The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-04-16
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial Correspondence.
Work has been begun on the restora
ton Of the United states capitol build
ing. The word restoration exactly
fits the case us Superintendent Elliot
Woods and his capable assistant MIR
Lynn. working under authority of al
appropriation made by congress at the
last session, are endeavoring to re
store the building to the state, even as
to details, originally intended. Every
vestige of the paint now on the walls
Of Statualy hall in imitation of Italian
marble will be scraped off, and they
will he left in their natural sandstone
finish. More than this, two of the old
stairways which run from Statuary
hal--which until 1859 was the hall of
the house of represehtatiEes-to what
were formerly the mems gallery and the
wonen's gallery have been rediscover-
ed and opened, aud the mems gallery
will be restored to its original condi-
ton
Restoring the Capitol.
One reason why this work has been
undertaken was that the restoring of
the walls of the rotunda to their nat
ural sandstone finish seems to have
met with universal approval from SEN
ators, representatives and visitors to
the capitol building. 1t is agreed on all
sides that the rotunda is very much
more beautiful and artistic place than
was the case when the rose tinted sand
stone was covered with half a dozen
layers of paint.
The plans for the restoration Of the
capitol also include the removal of the
paint from the crypt and the PILLARS
within it.
Purely Grecian In Design.
Statuary hall. when used as the cham
Der of the house of representatives,
was generally conceded to be the most
beautiful legislative hall in tile world
1t Is purely Grecan in its design and
decorations. the outline of the plan be-
ing a semcircle of nnety-six feet chord
elongated IN its vertical diameter line
by parallelogram ~ feet long by %
feet wide. The height to the top Of the
entablature blocking is thlrty-five feet
and to the apex of the dome ceiling
fifty seven feet SO far as can be de-
termined by sounding and testing, the
entire wall space Is of sandstone sim
liar to that In the rotunda.
Marble Polished by Slaves.
The circular colonnade Is made up OF
fourteen columns and two antes of the
richest Corinthian proportions The
shafts are composed of a remarkably
beautiful species of variegated marble
called Breccia In solid blocks, obtained
FROM the hanks of the Potomac hun
dred miles OF so above the city. This
marble is of very remarkable forma-
ton, and the blocks, being of a nature
which made it impossible to have them
turned on lathe. as Is ordinarily the
case, We're polished by hand by slave
labor. The capitals are of white Ital-
ian marble, sculptured after q speci-
men taken from the temple of Jupiter
Stator ut Rome the most admired
specimen of capitals of this delicate
beautiful order. The entabiature Is
after the proportions of that in the
same temple. ornamented with dentils
and medallions. enriched between and
underneath with leaves and roses. Over
the colonuades springs the magnificent
painted paneled dome.
Uncle Sans Printing Bill.
The government printing bill, which
amounted to little over $7,500,0OO
last year, will drop to about $5,500,000
this year and This in spite of the fact
that number of new bureaus have
been established and several new laws,
including the immigration law, the
pure food law and the railroad rate
law, which entailed an enormous
amount of printing, have come into
operation. The congressional printing
commission is working out plans for
still further reduction of the printing
bill This commission will sit here
from time to time during the summer
and fall and when congress meets
again will be prepared to recommend
additional regorm legislation
Public Buildings.
About $6000,000 is to be expended
within the District during the coming
fiscal year in the erection of public
buildings and the continuance of the
work on such structures now under
way Such is the amount of money
provided for those purposes by the APP
preparation bill which will become eff
fective the list of July next.
1t is a striking illustration of the de-
velopment of the city that this Inn
mense sum of money to be spent In
brick and stone in order to provide ad-
ditional housing for the various activi-
ties of the government is in large part
to be used in continuing the construc-
ton of buildings already begun
Some Great Structures.
In the list of the app" priatlons for
the coming year for buildings in this
city there are three instances of
amounts aggregating about $1000,O00
each which are merely intended to
complete three structures which are
now in progress. This is good deal
of money for such a purpose, and 1t
enables one TO form some conception of
the size and Importance of the build
ings referred to--the National museum,
the senate office building and the house
Office building.