The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-14
HOUSE TO BE BEAUTIFIED
EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE
NATIONAL CAPITOL.
Hall of the House of representatives
to BE Made Gorgeous as the
Senate Chamber.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 1S-Great changes
are taking place in the House end of the
national Capitol When the representatives
return, in December they will think they
are in the Senate end of this great building.
and then they will wonder what their con-
stituents will say about the expenditure of
hundreds of thousands of dollars For
years and years the corridors and commit
tee rooms in the House end have presented
a very shabby appearance in comparison
with the beautiful frescoing, painting in
the corridors and committee rooms, and
the fine expensive furniture in the Senate
end. Famous artists were brought from
the old country to paint birds, beasts, flow
ers and pretty pictures in the corridors
and committee rooms in the Senate end,
but the paint on the walls and ceiling OF
the corridors of the House end remained
as unsightly and monotonous as before, and
committee rooms were elected for another
session. The carpets were beaten, but they
were also elected for more service. The
architect was asked why this condition of
affairs existed. well, senators are elected
for six years and members of the House
for only two he answered and then
smiled THE senators are fond of anything
that is beautiful and costly. They are not
afraid to spend their own money or the
governments money. The members of the
House also like fine things, but they have
to face their people at the polls every two
years. They would be terribly bothered
explaining why they voted an appropria-
ton of half million dollars to paint gold
birds on the walls and ceilings OF the cor
common old chairs and tables in the COM
mittee rooms. You will notice that the
tile flooring in the House end is very much
inferior to the tiling used in the Senate
emu. The House members were afraid.
The corridors are filled with scanolding,
and gold paint is being smeared right and
left. The floors are being polished so that
they will shine like silver, and elegant
leather upholstered chairs are being SUBJ
stituted for the old worn ones. Mahogany
roll-top desks and rugs are coming in by
den by the painters brush, and when the
man of the lower house comes back this
fall he will think he is living in the Senate
end, even though he knows there is not
chance in the world for him to enjoy that
honor.
The old woodwork and flooring that has
been removed from the White House by
the contractor who has charge of the ex-
tensive improvements that are being made
is being converted into souvenirs by the
architect. He does not sell these souvenirs,
but gives them to prominent othcials, heads
of departments. and his friends. When the
work of removing this old material COM
menced the rush for souvenirs was so great
that 1t was necessary to place policemen
at the gates, who denied admttance to
persons who did not have business inside
the grounds. The wood is being converted
into all sorts of articles, the principal one
being canes. The architect has also had
made some very pretty jewel boxes out of
the old white pine flooring. These boxes
were given to officials in the Treasury De-
partment Canes were sent to the male
descendants of former Presidents. Pretty
little boxes for various uses will be sent
to the female descendants.