seventh Con-
gress when il assembled December Il. 1SCI-
The ground plan was an ellipse 20 by 80
feet The curved walls eighties feet biPh
were CT bEick. The foundation was laid
under the present StatuaTy Hall. 'sThe
Oven was connected with the Senate wing
by a covered way. 145 feet long. built Of
rough pine boards and provided with win
dows- In 1865 the House returned to its
first temporary quarters back of the Sen
ATE gallery.
The first permanent Hall of Represen-
tatfves was occupied October Is. 1867 It
the present Statuary Hall, where the Sc
crets Of the whispering gallery are re-
Yealed to visitors. It was an eIlipticaI
room, entered upon at the principal floor
BENJAMIN Latrobe. an English architect.
given the contract to build the south wing,
designed this hall 10 resemble an ancient
Greek theatre. After the removal of the
House to these Chambers its temporary
quarters IN the north wing we're converted
into the first Congressional Library.
During these first years OF Congress in
Washington the Senate sat with closed
doors and admitted no spectators to its
galleries The Senators transacted busi-
ness in a purely Informal manner The
House OF Repregen tatives always held open
sessions. It's transactions were formal
Continental dress was IN vogue In both
Houses. The wigs OF mem bers were care
fully curled and powdered every day. Hats
i'm hI- Ec+