Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-01-06
PAINT THE CAPITOL
Old Coats Removed and Job Is
Costing $500, 900.
Work Of Restoration Reveals tho Orig.
lnal Sandstone-Statuary Hall
Getting Big Share of tho
General Renovation.

capitol building the painters, plaster
ers and decorators have been working
like Trojans to restore a portion of
the great edif1ce to the condition in
which its builders left it, and in which
they supposed and intended that it
should endure.
Magnificent statuary hall Is filled
with spidery trellis from floor to
lofty ceiling, and workmen are climb
ing on and over 1t with recklessness
characteristic of artisans who toll on
lofty places.
Litter Of plaster and paint removed
from places which were never intend
ed to be covered with those materials
Is strewn upon the stone and tiled
floors. but amid 1t all the irrepressible
tourist strays as Of yore.
Many persons who have learned Of
the restoration work in progress
know little Of the causes which led
up to 1t and made 1t necessary.
According to Elliott Woods, the su-
perintendent of the capitol building
and grounds, the builders Of the cap
itol intended that 1t should be Of
stone, and efforts were made to secure
an adequate supply. In those days
there had not been sufficient demand
to encourage the opening Of large
Quarries. but after some search a con-
siderable deposit of Potomac lime
stone was found on Aqua Creek,
about forty miles below the city Of
Washington.
This quarry was opened, and from
1t came the stone used In. the cap
itol. Because of the difficulty in get,
ting enough men to quarry and cut
the stone, however, it was impossible,
apparently, to get out enough of 1t to
make 1t possible to use no other ma
terial in the construction Of the cap
itol, 30 considerable quantity Of
brick was used in the construction Of
interior walls.
and colored to initiate the sandstone.
Injury Caused by Dampness.
Anyone who has looked at one of
the old prints of the capitol will recol-
lect. doubtless, that 1t was surmount-
ed by a cup-shaped wooden dome,
open to the sky.
After the lapse of some years 1t was
found that the sandstone Of which the
building was constructed was very
susceptible to moisture, and that
there was great danger of its disin-
tegration from the dampness, which
entered freely through the open
dome.
The walls Of the rotunda, ornament
ed with paintings and decorations,
sweated continually, and there was
much discussion as to what ought to
be done to effect a remedy.
At length 1t was decided to apply
several coats Of paint to the sand
stone to protect 1t from the effects Of
the weather. This was done, as near
ly as the Oldest inhabitant can recol-
lect. about eighty years ago.
Later, as everyone knows, an iron
dome was put on. but the paint was
allowed to remain on the sandstone
walls Of the interior. and from time
|
fresh coats Of paint were applied.
The exterior. Of course, had to be
treated in that manner because It
was even more exposed to the ele-
ments than the walls, which were ex-
posed because Of the open dome.
The wings Of the capital are more
modern than the central portion, and
they are constructed Of marble. which
suffers comparatively little from mois-
ture, as they have been left in their
natural condition.
Some day. II congress gets in a lib
eral mood, 1t may decree that the cen
trail portion Of the building shall be
faced with marble to match the new
er portions. AS 1t is. the original
building might as well have been
made Of brick and stucco, as far as
appearances and durability are con-
cerned.
After considerable discussion. az
pert and otherwise. extending over a
period OF several years. congress
finally authorized the restoration of
the interior Of the building, and
start was made ON 1t two years ago.
Something was done last year also,
and the exposure Of the sandstone
walls in their natural soft, bun tints
seemed sufficient Justification for the
undertaking of the work.
This year the work is being car
Red still further, and under the d.
rection of the superintendent, with
the advice Of the consulting archi-
tects, Washington artisans and ar
lists are busy removing some nfty
coats Of paint to get down to the
original sandstone. and removing
plaster which has been in place for
almost one hundred years, revealing
the original brickwork, which will be
again covered with a cement mortar
or stucco finished In close imitation
OF sandstone.
Didn't Know They Were Stone.
Everyone who ever entered tb.
western portals will remember tba
great stairway with the massive s,de.
of solid stone taking the place Of tha
ordinary handrail or balustrade-onIv
one would hardly have thought that
they were stone.
Like the greater part of the rest q,