The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-11-29
THE cAP1CoL GUIDES.

seat Oh q senator or Representative,
THE CAPICoL GUIDES.
There is stat of regularly author
lied capitol guides who conduct visit
ors over the building and point out and
explain all objects OF interest: and IL
will be found advantageous TO secure
their services.
The capitol is distinguished for its
commanding situation aud majestic
proportions, for the dignity, grace
and beauty of design and the adorn-
ments and decorations which beauty
il without. All these unite 1t to rank
as an architectural object among the
nobest in the orld. From an elevat-
ed site on Capitol Hill, ninety-seven
feet above the level of the river. it
overlooks the amphitheatre of the
Potomac and is a conspicuous feature
of the landscape from miles on every
side. 10 is set amid grounds whose
extent and arrangement add much to
the architectural effect. The building
faces the east, for in that quarter the
roiectors assumed that the city would
grow: but the development of Wash
ingtou has been toward the west and
il is from this direction that the capt.
toll is usually approached. From the
main western entrance of the grounds
near the Peace monument, the APP
proach leads up the gently rising
lawns by flights of steps, which give
ascent TO the upper terrace or open
court. which extends the entire length
of the west front and around the
north and south ends. Here beauti-
full view is afforded of the city and
distant hills. From the court the
west door OF the building gives access
to flights OF stairs which lead to. the
rotunda. On the east front are three
grand porticoes with Corinthian col
umns. and there is portico of similar
columns on the end and west front of
each extension and loggia on the west
front of the main building. Broad
Nights of marble steps lead upto the
portico from the esplanade on the
east
The central building is constructed
of Virginia sandstone, painted white
The extensions are of Massachusetts.
marble The twenty-four columns Of
the grand central portico are mono
lths of Virginia sandstone, thirty
feet high: the one hundred columns
of the extension porticoes are mono
liths of Maryland marble.
The entire length of the capitol is
7jl feet, four inches, width thirty-fve
feet. and area three and one-half
acres. The corner stone of the main
building was laid by President Wash
ington on September IS, 1893 The
wings Of the central building were
completed in 1871, and we're partially
burned by the British in 1914. The
entire central building was finished in
frba Of hn
sions was laid by President Fillmore,
on July 4, 1851. Daniel Webster ora
tor. The extensions were first occu-
pied by Congress in 1857 and 1859.
t'p to that time the Senate chamber
was the hall now used as the Supreme
Court room, and the Hall of Represen-
tatives was the present National
Statuary hall.
The browning glory of the capitol
is the imposing dome, springing from
a peristyle Of iuted COrinthian COL
umns above the central building and
terminating in lantern which is sur
mounted by the Statue of Freedom,
towering three hundred and seven and
a half feet above the esplanade. The
height of the dome above the base line
of the cast front is 2s7 feet and five
inches: from the roof balusuade. PIT
feet and eleven inches: diameter at the
base, l35 feet ana five inches. IL is OF
iron and weighs $500 POO pounds. It
is so constructed that the variations
of temperature make the iron expand
and contract, like the folding of a
lily.n The peristyle has thirty-siX col
umns and thirty-siN windows, with a
balustrade above. The lantern is Gf-
teen feet in diameter and fifty feet In
heighth. IT has electric lights which
illuminate the dome during % night
session. The original dome was of
wood: the present one of iron. de-
signed by Walter, was completed i'm
1865. The dome is assembled for the
view by a winding stairway. The
bronze statue of Freedom, designed
by Crawford is nineteen feet. six
inches high and weighs IA, 0s5 pounds. |
1t was set in place on December >,
1868. a full sized model of the figure
is in the National Museum where the |
majestic expression of the countenance |
may be noted and the details studied |
of the crest of the eagle's beak and |
plumes, sheathed sword, shield and |
supporting globe with its legend, Il. |
Pluribus Unum,
The east portico OF the house is
plain; on those Of the rotunda and the
senate has been expended the chief ex-
terror adornment of the capitol. On
the tympannum of the rotunda portico
is an allegorical group (by Persico
after design OF John Quincy Adams |
of the Genius of America, In the
center stands America, with the eagle