The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-12
KEEPING HOUSE
FOR CONGRESS
IS A BIG TASK
Miles of Corridors in the Capt.
tai Buildings Have Been
Swept Every Day.

Keeping house for Congress Is a
I big job itself, for In addition to the
capitol building there are two huge
Office buildings, erected about ten
years ago, and occupied by members
OF tho Senate and House OF Repre-
! sentatlves. which contain nearly l.
! 900 rooms. resembling hotels In some
| respects for they have Kitchens and
! dining rooms. committee rooms and
separate rooms for each member OF
Congress.
The capitol. which has five floors,
! including the sub-basement. and
which covers two and one-half acres
OF ground, Is almost like city under
/ one roof. 1t has two large restaur-
ants, two postofiices. two telegraph
J offices. two barber shops and vast
storage rooms. In addition to the dt-
visions more familiar to the public.
the Senate and House OF Representa-
tives chambers, the United States
supreme court room, the main ro-
tunda. statuary hall and the cloak
rooms occupied by the legislators. 1t
requires an army OF employees to keep
these various departments In order.
The window-washing alone Is tre-
mendous job. There are $40 win
dOws in the capitol. 1870 in the office
| building OF the House of Representa-
tives and SIS in the Senate office
building, at total Of 1865 windows
that have to be washed twelve times
yearly. Owing to the fact that the
Interior finish Of the capitol Is OF
various materials. requiring regular
attention, from four to twenty paint
ers. from two to six plumbers and
from two to eight carpenters are con-
stantly at work on the great build
ing. Two years ago the central part
OF the building and the dome receiv-
ed fresh coat of white paint. The
task occupied thirty-five men for
thirteen weeks and required $4,000
gallons OF paint. This part of the
capitol has to be repa1nted every
four years, for II Is built OF a very
perIshable sandstone. The new
wings. mo-. occupied by the House
and Senate. are of marble and do
not require painting.
Buildings Like Big Hotels.
The office building of the House Is
built of white marble and occupies
an entire city block and has total
of 1,T45 feet, or about u third of a
mile. Originally 1t contained more
than 500 rooms. but another story is
being added which will give 1t fifty
more rooms. There are nine eleva-
tors and on the ground floor are
baths and barber shop. Each room
must be cleaned nightly, nearly two
miles of corridors must be swept ev-
cry day and scrubbed every other
day.
The Office building OF the Senate is
similar structure, except that 1t is
built on only three sides OF block
Instead of four. Much of the inter-
Tor is OF marble and the furniture
is somewhat more massive and moro
plentiful than that which representa-
tives have to be content. Each SEN
ator has n whole suite of rooms and
they are given constant attention
daily by large force Of cleaners and
scrubbers.
Grounds Require Attention.
The cost of keeping the capitol IN
repair Is about 100000 year. An
equal amount is spent annually on
the grounds. The latter comprise
fifty-seven acres and 1t is the bust-
ness of half a dozen gardeners, twice
as many assistants and numerous la
bnrers to take care OF the shrubbery,
trim the trees and keep the lawns
free from leaves or litter.
Every year the bronze ventilating
campers in the floors of the two great
capitol halls are taken out and
cleaned with live steam: thousands
of feet OF air ducts are cleaned and
whitewashed before Congress con-
venes and are secured and disinfect-
ed every two weeks. The House and
tho Senate and the supreme court
each has its own department of en-
gineers in charge of the heating and
ventilation.