The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-29
WOULD SAVE THE ECHOES.
Capitol Guides Protest Against the
Proposed Statuary Hall Changes


The Capitol guides have filed a protest
with the Architect Of the Capitol against
reroofing Statuary Hall on the ground
that such action VIII destroy the echoes,
which are such an important part of their
stock in trade. Everyone who has been
through the Capitol is familiar with the
echo stones in StatuaTy Hail The hall
is probably the most famous as well as the
most perfect whispering gallery in exist
ence- To person standing on certain
stone the voice of another person stand
ing on another certain stone viii seem to
come from in front when it comes from
the rear. to come from Behind when it
comes from the side. and, in fact, to come
from almost anywhere except from the
place where the speaker is standing. Along
the side of the columns supporting the
arch the wall and the columns make sort
of groove, so that it acts as a perfect
speaking tube. and persons can talk 20
each other across the hau without anyone
in between overhearing them. OF course
the stones themselves have nothing 10 do
with the echoes. which are caused by the
curvature of the roof
This hall was formerly occupied by the
House Of Representatives and 1t was there
that Adams was stricken with death. 1t
is not so very much larger than the Su-
pTeme Court room, formerly occupied by
the Senate It has a balcony like thea
tire, but on a small scale, and is used now
for storing books. The hall itself IS utii-
lied as a repository for the sculptural
monstrosities which States present TO the
nation.
When the House sat in this chamber, it
Is said, no one ever noticed the existence
OF the echoes. but when the desks were
10
floor was put down the echoes began TO be
heard. It took a considerable time 10 hunt
out the stones on which to stand in order
to obtain the peculiar effect. and it WIS not
until after the corps Of Capitol guides was
established that the echoes were definitely
located and even now there may be other
effects not known. Care has been taken
that the stones shall not be in any way
marked. so as to restrict the Identification
as far as possible to the guides
It is said. however. that the count
should begin from the middle stone; one
person standing six stones in front the
other should then stand on the sixth stone
to the rear; with one six stones to the
right the other should be six stones TO
the left. diagonalIy the count should be
increased to eleven stones each way The
centre stone IS easily recognizable, and
many Oh blit DtAEFt7 .tALt A'N'N-i f''A.+ -
the feet Of the thousands Of persons who
have tested the echoes
Many tricks have been played in Statu-
airy Hall by those with a working knowl-
edge OF the echoes. Several years ago It
was A favorite amusement Of the pages
to stand in the corridor leading TO the
I House and when a person passing
I through the hall reached the proper stone
! a page would drop q coin The echo made
! It appear as if the COIN was dropped di-
rectEv in front of the passer-by, and a
+ search for the fallen coin usually re
! suited
| Last session Congress made an appTo-
priation for rev roof for the Supreme
Court chamber and for StatuaTy Hall.
I and the old wooden roofs are to be re
u]aced with fiTeprOcf coverings OF steel
! In order that the acoustic properties OF
( the hall may be maintained as nearly
As TroSSibfe the most careful measure
r9ar:s have been taken and an eI1orJ
{ viii b- made to put on the new ROOF as
( nearly like the present che as PoSslbie-
{ But the alteration of fraction CT an
( inch viii change the eel oeS, If II does
/ not destroy them altogether, ana II
spite Of the care of the Architect ana
/ rho yyurkTneu IL is highly probable the
famous echoes will soon be q ihlnS OF
/ the past Should they continue II IL eN-
Usctgd they VIII be reached by stones
/ other than now and q series OF ela3o-
: rate experiments VIII i5e made by the
guides Meantime. however, the gjlaeS
/ are making an effort 10 have the dlJcTd-
ton of the roof postponed