Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-12

yv1ILL it be forty years before the
w big bronze doors recently made to
take the place OF the old wooden
ones at the west central entrance OF
the Capitol are put into their place?
If 1t takes as long to get them up as
1t did to put UP the massive bronze doors
on the east front of the building, it will
be more than forty years before the
new doors swing into the position for
which they were designed. More than
two score years elapsed between the day
when Thomas Crawford, father Of the
late +. Marion Crawford, novelist, com
peted his design of the bronze paneled
doors for the House front entrance to the
Capitol and the day, only FIVE years since
when they were placed.
The new doors for the west entrance
desigrred by Louis Amateis. a Washington
sculptor, and cast by a New York con.
Germ. have heen on exhibition In the
Corcoran Art Gallery since their ar
rival in Washington. Thomas Crawford
| died in 1s5I-four years before the civil
i'm their place until 1906. He designed
also the Senate entrance doors, but these
had been cast and put into position as
early as 1868 The Columbus doors at the
east main entrance, designed by Ran
dolph Rogers, were put up in 1881.
The reason for the delay in taking the
new doors to the Capitol is because OF
important changes which must be made
in the building some day. 1t may be
many years before Congress appropriates
the money for this purpose as 1t Will re-
quire several million dollars
These architectural changes affect the
central or old part OF the Capitol This
I L. xod of nd
years past has been slowly disintesrating
The day is coming when this will have to
be replaced by marble. the material used
| In the Senate and House wings OF the
building. This sandstone, while OF ex-
cellent texture and very enduring for
that variety of building material has
been treated at intervals for some years
past with a specially prepared paint,
which COVERS and soaks into 1t, thus pro-
tecting II az far as possible from the ele-
! ments.
Elliott Woods. superintendent of the
| Capitol building and grounds. received
permission when the new doors arrived to
place them in the Corcoran Art Gallery.
Thinking that possibly the changes In the
CAPITOL might be made within few
years, and fearing that the bronze doors
would be injured during the progress OF
the heavy stone work, he decided TO
leave them of for q time.
When the transformation from sand
stone to marble is made In the central
part of the Capitol. the west facade Will
be moved forward a few feet This
would mean a shifting in the positi II of
the doors
1t may be many years. however. it was
Acknowledged. before the necessary ap-
preparation for this big piece Of Capito!
rebuilding Is granted. II, In the cou S :
of a few years, there seems TO be no
near prospect of this money being al
lowed, it is probable that the new dc ors
will he taken to the Capitol without wat
| ing longer. On the other hand, they
may remain. where they are. or in some
| other place. for years before they are
swung into their proper place.
The model OF the House doors. designed
by Crawford. lay for more than forty
years, covered with dust. in some de-
serted corner of the Capitol before 1t was
| sent away to be cast The reason for the
delay in this case evidently had been the
oversight OF succeeding Congresses It
was not due to unwillinsness to appro-
pirate the money needed for the casting
| for when Mr.. Woods. soon after becom-
| ing superintendent OF the Capitol. brough hit
| the matter to the attention OF the proper
authorities the appropriation was quick
| " forthcoming.
The new west entrance doors will COM