Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-09-27


attractive to the artistic eye TIE in
side of the rotunda undeniably needed
cleaning and furnishing up, but it
was rather a serious question what
should be done with it. There had
teen various suggestions, one for a
/ mosaic floor and others for mural
decorations, so that it should rival the
congressional library across the plaza
But after considering everything Su-
perintendent Woods decided simply to
restore it. and the work which is now
alomst completed seems to amply JUS
tify the decision, says the Washington
Star.
The work began at the great allie
gorcal picture in the roof. That was
thoroughly cleaned and then the in
terror of the dome was painted. This
was a work of several weeks and the
rainters did stunts druing that time
that would have ranked with high
t.apeze work in circus. There was
not a stick of inferior scaffolding put
up for the job, but the iron plates of
which the interior of the dome is
built were losened in places, ropes
dropped through the openings and the
swinging scaffolds from which the
painters worked were launched out in
mGair from the balconies around the
upper part of the rotunda. The paint
ers then drew themselves up to the
inside shell of the dcme and worked
as far as they could reach, after which
the swinging scaffolds were let down
and move to a fresh spot
But when it came to treating the in
terror of the rotunda from the great
Rrumidi frieze down it was a different
proposition and one calling for the
chemist rather than the painter. Prob
ably many people CT the present gen
GRAFTON do not know that the capitol
was originally built of the old Aqua
creek sandstone, and one that it was
an artictic sin ever tc cover with paint
All the interior of the rotunda is built
of this stone that is now soft gray
white, just the tint to harmonize with
the dark marble floor when the latter
is cleaned. as it will be when the work
is done.
All around the interior are stone
carvings, Wreaths and garlands on the
walls and high reliefs over the doors
representing scenes from the colonial
days and the early history of the
country. These carvings, covered as
they have been for years with heavy
coats of paint of uncertain color. have
looked like cheap plaster casts and
the whole effect of the interior has
been that CT a makeshife.. structure
rther than of solid stone.
When it was decided to 90 back to
the old stone foundation the problem
was to get the paint Off. and a good
many rentvatorS and paint removers
of different sorts were tried Finally,
however, Mr. Woods tried lime, slack
ed with potash. and this did the tric,
without injuring the stone. The real
character of the stone carvings only
began to show as the paint was gotten
on. They came out III shap outline
and proved to be really wonderfully
tine work for this country at the be-
ginning of the century 1t was found.
also. that some sections cf the stone
work had been destroyed when gas
pipes were run through the capitol,
and these blemishes had to be removed
and the whole work restored. But the
result is very satisfying and the inter
lor of the rotunda this winter viii,
look like what it is, solid and ar.
tistlc piece of work and not a painted
sham
There is. however, some excuse for
II, apparen. vandalism OF palnting
tn. interior, II one will only consider
tn. conditions with which the house,
keepers of the nation had to deal at