Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-09
HISTORICAL STATUARY HALL
Famous Old Chamber 0verhsuled and Re-
stored TO It's Pristine Condition.
IMPRESSIVE IN BEAUTY AND DIGNITY
Extent and Character Of the Improve
ments-Twenty-seven statues
There Contributed by
sixteen states.

The American people will doubtless be
pleased to know that the historic old cham
Der formerly used as the house Of repre-
sentatives, and now known as Statuary
hall, has been overhsuled, INTELLECTUALLY
and artistically. and restored to its pris-
tine condition. Competent critics who
have viewed the restored chamber, relates
the Washington Star, unite in declaring
that in beauty, dignity and lmpressiveness
It offers attractions exceeding those pos
Bessed by any other chamber in the capitol.
This is the famous chamber with the
unaccountable acoustic properties, the
chamber where Madison was inaugurated
president in 1909 and again in 1913, where
Monroe WAS inaugurated for his second
term in 1921 and where Fillmore took the
oath Of Office as president on July 10. 1850,
following the death Of President Taylor.
This is the hall in which Henry Clay pre-
sided with such distinction as speaker Of
the house in the old days. Here occurred
the stormy debates incident to the war Of
1872 and the war with Mexico, and the pre-
llminary struggles over the vexed question
Of slavery. Here Daniel Webster, aud later
Abraham Lincoln. sat in turn as obscure
representatives, each before the day Of his
meridian fame. Here John Quincy Adams
was chosen president over Andrew Jackson
In 1925, when the election vas thrown into
the house OF representatives.. and here as
an aged and veteran member in harness he
was stricken with his mortal illness in 1S4s.
A Big House Cleaning.
The present restoration Of the hall is in
cidental to the radical house cleaning begun
IN the capitol under the supervision OF Su-
perintendent Elliott Woods last year, when
the greater portion OF the venerable build
Ing was overhauled. During the last five
years visitors to Washington who have
gone through the capitol sightseeing after
having first inspected the maEnihcent in
terror Of the new library Of congress have
been unfavorably impressed with the capt.
tol. which in comparison with the library
has seemed dingy and unattractive. But
the architecture Of the capitol possesses in
descructible merits that will always COM
mand admiration and that need only a
trifing matter OF surface painting or other
superficial decoration to be brought out and
aceentuated. To do this and to remedy the
defect superintendent Woods has had the
present hall Of representatives and all the
corridors and passageways leading to It re-
newed as to paint in lighter and more
cheerful tints,, and has ornamented the
side surfaces and ceilings afresh, in ac-
cordance with the requirements and pecu-
liar style Of the building and at the same
time in conformity with the demands of
modern artistic taste.
The work on Statuary hall was begun
Immediately after the adjournment Of con-
gress in July last and has progressed with
out interruption until now. employing the
skill Of fifty artists. under the direction Of
Joseph Rakemann of Washington, who forty
years ago assisted the famous italian
painter, Constantine Brumidi, in the deco
ration OF the rotunda and the senate corri-
doris and committee rooms. Following
similar work done last year In the supreme
court chamber, an entire new hreproof
steel ceiling was constructed, the contour
OF the old ornamental plaster ceiling being
exactly duplicated, except that real ribs In
relief and indented panels were substituted
for painted ribs and panels on a smooth
surface. In addition the plaster relief work.
set against a mauve ground. has been
splendldly enriched with pure gold leaf or
namentation. which serves to emphasize
the lines OFF the massive ribo. panels and
rosetted Golfers. The interior walls also
are renewed in soft tones of Sienna marble,
q handsome new skylight takes the place
Of the old at the apex OF the ~concave cell
ing and the apparent size OF the chamber
Is materially increased by the removal of
vast accumulations OF old books from the
galleries. The hall will be lighted at night
by 300 incandescent electric lambs, placed
above the white ~cornices, augmented by an
enormous chandelier hung from the LAM
tern at the center Of the ceiling and by
lesser chandeliers hung from brackets pro-
Jecting from the corner piers.
New characterization.
The prevailing color tone OF the ceiling is
mauve. That Of the corridors leading from
the hall to the present house of representa-
tives is bun, with various delicate mauves,
manilas, old colds and kindred pea greens
as contrasting tints. The nanelings are
colored mostly in olive and maroon, richly
loaded with gold, in line accent, fretwork
and hlagree embroidery, while the mural
borders are generally Of Pompeiian red. and
the panel borders. of classical designs in
laurel and ivy leaves. are chiefly of olive
green. Gold without stint is the unfailing
dnal touch on ceilings. cornices, groined
arches and panels.
At frequent intervals along the main cor