The National tribune., 1901-11-28

each National funeral, as the cloth is cut
away by relic-hunters
After receiving its new and somber
draping the catafalque is removed to the
rotunda to receive its precious burden and
he surrounded by & guard of honor. After
all is over il is again taken below 10 the
crypt. to await the next distinguished vic
tim of the grim reaper. Lincoln, Gar
field, Sumner, Logan, and but recently
Mckinley, have been laid upon the breast
Of this grim old receptacle.
Leaving the crypt, with IFS sad memor-
les, the visitor passes through a number
Of dimly-lghted corridors and finally
reaches the shcP OF the Capitol plumber,
under the terrace on the House side. This
is 4 busy place. for there are miles and
miles Of gas, steam and water pipes to
be looked after under the great structure.
On the Senate side alone over 1000 feet
Of steam-pipe are employed to keep ont the
dampness and consequent mildew, with
an equal amount of duct under the House.
This in addition to the long ranges Of
water pipe. In the same subterranean
passage where the plumbing establish
nent is located are numerous capacious
vaults, used for storing Congressional
books and documents Of all sorts. Dur
ing election years there have been as high
as 100000 volumes in these apartments
Around the corner of the corridor. GO
ing south a short distance. is the Con-
greSSiOnal kitchen, which during the seS-
sions presents Il busy. busting scene with
score or more of white apFoned cooks
and assistants preparing choice dishes to
order for National Legislators and others,
and whirling the saYOry edibles to the
dining-rOOms above by means of dumb
walters. A short distance farther to the
south and the House bathrooms are
reached. Members descend to these from
the House floor by means Of an elevator.
TO 4 FrrFvf Fts
are reached These supply motive power
for the large engines as well as heat for
the upper floors. Passing over TO the
Senate side the big Yentilating fan is
reached This drives heated air through
the vaults to keep them dry and in
measure purify the thick atmosphere. The
buzzing and roaring of this giant fap as
it draws great volumes Of air through
ducts from the outer park, fills the sur
rounding corridors and vaults with weird
echoes. The air duct, which extends TO
the air shafts in the park, is a queer
looking affair 1t is built of bricks, white
washed frequently and kept scrupulously
clean for obvious reasons. An employee
of the yentilating department is required
to walk through each duct every morning
and remove any impurities that are liable
to poison the air drawn into the big build
ing.
On numerous occasions this employee
has found dead sparrows in the white
washed tunnel One morning ne discOY-
cred a dead bat 1t had found its way
into the duct through the air-shaft, and
was killed while huttering about trying
to get out of the narrow tunnel.
Not the least interesting place under
the Capitol are the dynamorooms. The
loud, whirring noises and almost inces-
SAINT flashes of blue and green electric
fame from the rapidly-reyOlving ma
chimes remind the behOder of the inferno.
Another interesting place in the deepen
ing darkness of a series of long corridors
under the basement on the House side
is the COil-rooIn. This is peculiar-lOOk-
ing apartment with a miniature lake in
its center Every breath of air that is
sent into the House, its corridors and
water before it enters the yentiating
ducts Previous to its entry into the coll
room this fresh air, drawn from the sur
parks, passes thl ough coils of
iron pipe seven miles in length. These
coils are filled with clear, cold water dur
ing the Summer months and with steam
during the Winter. By this process the
air is purified, besides being either cooled
or heated, according to the season. The
pool, or lake, IS employed to moisten the
air after it has passed through the miles
of iron pipe. just before it is forced into
the apartments above. Each member of
Congress receives a liberal supply of this
purified atmosphere through perforated
brass ventilators which surround his desk.
Adjoining the pOOl-rOom is an apart
mcnt where there is a perpetual, arti-
fetal Of course, fall of rain. Showers
come from The ceiling. cooling the air
during the Summer months as it is forced
through the room for use above. The