The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-07

first time now been worked out--the grand
stairway leading down from the portico.
Perhaps tho thing that most quickly
and powerfully impresses the wai1dcrer
through tho bare rooms of the Capitol IL
the wonderful charm OF the maze Of
white enamel and shimmering marble.
Mahogany doors and iron ratings show
darlsly here and there, but everything
else is u spotlcss white. The effect Is
very beautiful. The interior is chaste
and elegant and stately. and the ex-
terror, with It's heavy walls and massive
columns. all OF cleaning white very I'M
posing Bathed In sunlight, with blue
skies above and the famed beauty of the
Capitol Square enclosing Il. the great
building is q delight to tho eye; the APP
pearance OF the interior. when 1t is com
plete, and, above all, when Mt night 1t Ia
brilliantly lighted. may be imagined.
There are many features contributing
to the pleasing effect OF the ensemble
that will attract particular note. To the
antiquarian the ancient door frames and
railngs, the queer spiral stairways as
cending, unenclosed, from the floor of the
old hall OF the House to the galleries.
will prove OF especial interest. The grand
portico and stairway, carrying out the
design of tho Maison Caree, after which
the building was originally modelled. is.
of course, the most notable feature of
the exterior. The portico, measuring .2
by 81 feet, is supported by eight immense
columns. each forty feet high and four
feet In diameter The great stairway is
T2 feet wide and 16 feet high with twenty
four steps, including the platform. A
cornice OF limestone and terra-cotta COW
ers the columns and extends around the
entire building. In this section of the
building tho old sizes have been re-
tanned, but the work has been renewed.
Returning to the interior, the rotunda
instantly calls for attention. But 70!
the strange newness of material 1t is UNI
changed. Tho Houdon statue stands in
the center. The inches are there In the
walls again. Where once stood the en-
trance to the Senate chamber a lobby now
leads to the portico. High above Is the
dome. the same in dimension and appear
ance as the old. Even the trap-door and
roof-railing, utilized by 30 many visitors,
have been restored in modern condition.
The dome Is 30 feet In diameter at the
bottom circle. From this point to the
/ bottom OF the fiat skylight in the dome
is II feet.
Where Assembly Meets.
The chambers in which the General As
sembly will sit will occupy the new por-
tions of the building. spacious wings, one
on the extreme west and one on the .ex-
IRENE cast. Both rooms are of impress
sive dimensions In the western wing
is the new Senate chamber. with a semi
circular tcor measuring IS by 20 feet.
The galleries will seat about go people.
Under the galleries. the floor space is
divided intp rmall committee rooms
In the EASTERN wing is the House
chamber, rectangular In shape. with n
floor space measuring As by 72 feet, With
small cloak rooms on each side. The
galleries are about the size of those In
the Senate The desks Will be arranged
in tiers. The ceilings of both chambers
are paneled, and make a very handsome
appearance. The House is lighted by ten
large windows and a center skylight,
and the Senate by twelve windows and
skylight These skylghts are l6 by 20
feet. Hobbies lead from each chamber
to the rotunda, which is 80 feet in diam
eter. nezzanine floor contains corri-
doris leading into and connecting the
galleries of the House, the Senate and
the old hall of the Delegates.
On this floor will also be the agricul-
tural museum suggested or the Hall of
Fame. proposed by Mr.. John Garland Pol
lard. The old hall of the House will be
used for this purpose. The old Senate
chamber is now courtroom for the
Corporation Commission. The offices of
the Governor are at the south end of
the second floor, and the offices of the
Corporation Commission at the north
end. Each suite contains seven rooms,
besides the toilet. Stairways and gall
leres take up the remainder of this floor.
Above is the attic. The basement will
contain q number of offices, including
those Of the register OF lands, the clerks
of the House and the Senate, the COM
mittee clerks, the enrolling clerks and
some others.
Seven entrances lead into the basement
and five into the first floor, Besides
tho grand stairway at the south front,
there are lesser stairways at each north
ern and southern end of the House and
Senate Hobbies. Inside there are two main
stairways in the old part OF the build
ing. One on the western side winds
around the elevator shaft and runs from
basement to. attic On the eastern side
there is another stairway running from
the basement to the second floor.
Every modern convenience Will be pro-
vided in the new Capitol. The building
will be lighted with electricity. A low
pressure steam plant. located in the rear
E l Tie otdte Llpriiry pullolnE, VIII furnish
tho power for the lighting and heating.
The House. the Senate and the Corpora
ton Commissions courtroom will be ven
tilated by means of two electrically
driven fans. one located in the attic of
each wing. The construction throughout
is flreproof a powerful Morse-Williams
hydraulic plunger elevator has been in
stalled on the western side of the old
building, about where the old elevator
stood.