Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-09-21
SENATE CHAMBER RESTORED
Work In Historic Hall At The Old
State House Nearly
Completed.
TO APPEAR AGAIN AS IT DID A
CENTURY AGO.
When General George Washington
Resigned His Commission
In The ARMY.

and improve the room To lovers
of antiquity this vandalism has always
been an eyesore instead of an improve
| ment, and hope sprung eternal in the
human breast that some day man. he
who loves the antique, would be blest,
inasmuch as he would live to see old
things no longer made new, but the
old Senate Chamber once again restor-
ed to its original design
The Senate Chamber in the old
State House is the room of national
historic interest, as il was the scene
of the resignation of General Wash
ngton's military commission. The
work of restoration has nearly
been completed and is one of the most
accurate and interesting achievements
of historical nature in this coun-
try. The work has been under the
direction of the architect, Mr., Josias
Pennington, of Baltimore, aided by
the State Building Commission and a
specially appointed commission of ar
chitects and historians.
After careful research, every import
ant detail of the old chamber has been
fixed upon with well nigh certainty,
and reproduced minutely, and the
work will be turned over to the paint.
er this week. The foundation Of the
present State House. containing the
Senate Chamber, was laid on March 2S,
l772, by Governor Eden. and was
completed the next year, though the
present dome, said to be the largest
wooden dome in the world, was not
erected until after the War of the
Revolution, in the year 1893. Many
changes were made in the original
building in order to obtain additional
| room, and all of these detracted from
the uniformity and beauty of the orig
inal. The most serious piece of au-
thorized vandalism. however, was
that which is now being remedied as
far as possible by the present work
the reconstruction of the Senate
Chamber in 1876
The old chamber had remained in
its original form from the erection of
the building. Washington resigna-
tion, the event with which the room
is always associated, had taken place
on December 23. 1888. within its walls,
though this was not the only event of
national significance connected with
it, for there the treaty of peace which
ended the war with Great Britain was
ratified on January IA, 1884, and there
on September 1I-l4, 1856, sat the del
egates from the six states in the
meeting which led to the calling of
the Federal Constitutional Convention
in 1887. Notwithstanding these notable
historic associations and the beauty
of the chamber, the whole was marred
in order to gain little more space.
Hardly had the new work been ao-
complished when storm of indigna-
tion arose all over the state, and mahy
have been the subsequent attempts to
hrfS hr,, hn - Ahn al
as far as possible. The attempts have
always failed, however, on account of
lack of interest on the part of those
in authority, and while, of course, the
idea is not original with the present
Governor, yet to him is due the credit
of finally accomplishing the work.
which had never before gone beyond
the stage of discussion.
The various details of the recon
struotion have been worked out with
the most painstaking care, memory,
pictures anu physical investigation
being the sources of the data. The
authorities were much helped by the
two pictures of the resignation which
exist. both painted at the time when
the chamber was in its original condi-
tion. Fortunately, these pictures
were painted from opposite points of
view, and together give an accurate
representation of thres sides of the
chamber. Que of these pictures is
that by Turnbull in the Capitol Build
ing at Washington, which accurately
represents the old gallery. over the
entrance from the lobby, the most in
teresting architectural feature of the
room. The other is that by Edw in
White which has found a place in the
oh nd foz
Speakers rostrum backed by the niche
surmounted by architrave and cap
The main points of these pictures have
been verified by the memory of many
persons now living and by abundant
physical evidence.
A very beautiful plaster cornice
surrounds the room, ard that this is
Identical with the original is certain
because large portions of the original
have been recovered and were used TO
make the mol3s for the cornice now
in Ilace. Ths gallery is supported by
four wooden columns. At least two
of the original columns have been
found and will be used for the pur-
pose. If the other syo have to be re-.
placed, they will be made of course
exactly like the originals.
A nice question arose and was set
tied absolutely in connection with the
features on the south side of the room
TO which neither of the pictures gave
any key and about which there was
some difference in recollection. 1t
was known that there had been no
change in the upper part of the space
on that side but there was some differ
ence of opinion as to whether or not
there was recess below the windows
which extended to the floor On tear
ing away the wood work beneath the
building it was found that up TO what
would have formed a recess the sides
of the original brick were presented
in an uncut form. This plainly indi-
Gated that recesses below the windows
were features of the old chamber.
Thus every important detail was set.
tied TO degree of great certainty.
The commission appointed by the
Governor to aid in an advisory way
in the work of restoration consisted of
Messrs. John L. Cuttings, De Courcey
w. Thorn, j. Davidson Iglehart, J..
Appleton Wilson, Clayton c. Hall
andl George A. Frederick of Balti-