The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-02-23
CONTINUED from last week.

,ton Of This Fine Building.
CONTINUED from last week.
II was S O'Clock when the Georgia
boy came into the hotel. He vas
eleven years old, being the youngest
Of the winners. Having met the last
one Of us, he went 10 bed, for he was
tired and sleepy.
on the following morning We all
net Professor Martin and decided TO
20 10 the Fish Commission before we
met the President AS We reached
the Fish Commission, the first thing
we noticed was pair Of young seals.
They we're swimming in pool OF wa
ter just in front Of the doorway. We
passed through and noticed all OF the
fishes, some swimming laZily about
and some lying between the rocks.
We did not stay long. for II was time
10 be going to the White House. We
were on time, and had TO wait a good
while before we could meet the Pres
ident. We did not meet him in the
White House, but in the Executive of
fee.
We were all lined up with a throng
Of about five hundred people. It
seemed as IL We would never get to
meet him, but at last it was our
time. Professor Martin was first and
introduced US to him. He was look
ing very pleasing, and 1t seemed that
he was glad to NEE tthe little band of
prize winners" When shaking hands
with one he would ask how much we
raised, and what it cost us to raise it.
So We went away feeling that we
could say that We had shaken hands
with President Taft.
Having met the President, we de-
cided to go to the Capitol. So taking
car, we went there, which is at
the end Of every avenue.
The Capitol is situated on Capitol
Hill, one and one-third miles from the
White House, and is three squares
from the Union Station Depot via
Delaware Avenue. It is distinguish
ing for it's commanding situation and
majestic proportions, for the dignity,
grace and beauty of design and
adorDments and decorations which
beautify it without and within. All
these unite to give it rank as an ar
chitectural object among the noblest
in the world. From an elevated site
on Capitol Hill, ninety-seven feet
above the level of the river, it over
looks an amphitheatre of the Po-
tomac and is a conspicuous feature
OF the landscape from miles on every
side. 1t is set amid grounds whose
extent and arrangements add much /
to the architectural effect.
The building faces the east, for in |
that time the projectors assumed that
the city would grow toward the east i
but the Development of Washington
has been toward the west, and it is
from this direction that the Capitol |
is usually approached. From the |
main western entrance of the grounds |
near the Peace Monument the ap-
proach leads up the gently rising
lawns to flights Of steps, which gives |
court, which extends the entire length
fthe west front and around the
north and south ends. Here a beau
tiful view is afforded of the city and
encircling hills. From the court the
building gives access to the flights of
stairs which lead to the rotunda. The
rotunda in the center of the main
building is the room to which one
usually comes first, and it is con-
Tenient point from which to visit the
various parts of the Capitol. The
north door leads to the Supreme
stairway to the dome; the south door
to the Statuary Hall and the House;
the east door (the Rogers bronze
doors which cost $4,000, opens to
the portico, and the west door leads
to TIE west entrance.
The browning glory of the Capitol
is the dome. It springs from per-
istyle of f1uted Corinthian columns
above the central building and termi-
mating in a lantern, which is sur
mounted by the Statue of Freedom,
towering 307a feet above the esplan-
ade.
The height of the dome above the
base line Of the east front is 287 feet,
five inches; from the roof balustrade
217 feet and eleven inches; diameter
at theb ase, 135 feet and five inches.
1t is of iron and weighs S,909,2O0
pounds. It is so constructed that
with the variations of temperature
the iron plates expand and contract
like the folding and unfolding of a
lily" The peristyle has SO columns
and SO windows, like a balustrade
above. The lantern is Is feet in di-
ameter and so feet in height; it has
electric lights which illuminate the
dome during night session. The