The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-04-30
THE NEW
State HOUSE
EVERYONE SHOULD SEE IT
Take Advantage OF The Cheap Rate TO
Frankfort.

When the Legislature of 1904 met
the State of Kentucky was practically
out Ct debt, bill apprOpriatingS .OOO,-
600 for the purpose of erecting new
State Capitol passed that body with
but one dissenting vote, and a commits
sion to carry out the provisions of the
act was appointed. The result was
one of the handsomest, if not the most
handsome, in the United States, con-
tains two hundred and seventy-fOur
rooms and apartment. and is some
thing of which every Kentuckian can
be proud.
The face-work of the building is con-
structed of Oolitic limestone from Bed
ford. Indiana, with a Vermont granite
base and rests upon the concrete
foundation as solid as the everlasting
hills. It is surrounded by an architec-
tual stone terrace, with concrete floor
covered with vitrifed brick. The outer
walls CT the building are ornamented
with seventy Ionic columns thirty-two
on the front, four on either end and
thirty on the back. All of them are
monoliths, twenty-seVen feet ten inches
tall and weigh about eighteen tons
each.
The Dome is a close copy Of the
dome of the Hotel DIES Invalides, in
Paris. France. and in the centre OF the
rotunda is circle representing the
position of the red Finnish marble
sarcophagus containing the ashes of the
great Napoleon.
In the center of the rotunda, under
the dome, rests a magnificent bronze
statute of Abraham Lincoln. the
martyred President. and greatest of all
Kentucky's gifted sons. 1t is ofheroic
size, i3 feet from base of pedestal to
top of statute. and is the work of the
accomplished sculptor. Mr.. A. A. Wien
nan, of Boston, pupil of Augustus st.
Gaudens. author of the celebrated
Lincoln statute which stands in Lincoln
Park, Chicago. This was presented to
the State by Mr.. J. B. Speed, of
Louisville. at cost of $2j, 600, and is
pronounced by experts to be more per-
feet than the Chicago statue
For elegance of finish the Corridors,
Stairmege and Nave are surpassed by
no State Capitol and are equalled by
few. I
The lunettes OF the nave are orna-
meuted with handsome oil paintings, |
which are exceedingly interesting. and :
treat of early events in the history of
Kentucky.
State Reception Room is one OF the
most beautiful apartment in the build |
ing, the design being of the Louis XIV
period, and resembles very much the
Public Reception Room of Queen Marie
Autoinette, in the Palace at Versailles,
France
1t is handsomely furnished with
hand-carved Circassian Walnut, the
walls are decorated with hand-painted
cartoons of the Gobelin Tapestry and
the hardwood fioor. covered with a rug
of the French Ellane quality, manufac-
tured especially for the purpose. This
room represents an expense of SO, 300
the furniture and window hanglngs
cofting $1,000. the wall decorations
81, 200 and the carpet $1,000. This
latter was woven in Austria, the work
requiring four months time, and it is
SO heavy that the loom was broken
three times. 1t is 16x54 feet and
weighs 1,027 pounds, is said to be the
largest specially designed rug ever
woven, and the most splendid specimen
of the Louis XIV period extant in the
United States.
At the sou th-west angle of the first
floor are located the apartment of the
Historical Society, where are displayed /
the portraits of all but six Governors