The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-14
Frederic Haskin' 5 Letter
Caring for the Capitol.

"a sAS RNoSs oA0 tnc euOO3 n0l 4
store rooms. Here are made -
kept supplies Of every kind -
quantities Of paint, PLUMBING ~
electrical material are kept -
stantly on hand.
Among the 800 employees carr,.s
on the capitol pay roll are plumK
ers, painters, carpenters, electrs..
ians. not to mention ordinary laAes
ers Of both Sexes. An expert CO.
mixer Is One of the permansss
members of the staff. Experts -
employed for various kinds OF ~.
cial work Il may be easily mas.
stood that the superintendent !,
the capitol has a regular job on his
hands.
AS 9 separate department Ia
grounds are In charge Of a lana.
scape gardener. There are man,
historic trees. such as the Washins.
ton elm, under which the father a
his country used to sit and eat ~
lunch while he watched the pro.
gress OF the capitol building. Not
long since 1t was found that TIN
old tree was in danger Of dying. 4
| skilled tree surgeon was called n
and it was saved. Then there Il
the tree to which Thomas jefferson
tied his horse when he rode "a ia
capitol to be in augurated the Sec
ond time.
When a tree is to be replaced
one of the members Of congress Il
chosen to stand sponsor for 1t. The
member selects the variety to be
planted and the tree bears his
name. The Cameron elm is one Of
the grand old trees in the grounda
When the walks were being laid, II
was found that this tree was in the
way, and it was proposed that II
I be cut down. Senator Cameron In.
troduced a resolution to preserve II.
and the walk was laid around II,
The position Of each , tree IA
show on a large chart OF the
grounds with the name Of its spon-
sor attached. Trees have been
planted by the late Senator CALM
| ger, Uncle Joe" Cannon, Champ
CLARK, and other members Of both
bodies. Miss Jeanette Rankin, the
only woman member of congress,
planted a California redwood.
| A Village in Itself.
So it can be readily seen that the
capitol is practically a village in
itself, not only from the number Of
people required, but from the num-
Der of trades represented in the
work of keeping the building and
grounds clean and in repair. From
the lightning points which sur
mount the statue on the dome. to
the giant power plant, the largest
single plant south Of New York,
which supplies light, heat and
power to the capitol, senate and
house Office buildings, and the H.
brary of congress at saving Of
thousands of dollars annually
every part is constantly under the
eye OF experts.
So Systematically Is everything
arranged, that the work goes or
like the revolutions of a vast ma.
chine. Only occasionally does Que
see the wheels go round. But they
move all the time. Day after day
night after night, the building is
gone over in such a careful manner
that to the eye Of the casual visitor
who does not bother to explore int
the workings of the system. 4
seems to be cared for automatic
ally. He does not see the 300 mel
and women Of all trades and pro
LESSONS work here all the time.
No vacuum cleaners, no electric
washers, or other contrivance'
which tighten the work of the 20tl
century housewife, are used in tn
capitol. All the work is done b.
hand-everything from scrubbini
the floors to washing the statuary
Thus one may get some idea OF tn
magnitude of the task which fall
to the lot of Uncle Sans house
keepers who care for the capitol a
Washington.