Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-03
ENLARGlNG THE CAPITOL
Suggestion That Has Lain on the Table
of the Architec.
Interesting Facts About the Great
butlding-WOOden Gable Over the
Eastern Main Portico.

The suggestion made by Mr.. Hoar IN the
Senate recently that the Capitol building
should be enlarged so as to provide more
rooin 1or committees, etc. gave the idea to
some that this contemplated departure
from the plan of the building. and perbaps
ITS desecration. from an artistic point of
view. AS a matter of fact any new con-
structlon In connection with the building is
but remote possibility, but that suggested
py MI Hoar is merely what was in con-
temptation almost with the original .con-
ception OF the present enlarged plans In
the office of the architect of the CAPITOL
there Is a large picture of the east front
elevation of the building drawn by Wal
ters' VINO was architect before Clarke
many years ago, representing the building
as II was in contemplation by him at a
time When 1t was still in course of con-
struction.
In this picture the co,onnade on the eas,
front Is extended from the main building
unaer the dome around to the wings on
eiuner side, and Is less in harmony with The
ueSlgn OF the building as it now annea,s
tifdh IS more recent plan. modified from
that which for six or eight years has been
IN the archives of the architects office.
IL Is TACT known to but few people that
,1s .iae ilialn east front of the Capitol building
never was completed. The east port.co of
the Two marble wings more recently CON-
Structed IN which are the Senate and the
Rouse OF Representatives. aye extended for
ward beyond the line of the main n.,rtico
in compliance with the design 10 brino for,
ward the portico of the main building as
contemplated at that time
rev people who look with admiration at
thlS building, massive and grand viewing
it from the east, which is the main fronf
are aware that a certain amount of freud
Is being perpetrated upon them That which
seems to be of massive stone is in fact hIIt
a common wooden structure. The gable of
the main facade, fha or
tne fotunda is of wood, though the por-
uco and columns are of stone. The gable
Is nothing more than wooden framework
OF screen erected in a point over the por-
ico. and one may walk behind 1t on a fiat
roof. Another thing that escaDes the eve
OF most people is that the base of the great
dome actually overhangs the building line
as IL the dome We're about TO slide over onto
the east portico. The reason for this is
that the portico and outside main staircase
mas not been brought forward as far as
was intended and the upper part of the
front structure was temporary
There was some objection to the plan of
MI Walters, with its great colonnade
along the entire east front, because it de-
stroyed the artistic angles where the main
building drops back sharply to the curtains
which form the corridor connecting it with
the two great marble wings. Some years
ago suggestion, made in tentative way
as was that by MI. Hear, led to the draft
Ing of new plan in modification of the
Walters plan, and in this new plan the
main front and portico is brought forward,
as contemplated in the former plan but
the columns are~confined to the three por-
ticos as they now are, and the same angles
and proportions which now lend such
beauty to the building are preserved
This plan has grown yellow in the ar
chives of the architects Office however
and there appears no good reason to be-
leve that any steps will be taken for the
enlargement of the building for many years
to come