The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-23
CAPITOL, HISTORY
OF THE COUNTRY
Plans tOEXJeHd East Front.
and Architectural Effect.
HOW BUILDING HAS GROWN
ThontOn's Original Plan Enlarged by
Walter Produced the Present
Beautiful Structure.

Few questions to come before Con-
gress at the December session are of
greater Importance than that involved
In the proposed enlargement OF the
Capitol.
II viii be recalled that the Senate last
spring, instead Of authorizing the en-
largemeut Of the Capitol, which the
House had for a second time voted at
the nod OF Speaker Cannon, established
q joint commission 70 investigate the
subject. Its report is nearly ready.
OF the two plans chiefly under con-
sideration. that involving the smaller
extension viii probably be recon-
mended, which means that the front OF
the Capitol viii be brought out just
Ear enough 70 give the dome solid
base, instead OF having IL rest ON q por-
Gic0 on its east front as now This
win satisfy the needs of architecture,
without affordiug the large amount or
additional space within the building,
which was at one time regarded as an
argument Tor the change,
The new ofice buildings Tor Senators
and REPRESENTATIVE, one already au-
thorized and the other under coustruc-
ton, viii answer this purpose The
change in the Capitol thus becomes
purely a question of architectural eI-
feet
There has never been any dispute as
10 its desirabiIity, provided IL could be
done under suitable auspices, and
Speaker Cannon ana Elliott Woods have
yielded 20 the intelligent demand Tor
architectural supervision by retaining
Carrere g. Hastings Therefore the
question this winter assumes i'm two
ways a new aspect. There viii be In
rsuigeut architectural supervision, and
the object aimed at viii be purely arch1-
teetural.
An Important Question
The question thus presented deserves
the most careful attention or the eu-l-
waited people OF the United States. The
Capitol is almost alone among our pub
lie buildings, in having through more
than a century OF growth expressed I'D
sandstone and marble our country. his
tory. NJ one could master the story
OF the CAPITOL without learning the story
of the nation. Let as see how these nave
been intertwined-
In 1882. before the seat of government
was removed to Washington work was
begun on this building ir was then
known as 1.-The Congress House. In dis
tlncti0u from the Presidents House
at the other end OF Pennsylvania Ave
nue.. The erection Of this legislative hau
amounted 10 a declaration of faith I'm the
stability OF Americas new experiment
in government. eft may be relied upon
wrote George Washington 20 the Com
missi0ners, sit is the progress OF that
building that is TO inspire or depFess
public confidence.
Senate Wing First Built.
OF this original Capitol. considerably
smaller than the present ediGce, the
Senate wing was first completed This
chamber IS now used for the Supreme
Court. though its floor level has been
raised. The House OF Reuresentatives
AT FIRST occupied the room across the
corridor, which is now occupied by the
marshal Of the Supreme Court. BuJ
In little more than a year, the House
grew restless in these cramped quar-
tiers and erected for itself a temporary
brick building. near where Statuary Hall
now stands, called because OF its clip
Uical shape, '-The oven" The heat os
the summer sun descending on its dat
roof may have added 20 the appropriate
ness OF the title
The oven was connected with the
Senate wing by a temporary wooden
passaEeWay, an arrangement which
TASTED while the regular House wing
was building. |he fathers OF the Re
public built the wings before the central
part of the edihce about which these
were 10 cluster. This was also the order
pursued on rebuilding the Capitol after
The destruction in 1874 Iu the older
days OF our Government. absolute needs
were met dTst; such a luxury as me
central Rotuuda, with Its ornamental
Dome, had 20 wait
Built OF Sandstone.
This old Capitol was built Of sand
stone quarried by the Government al
Aqua Creek, on the Potomac. and
brought into the struggling young town
On sailing boats. The House and Sem
ate wings were just completed. but NOT
The central part. when the British can
tured Washington and sacked IT'S ur8rf- F
nent buildings. They piled the furul-
luls lp Ia the middle OF the floor rarrF-
ing Oh over 10. before setting il a6Iaza
This process destroyed the interior of
each wing. and even the c0l0uuades In .
the House OF Representative were SO
scOrched that thCy had 10 be taken .
down.
When after this calamity. the Thlr-
tesnLh Congress met for its last session /
tt resumed business iu building abgur /
hair a mile TO the northwest, which had
Just been erected as hotel. on the
spot where the Land once now stands .
As the clerk IN these strange quarters .
then called the roll. Connecticut was the /
nrst State ia alphabetical order. The
Territories OF Illinois. Indiana. 1IIssis- .
slppi. ana Missouri each responded F.
through one elected Delegate.
Movement 70 Go West.
With these new Territories raUldIv 4
Milling uD, agitation became rife for me +
removal of the Capitol TO some more
central city and 20 one also possessed +
~ greater natural attractions, for
washington was then considered a moor
place A body OF business men In the
smau city viewed this with alarm. D..
and hastily organizes al COMPANY 10
Dulid more comfortable quarters for the
use OF Congress until the Governments
own edifcs should be restored
inr lez. building which this company
- 90 stands "a short distance from
OBJ and near the Library OF
In after years. when Con
gone back 10 its regular
70 became known as ths|
and when the civil war