The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-14

reached by a long flight of granite steps. | The Corinthian columns which support | the pediment have the beautiful capitals | characteristic of that style, and behind each, against the wall of the portico. | there is a pilaster which reproduces the ornamental capital. The entablature sur mounting the capitals of the columns is carried out in harmony. glance to right and left shows that the details here described are continued in the treatment of the entire exterior. .7 front of the east and west pavilions the Corinthian columns and pilasters support porticos. as Is also the case with the ends of the two pavilions.
 The noble ailegoricai decoration of the pediment of the front portico will at once arrest the attention. Twelve figures in high relief and two in low. typfying the arts. resources and industries of the State fill the space with their beautiful forms. In the center, stately, majestic, seated upon a throne. her foot on bale of cotton and holding in her right hand the sword of empire and in her left the palm branch, beautiful symbolical fig ure of Mississippi mets the eye. At her feet and close to the bale of cotton a figure representing the manufacturing in dustries of the State displays roll of the finished fabric. Still further to the right is Science, erect and intent Then in low relief comes the child. the future student of science. The sturdy black smith, with the wheel of the mechanic at his back, a female figure with sketch block in her hand. representing Art, and an extended figure at the end portraying Fertility follow in succession. To the left of the representative of Mississippi in the center Productiveness inverts her horn ot plenty as if to pour It's abundance over the State. Just beyond the erect figure of the old man typlfles History. Behind aIl Indian the only inhabitant of the State, vanishes from the scene. Next stands the laborer with his basket of newly picked cotton, then comes Poetry, bending over her ev- er-revolving wheel, her back turned upon the figures of two huntsmen creeping cautiously upon their game.
 Leaving the front and making circuit of the building, one feels repaid for the trouble. An exquisite sense of harmony and proportion makes itself felt in every part of the exterior of the structure. The ends of the east and west pavllions are semi-circular in shape. and are ornament ed with a curved row of twelve massive pillars, two stories in height. supporting the roof of a circular portico. There are private entrances to these pavilions. The rear of the building is,. of course. not equal to the front fin ornamentation, but 1t still presents a dignifed and graceful appearance. The rear entrance is ap- preached by a double flight of steps ar ranged in a very symmetrical design and forming itself an attractive feature.
 The Interior.
 Passing from the poTtico through the main south entrance one finds himself In the interior of the building. It is veritable revelation and 1t is doubtful If either the plan or the execution, as a whole, is equaled by any other public building in the South. Lofty domes, mas sive and beautiful columns, long mar ble corridors. vaulted, cloistered, beamed and paneled ceilings, with a multitude of finer details make up an interior of rare beauty and impressiveness from an a, chitectural standpoint, while the color schemes carried ou. by the employment of different Kinds of marbles in the cor riders and with the addition of strict decorative work on the ceilings of certain chambers are both harmonious and pleas ifg. With an occasional variation of de- tail to express some finer shades of ideas, the interior is finished in the beautiful Renaissance style and lacks only further | color decorations to perfect it. These can be added later, should the Legisla- ture be disposed to make a sufficient ad- ditional appropriation. In passing through the interior. wel1 lighted from every point and nobiy Impressive at every turn. one gets some ldea or the eIeNatlng erect Ot fine public buildings on the public mind and public taste and dimly discerns, fin ] admiring this specimen of the Renais- sance classic. something of the influ- ence which the original structures them selves must have had, not only as the rep resentation of. but as influencing, the public taste of antiquity. The new Capi- tol of Mississippi is. as 1t should be. an 1 object lesson and 1t is not at all rash to | infer that the noble surroundings amid which the various departments of gov ernment work will have an impalpable, i but not less real. effect on the delbera- tons of the Legislature, the decisions of the executive end the well-weighted opinions of the judicial department of the State government
 The Min Floor.
 l Leaving for the time the basement or | first floor out of consideration. with the understanding that it win be returned to | later. the observer will do well to de- vote himself for the moment to the sec l ond story or main floor. which he has l just entered from the portico. He first
 passed through the main vestibule, itself