Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25

the big white dome. Figuratively, Con-
ereSs i whacking out certain and sun
dry PIECES OF legislation with one hand
and wpinG its perspiring brow with the
other and-swearinr softly and sweetly
under its breath at the unkind fate that
Keeps it dashed to the mast when 1t
Nigh; he at play where the cool winds
blow and the waters sound their summer
symphony.
So Congress has gone assiduously about
the business of keeping cool And not by
The old-fashoned gin rickey and festive
mini julep route, either. If a member
wishes TO laugh at the thermometer in
that fashion he must keep the laugh
producer in his own committee rooms, for
he cannot get it in the Capitol nor within
many squares of il. Other Congresses
may have done so. but not this one. IL
has more scientific and il believes. more
efficacious methods.
e
BY the desk OF each representative and
senator, for instance. and in other parts
OF the chambers. are small vents through
which cold air is forced by huge electric
fans in the basement. At the same time,
the hot air is drawn up and expelled
through the ceilings In all nearly eight
acres of building are cooled in this fash
ion. Always the temperature within is
from five to eight degrees cooler than on
the outside.
Ice water and lemonade are the popular
beverages. the Senate alone using some
400 pounds of ice per day, while the
total daily consumption in the entire Capt.
tot and both Office buildings is said to be
over four tons The Senate eXpendS the
modest sum of $4,000 for its favorite
brands of mineral waters. but the House
frowns down on such extravaganza and
x-.2fS nor nod Iif ter from
the broad bosom of the Potomac.
Down in the Easements OF the office
building of both houses OF Congress are
costly baths. where Swedish. Turkish or
Just plain American soap-and-water baths
can be had at any hour They are built
entirely of marble-and not bathroom
marble, either. but the exquisitely veined
sort that millionaires use in constructing
their interior stairways and mantels.
Frequently on particularly humid day
one representative and senator after an
other will slip away from the atmosphere
which remain. close. despite the air
vents. and indulge in quick plunge. The
lack If a pool is deplored by many. but
curtailment had to be made somewhere.
ard the bathrooms cost much that the
las; feature of a Turkish treatment
had 10 he omitted.
Running from both House and Senate
- their respective office buildings are sub
WAYS lighted by electricity and paved
with asphalt. In the Senate one is
specially constructed automobile on which
IL i quite the fashion to take a Joy
ride and get cool,
Southwest OF the Capitol building and
Just outside the grounds there is a pic
tCresque granite tower about thirty feet
tall. At that height the air is quite
pure, being too high TO contain the float
Ing germs Of the street and too low to
no affe( ted by the smoke blowing from
chimncys. Within this tower connects
with long underground tube or tunnel
that runs to the Subbasement under the
House SIDE of the Capitol. The indirect
radiation ducts are a. feet in area and
the air blows through them at the rate Of
go feet a minute. The huge fan receiv-
ing this air i l. feet IN diameter and re-
wolves los times minute. holding $1,000