Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-06-30
EXTENSION OF THE CAPITOL.
America Will Have Most Perfect Public
Building in the World.

Baltimore American: Every patriotic
American citizen will hope that no OBJ
stacle will intrude in the path Of an ex-
tension of the east front of the capitol
at washington in accord with the plans
which have been reported favorably by
a joint commission of the senate and
house. For several generations this has
been a project dear to the heart of al
most every congress, and always dear
to the heart OF every lover of art in
architecture, and who could not look at
the grand building on 1.-THE hill' with
out a feeling Of profound regret that
so imposing a pile should be c~onspicu-
Gus in one great defect, that the mag
nihcent dome should seem from the
eastern point OF view TO be topping
over for lack OF a proper and harmoni-
Gus pedestal.
Regardless of its defects the capitol
is a splendor of piecemeal construction.
No other architectural pile in the whole
world, erected in such vicissitudes, las
been permitted to retain such thorough
integrity. II stands singular in archi-
tectural form and situation, the most
imposing of all houses of parliament.
Not n In any foreign and approaches
it in tremendous dignity. Only in the
ruins of structures of ancient days can
be found q semb}ance of the chaste de-
sign of his meeting place of the law
makers for more than so. 000, 900 of pop
ulation-those ruins from which were
drawn to n large extent the noble fea-
lures of the capitol. the treasury and
the building of the department of the
interior.
1t is not complimentary to the con-
gress nor to the people hat the defects
OF the capitol have rome so long unrem-
edied. When the terrace" was added
to the western front to give mass to
49, .,<n,o- RA,-1n4sAn 1900.
mistake was made in placing stairways
OF black slate amid the white marble
which everywhere else prevailed. To
the most uneducated taste this was Of
fensive, and architectural artists of
every land stood astonished hat such
a crime could be committed In the name
OF architecture. In connection with the
remedial movement at the east facade
this mistake upon the west is to be cor
rected, and when that is accomplished
and the central section OF the east front
Is extended this so-called crude coun-
try Of America will have the most per-
feet building OF public use in ali the
world.
The British house of parliament is
not only extensively ornate, but ii is
placed unon the hanks of the Thames,
n can be properly seen only from the
Surrey side. The chamber of deputies
in Paris. although of classic design and
having a curious sentimental outlook
In facing the great church of the Mad
eleine, precisely similar in architecture,
but far across the Seine. and the bee
hive OF the Place de la Concorde, is
dwarfed and obscured upon the bank OF
the river.
So the changes might be rung upon
houses of parliament OF all the great
states OF the world. No other stands
forth with such prodigious weight and
dignity OF proportion and such COM
handing situation as, this white pile at
Washington, and again let the hope be
expressed that congress will leave moth
ing undone to finally correct h mis-
takes In art which have been always
recognized and which are solely due to
the patchwork n in which the
wonderful structure has been produced.
Belt Of Calm at Pacific End Of Canal
National Geographic Magazine: At
the eastern extremity OF the canal the
difficulties which a sailing vessel may
expect 10 encounter will arise from a
superanbundance of wind rather thai a
lack OF II. At the western extremity.
on the other hand. these conditions will
be completely reversed.
Upon emerging from the canal INTO
the Pacific ocean a vessel will enter an
. fA9< - H.. 80 tf-1.