Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-21
TO ENLARGE CAPITOL
More Than Eight Million
Dollars to Be Spent.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS
BUILDING REALLY OUTGROWN
BEFORE IT WAS COMPLETED.
A Vast Piece of Patchwork - A Big
Task to Keep It in
Repair.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
Uncle Sam has outgrown his Capitol for
the second time, and within the next four
years more than eight and a quarter mill
lions of dollars will be expended upon eX-
tensions and annexes essential to the COM
fort and convenience of our lawmakers and
their vast corps of assistants.
The colossal structure has cost 300
90 to date and this figure will have very
nearly reached the S24 600 coo mark by the
time two more Congresses have adjourned.
Although the Capitol is the most classic
and most pretentious structure adjoining
the western continent. 1t is vast piece OF
patchwork, representing a newer marble
building inclosing on three sides an older
one of freestone. The latter. known in his
tory as the "old Capitol" did not reach
completion until thirty-seven years after its
cornerstone had been laid by Washington.
Men born I'm the year when these finishing
touches were finally put on the first struc-
ture had barely reached their majority
when a greater Capitol was commenced.
Since the second cornerstone was laid, in
1851. the great edifice has never been fin
tsEed. Today it presents the spectacle OF
structure outgrown before it was built.
Although inspiring to the unframed eye.
the front of the great pile stands a
fiagrant violation of one of the fundamental
rules of architectural symmetry Accord
ing to the greater Capitol scheme COM
menced in 1851. the present building was to
cover the four sides of the old one. The old
freestone walls have been covered by mar
bic extensions on the north. south and west.
But the eastern facade of the original Cap
ftol remains bare to this day. The portcos
of the new marble wings jut out far beyond
IL at the sides. The central portico which
should be the superior one of the three is
the most Insignificant. The lower rim of
the great iron dome, designed to rest well
- nm he Gr,fr lxI
hangs the old front wall by nine or ten feet
Tae great white thimble, with it's weight Of
3.1I6 tons, has thus been left with an an
pearance OF insecurity since its myriad
parts were bolted together In the middle of
the last century. Until the session just ad-
Journed, Congress has been satisfied with
this condition of its historic shelter And
even now the great building Is to be COM
aesthetic taste.
The Extension.
A marble vestibule is to cover the old
treestone front and this will be approach
cd by portico on a line with those of the
wings occupied by the two. houses OF Con-
gress- In this addition there will be space
for thirty-six big committee rooms. The
entire extension will cost $4,000. 900 and will
be carried out on the general lines of plans
left by Thomas u. Walter. the architect of
the greater Capitol" In other words, the
Capitol is to be finished, exterioriy It's
general appearance will remain as IT is
The central portico will simply appear
more prominent and broader. 1t will be of
white marble. like that of the wings It's
wider tympanum will be supported by ten
columns rather than eight.
Even with this extension, the Capitol will
not afford room enough to suit our legis-
lators. Two classic annexes are to face
the park east of the Capitol and to fur
Their contribute to the court OF honor eff
feet desired in this quarter. That des'g ned
for the House of Representatives will be
convenient to 1t. upon the block facing the