Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-12
WORK At THE CAPITOL
Improvements Made During
the Recess.
COSTLY BRONZE DOORS
MORE SPACE ACQUIRED FOR sToR-
ING HOUSE DOCUMENTS.
Decoration Of Corridors - New Floors
Laid-Alterations in the Sem
ate Restaurant.

| The last Congress appropriated S2.o,oo0
| for the purpose of a housekeeping at the
| Capitol. Ever since Congress adjourned Mr..
1 Elliott Woods. the superintendent. has been
| busily engaged in the improvements, which
| are now nearing completion.
These improvements have been made
| within and without the building They are
| to be seen on both the Senate and House of
| Representatives side of the structure. While
| they only in continuation of the work
| of making the entire building a thing of
| beauty and convenience. they add i'm
| mensely to the artistic effect of the struc-
| ture. These improvements will in the course
| of time be followed by many other appro-
| preparations, which will be made the more
| readily because of the beautiful effects and
| the increased comforts that Superintendent
Woods has secured during the past sum-
| mer.
Must Be Ready for Session.
The Capitol is still in a state suggesting
| housekeeping. But by the time the extra
session meets next month the entire build
| ing will be in perfect order for the meeting
| of Congress.
improvements that are annually made at
| the Capitol have to be carried on under
| very peculiar conditions. The superntend-
| ent, whatever the extent of the tearing up
| may be, has to bear in mind that any day
| an emergency may arise necesstating an
| extra session of Congress. Such a session
| may be called by the President in ten days
Therefore he must be in readiness at any
| time to have the Senate and House cham
| bers, together with all committee rooms
| and surroundings, available for use within
that number of days.
When the hall of the House of Represen-
| tatives was remodeed there was never a
| time when. if necessary, it might not have
been made ready for regular meetings with
IN ten days 1t would not have been pos
| slble to carry out the complete plan for
the remodeling within that time but by
working day and night the chamber could
| have been fitted up temporarily so that the
| ordinary observer would never have d.scoy-
| cred that there was anything Temporary"
| about the job.
Cost of Decoration.
During the past summer about $4,000 has
been expended in redecorating the interior
| Of the building. This work has been done
in committee rooms and in corridors The
selection of colors for these decorations
| has been made with such good taste that
| approval has been freely voiced by artists
| who have visited the building during the
| summer.
Everything that has been done within and
without the building has been in keeping
with the imposing and dignified effect of
| the big structure.
The sandstone of the old central build
ing, toSethef Win the dome, has been
| painted white, and the statue of Liberty
| has had a thorough scrubbing with soap
| and water, which has resulted in removing
| the Hght-colored stains that have disfgured
| 1t during the last few years. The lightning
| rod on top Of the statue was found to be
destroyed. and one of the feathers in the
headgear of the figure was fused off to the
extent OF two inches.
The house has obtained additional sDace
for its documents, storage space being pro-
vided over the committee rooms formed in
the old library and Supreme Court sections
of the building. The Senate library and
the House document room have both been
benefited by the improvements in this part
of the Capitol, as they are now provided
with quarters of kind never before
equaled there. The House document room
has been entirely fitted up with new steel
shelving, tables, etc.
New Fireproof Roof
Adjoining the Senate library about 5000
| feet of the old roof has been removed and
| new fireproof roof substituted. In this
part of the building also the heating sys-
tenn has been completed. The principal
| office room of the Senate library has been
| entirely refitted with new steel shelving and
| new marble floor has been substituted for
| the Old brick floor
| Over the dome vestibule at the south of
| the rotunda there has been installed a new
/ fireprOOf roof.
In the lobby of the House of Represen-
! tatives the decorations on the ceiling have
| been almost completed The gold leaf
tastefully used in this lobby has given it
| richness of effect for which the waiting
| room of the Senate is known. The old
| English tile floor has been replaced with
| white marble.
The basement floors of the old building
have been taken up and replaced These
| floors were of sandstone and they had be-
| come much worn. Their surfaces have
| been made smooth that in replacing
! them the effect of an entirely new floor of
| the kind originally there has been OBJ
| tanned. This old material was preferred. as
there is widespread sentiment in favor of
| keeping the historic building nearly in
| it's original form possible consistent with
| comfort and safety. The work will in the
| course of time be continued on all the stone
| tagging of the basement.
The Senate toilet room and barber shop
and bath rooms have been made over so
that they will be of the most approved
| style. with marble walls and appropriate
fixtures.
The offices of the secretary of the Senate
have been repainted in soft agreea BILE COL
orS.
Restaurant Improvements.
Important improvements have been made
| to the Senate restaurant in the interest of
| having quick hot lunches served at the
| counters. A new steam serving counter and
| new coffee urns have been put in place.
! This will prevent, to a great degree, the
| loss of time in obtaining hot lunches that
| has been experienced in the restaurant in
| the past Formerly such service could be
rendered only by means OF = dumb waiter,
which caused delay.
Additional facilities for heating and Iigh hit
ing the Senate side of the building have
| been provided by replacing the seventy-fve
| horse power boiler with a boiler of twice
| that capacity.
New Doors Costing $45, 900.
New doors for the eastern entrance to
| the main floor of the house wing are being
made at Chicopee. Mass. These doors
| were provided for in the original design of
| the building, but spirit Of economy on
| the House side prevented having them
made years ago. The doors are companion
| pieces to the well-known Senate bronze
DOORS They will cost $4,000. The same
| firm is making them that made the SEN
| ate bronze DOORS The present head of
| that firm: when a boy. assisted in the max
| ing of the Senate doors. He will look after
| the work of completing the job. Three years
| will be required to complete the task.
Ultimately bronze doors will also be
| erected at the western main entrance.
It Is intended to replace all the plumb
| ing in the building with modern material.
| Much of this work has been done during