The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-28
ilousc Finance Committee IMAM.
i,nously Reports Anderson I'LL
5.S Appropriating S25o,ooo.
THE OLD BULL DING TO
BE REHABILlT lTATEDI
.n'hc Passage Of tlls Appropria-
ton Is Assured Outline Of
the Work to be Done in #
Renovation and Enlarge
rncnt-- Brief History Of
M the Ancient Structure.


Anderson bill for the enlargement Of the
Capitol, which Is now before the House
OF Delegates, are excellent. The bill
Will almost certainly pass the House this
week without amendment. and will then
3 go to the Governor. whose approval Is a
foregone conclusion. The bill vas pass.
cd by the Senate on "Wednesday, \, and
v.as yesterday fayoraby reported to the
House without amendment by the Fi.
4 nance Committee OF that body, an unan-
irnous vote. The absolute and unquall-
fled endorsement OF the Finance Commit
tee insires the most favorable consld-
Grafton of tn, bill. So far as known,
there is N, formidable opposition OH the
part OF the House TO the measure The
bill Will probably be made a special or
ucr early In The week.
Tho passage Of this bill, carrying an
appropriation Of $4,000, will mean the
commencement OF tho work on the recon-
4 s;ttruclon ana addition - the Cap itotsra 81
soon as practicable ftcr tho ( General
Assembly adjourns Certainly tho old
building can bo thoroughly renovated. j.
/ firo.p proofed and rearranged by time the
Assembly or 1866 comes hcrn for work.
The work on the two wings will bc well
advanced by chat time, tf Indeed they
nlsc aro not completed and the new halls
4 lol the two houses read for occupancy.
PLAN OF ENLARGEMENT. %s8s5s
The bill provides for the work rs out
lined IN tile plans of John kevan aPeebics.
so iar as the exterior Is concerned, and
Tor the interior work as outlined py No
- BE oil
Frye and Chcsterman, of LynchburS. 1t
will be remembered that when an ap-
rtopriation of $4,000 was made for the
!. reconstruction and renovation OF the
Capitol without enlargement and a COM
& mission was appointed to select plans ana
secure bids and estimates the commits
sion finally agreed upon a composite
,,lan embracing the best features Of the
plans OF the Richmond and LHnchbnrg
firms. Specifications were prepared and
BIDS asked for. When the bids were re-
ceivcd not ono was found TO be within
the appropriation. Tho commission did
rot fecl authorized to let the contract at
n figure in excess of the appropriatio
y available for tho purpose, and so tho
Improvement was abandoned for the time
being The money thus appropriated, less
about s2,500, paid the architects and for
other expenses In securing plans and ask
ing for bids, has lain idle In the treas
ury the old bill never having been re-
1ealed The bill now pending repells this
old appropriation and 8appropriatcs anew
the sum OF $250.O0O, this, of course, enl-
bracing the $4,000 already available for
tho purpose. *
WHAT BILL PROVIDES FOR.
Tile Anderson bill proposes to have tic
work done along practically tho same
Il limos as those formerly agreed upon Tor
tile reconstruction and safeguarding OF.
The present historic structure. The, minor
details OF interior Encouragement consotl
nuent upon the provision of halls for tho
two houses of the General Assembly In
thr two wings to be built, j, have not been
fully agreed upon. The PEBBLES plan pro-
videa for commodous wings Of the same
dimensions to tho cast and to the west
or tho present Capitol, to bo constructed
in q manner and style to comport with
the present building. Theselwings are 10
j he Joined to the present building In such
n manner as to leave the symmetry ot
Lie old Capitol practically undisturbed,
The wings are to BIO Of brick, stuccoed
like, The old Capitol, save that the latter
is to be succeed afresh, making the en-.
tire building appear new from thn out
side. These wings will afford chambers or
lalls for tho two houses and cloak rooms,
i8closats, lavatories, etc They will he well
4 and thoroughly ventilated and With their
lofty pitch will afford sufficient cubic ar
space to make both halls thoroughly hnbi-
table. They will alsoiafford decent ACCOM-, !,
modations for visitors, A. feature OF tho
improvement of especial interest will bo
the addition of a broad stone stairway as,
cendlng to the portico on the south side
or front OF tho structure. Tlis stairway
. viii be ornamented by means of stntuary.
and will mako an attractive front 10 y,
building that has always been tnconplete;
THE INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS.
In Tho interior OF tho old Capitol II Is
expected that adequate committee rooms
viii +, provided. Certainly they are now
lacking. Besides th.s, provision Is to he
made for the Supreme Court OF Appeals
and for the Corporation Commission
\ citha,. III this or the Library building, pos
sibly one in ono structure, tho o,her5in
lie other. An entrance to the building
through the main front from the portlco
will be provided. running directly through,
the ee,st side Of the present Senate Cham,
ber and into tic rotnnda. The basement
will be so improved and remodeled as TO
make that habitable and adapted to use.i
What IA az moro import lance t han III else,