The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-12-14

JAMES d. RICHARDSON.
and improvements that have been
made In the capitol building during the
recess. which give each branch OF con-
gress IA additional committee rooms
They are likewise loud in their praises
OF Assistant Architect Woods and mar
vel that the work could have been
done so thoroughly in SO short a space
OF time. Toward the close or the last
session a joint resolution was adopted
which provided that 1.-The rooms and
space recently occupied by the Library
OF Congress In the capitol building shall
be divided into three stories. the third
story OF which shall be fitted up and
used for a reference library for the
senate and house OF representatives
and that portion OF the other two
stories north OF line drawn east and
west through The center OF the rotunda
shall be used for such purpose as may
be designated by the senate OF the
United States and that portion OF the
first and second stories south OF said
line shall be used for such purpose as
may be designated by the house OF
representatives"
An indefinite appropriation was made
by the resolution and no limit fixed Oh
the expenditure. full discretion being
lodged In che architect OF the capitol
Edward Clark. AS soon as Mr.. Clark
received the authority OF congress for
the work he turned the whole matter
over to Elliott Wood. the assistant
architect OF the capitol. who prepared
the plans and supervised the work. AL
contracts were approved by the secre-
tary OF the interior and disbursements
made through that office. The cost has
been about $2OO.OOO.
The work was begun on Aug. 20 and
since been pushed vigorously day and
night. Al the outset difficulty was
encountered Of quite Il serious charac-
ter. When the old structure was torn
away and the foundation for the new
work was about To be begun upon
plans drawn for the occasion, II was
found that the windows and doors OF
the old building were not true" This
necessitated changes in the working
plans and considerable additional labor
Solid masonry was put in. about 500
600 bricks being used. There are H.
600 square feet Of thing in the work
and $500 lineal feet OF marble base.
Altogether there are % apartments,
occupying two floors. thus giving each
body II additional committee rooms
Nearly all the rooms are light and airy
and some OF them OF ample dimensions
Each apartment has fireplace, with
marble mantel, American marble being
used. The rooms will not be decorated
until next summer, but are finished III
white at this time. The woodwork III
the doors is solid mahogany, and every
thing about the place is or the best
quality. The main entrance TO the
apartments is reached from the ro-
tunda In the same way as the Library
OF Congress was formerly entered. The
little lobby between the rotunda and
the new committee rooms Is highly or
namentaI. Two marble columns. with
carved capitals. support a marble cell
ing. The side walls are also OF marble
and a marble balustrade surrounds the
stairway leading 10 the lower door.
Many improvements OF a minor char
acter have been made about the capitol
building since congress was last In SEES
sion. The room OF the senate commit
tee on foreign relations has been redec-
GRATED I'm an elaborate manner and new