Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-30
FROM WASHINGTON.
Furnishings of the Capitol = Chair
mansbip Of Comu16t<Ses.

WASHINGTON, d. c., nsrch IS Especially
Government Offices for government
officials have undergone marked change
here in the last five years. Al prominent
republican member OF the AZ ,ropristions
committee was complaining not long ago
at tbe elaborate chambers fitted up for
Judges all over the country. FROM his
,oint of view II cost too much. But the
government now is doing everything on
q very substantial scale, calculated to last
for many years.
Here In Washington the era of black
walnut Is rapidly passing out, and the era
of mahogany and fine upholstery has
come in. After decade or two several
of the departments and the two branches
of Congress will have some as fire 81 eci-
mems OF old mahogany finish and furr,-
ture as can be found the countrv through
The new postoffire department bniidtng.
erected OF Maine granite, not many years
ago, was largely fitted up with mahogany
furniture. OF course 1t cost great many
thousands OF dollars, but experts in such
matters figured 1t out that that would be
the cheapest in the long run. Mahogany
was by no means used for all the offices In
such a big building, but 1t was used In
several of the most important ones,
This gradual ousting OF old. fashioned
black walnut furniture from Washington
has stocked the auction-rooms with
many fine specimens. The House of Rep
reseutstiyes has been more responsible
for 1t than any other branch of the gov
eminent. either legislative or executive.
There has been a complete remodeliing of
the furniture at that end of the Capitol.
Except in the old part OF the Capitol,
one finds mahogany desks, mahogany
chairs, mahogany doors almost every
where. The wood doesn't look particu
larry beautiful when 1t is new, but 1t will
age rapidly. In many Of the,committee-
rooms there are beautiful mahogany
tables, oval shaped, and the chairmen OF
many committees have beautiful mahog.
= any rolI-top desks.
The Senate started the mahogany
fashion, but only on q modest scale, which
the House hiss outstripped. Up in Sena-
tor Haie's committee-room one fnds
In ash. MIR. Frye's committee on COM
merce has unpretentious wood also. But
down In the vice. presidents room, where
Mr.. Frye as president pro tempore 10 to
be found more nowadays than IN his
room on commerce, the woodwork Is
more elaborate. 1t is OF mahogany,
which has aged. and therefore grown
more beautiful than the new mahogany
on the House side.
But the most deliberately furnished part
of the Capitol is the part which escapes
the eye OF most OF the casual visitors. It
IL where the congressional library used TO
be. The space was cleared few years ago
and divided into very magnificent COM
mittee- rooms. Half of these were as
signed to Senate committees and half to
House committees.
In one of the best OF these Ia the COM
mittee on public buildings and grounds,
where ex. Gov. Burieigh sits as one Of the
leading republican members. There is
not a splinter of any kind Of wood but
mahogany there, and it is all OF exquisite
finish. The chairs are all substantially
upholstered, and there Ia a beautiful
nickle- plated water filter In one corner.
The view IL Sut over the broad marble
piszs of the west front aud up Pennsyl-
vaDia avenue, regarded as one of the most
beautiful thoroug hfares In the world.
The contrast between this newest part
of the Capitol, IS far as interior finish
ings and furnishings are concerned. and
the Oldest part is plainly seen II one steps
from this committee room to another,
where Gov. Burleigh 10 also leading re-
publican mem berthe committee on CEN
sus.
Unless one prefers to ride by the little
electric elevator, one can walk down the
same stairs, broad but OF easy descent,
where Webster, Clay, and Calhoun walked
hundreds of times, and enter quaint
looking room where those worthless and
many others, whose names are linked
with the history Of the nation, entered.
This Is In the main building OF the Cap
itol, as distinguished from the Senate and
House wings, which were added forty or
fifty years ago. All the woodwork there
Ia painted white, and the designs plainly
belong to an early period. Three or four
generations OF statesmen have sat in that
room and In the other committe-rooms
adjoining.
AS rule members like to get away from
those old rooms, and have their commit"
tees housed, In the new and modern rooms.
But the old associations of that part of
the Capitol are not without special
charm.
In.the course of a republican Congress
or two, some of the Maine members of
the House win be presiding In some OF
those conimittee-rooms as chairmen. No
npa NJ ha four MaJua mann hara pnD