The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-05-05

When the Senate and House office
buildings were built and aibterranean
tahes bored to connect tile two struc.
lures with the capitol itseif, new vista
81 halls and corridors was opened.
The capitol building has modern ap-
pearanoe from the ground up. but mder-
meath. in the endorsement, 30 81 speak,
everything i medieval N the good
old days when the foundations Of the
government were built. brick work was
en- reua Hence, underlying the whole
building are bewildefing stretches Of
hricked corridors, that twist about ike
a maze.
The subways from tie House and SEN
ate tap a series 81 these subterranean
passage ways at either end Of the capitol.
Modern architects and workmen have
done their best e. traiehten out their
kinks electric lights point the way to
elevators out Of The eaYe-like passages,
and dozens Of signboards tel the way
to wayfamrs
But there Il hardly Gay that even
those senators and congressman who Aa
bitually use she tube don't find them
selves temporarily lost in the recesses Of
whitewashed brick corridor that turns
ard twists in and about and smells hot
and fetid
II isn't only at the subway entrances
that the explorer u mediaevaIsm finds
himself stumped Before the Office build.
ings we're built, Il became necessary, IN
order 10 accommodate legislators with
rooms. to use little eell-hke boxes pro.
vided with Brussels carpets and nahog-
any furniture. on the Same level ais the
sub basement. However, they had light
from the terrace, and windows that over
looked the grassy slopes Of the capitol
grounds. Once inside these offices some
Of them are still IN use BIZ the way the
prospect isn't bad But Il is ii tie Get
ting to and from them that che way Is
hazardous Curious marrow stairwavs
twist down from the upper stories and
gloomy brick walls. temporarily bnr.
nished. have to he passed And there are
So many outshoots Of corridors that it
is the easiest thing IN the world for the
meditatively inclined statesman 10 b.
wandering along to suddenly discover
that he is of the beaten track, and
finally, after tramping about several
miles, to run across the engine rooms.
The capitol underground somewhat re-.
sembles the eataeombs. Every few
months rare paintings, antiquated re-
ports, books or ile of correspondence are
unearthed in some dark, cobwebby ana
long. forgotten cubby hole. Thew resur-
rected a portrait. in oil from Just such
d hiding place last session. 1t was u
picture Of one Of the former vice presi-
dents, and after an art restorer had
spent several weeks on It, rubbing of
the CRIME and dust Of several score
years it was delegated to place of
honor in a committee room.
Directly underneath the dome Of the
capitol. ard the deepest level Of the sub
sub basement ~ small room ike d
crypt Historians insist Tint the ARCH
tect 81 The capitol intended that It should
contain the bones of WASHINGTON who.
by the way laid the corner stone Of the
original hiilding on September s. l7a8-
and it was evidently built to receive some
precious relic. Visitors seldom penetrate
ia the room. n it lies the bier on
which three presidents have lain IA state
Lincoln Garfield and Mckinley. II
ia borne the weight Of these distin-
guished dead on the occasions when the
martYred presidents laid 81 state in the
rotuuda Of The capitol itself.
But. speaking Of the subterranean
passages again, An elevator conductor