The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-09-26
A MARBLE DOME
FOR The CAPITOL
Congress viii Some Day Replace Iron
Superstructure On This Hand
some Building.

Washington, d. c., Sept. 26.-When
Congress folds it's tent and steals |
away from its legislative haunts, the
cleaners and renovators get busy in
Washington. The big buildings where
the Senators and Representatives have 1
their offices are scrubbed, mopped,
painted and cleaned from top to bot
tom. The Capital itself is put through
similar treatment and the outside is
subjected to treatment with lines of
hose through which fire engines force
water to the very top of the dome.
It's always an interesting operation to
see the Capitol getting its annual
bath. Then the streets are repaired
and the trees trimmed and every
thing around Washington is got into
the best possible shape for the re-
converting of Congress in December.
Owing to the extra session there was
| little time to do all this during the
present summer, so there is unusual
hurry and hustle now.
Alterations Postponed.
Some day, when there is a suf-
ficiently long interval between the end
Of the short session and the begin
ming of the long session of Congress,
the interior of the chamber of the
House of Representative is. to be re-
built and the entire plan modified.
Even with the increased membership
due to the re-apportionment, the sub
stitution of benches, such as are used
in the English House of Comomns, for
the individual desks now in use. will
take up less room and the size of the
chamber can be reduced. This will
be a great advantage in permitting
speakers to be heard more clearly
| Speaker Clark, to be sure, with his
resonant voice and his gavel, pound
ing on the board provided for that
treatment, has been able to make his
voice heard; but the average member
has had a hard time and the cry OIL
louder, louder" has worried many {
timid Congressman who was trying t.
achieve undying fame by explaining
the intricacies of the effects of the
tariff on wool, cotton, sugar, or some
| other article.
H The Speaker, it may be remarked
/ has succeeded remarkably well in pre-
ii carvino ordor in Tho uOuCa Ja ebo,1f
II have an easier time when the size o
II the chamber is reduced. But that car
II hardly be this summer.
II A Dome OF Marble.
II Some day, too, there will be a mar
H BILE dome placed on the Capitol in
III stead of the iron dome which nov
covers the rotunda. The architect
II are practically a unit in saying tina
marble is the only proper material c
y which to construct the dome. Iro
III shrinks and expands in name
u which is distressing. Leaks result
= and these are patched by strips {
canvas painted over. Undoubtedl
the dome will be replaced some da
= and it was intended to bring this ma
Il ter before Congress at this sessio
but the pressure of debate on the ia
iff caused it to be postponed. Poss
- bly, it may come up at the next Sc
sion, and during the long recess tv
= years from now, if everything go,
= well, work may actually be col
menced on the gigantic task of pr
ting a new roof over the great rotunt
where tourists now stand and gaze
wrapt awe at the paintings on t
concave surface so far above the
heads.
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