Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-03
The New Parliament Building
by Frederic J. fraskin

4
Ottawa, Canada, Oct. 3.--The place
about which public life In this city re-
wolves ia Parliament Square. Ordi-
nsrily, she Parliament Building is a
dignified background for the legisla-
tive and government BUSINESS OF the
Dominion. But right now, interest IN
the building itself is keen. for the new
PARLIAMENT Building is nearing com
pletion. BY next year, it will be en-
brely finished. save for some Of the
detail carvings. which may keep work
men busy for 10 or 70 years longer.
II was on the night OF February g.
1916, you may remember, that the
Canadian Parliament Building burned
The catastrophe was thought by many
people 10 be the work Of an alien
enemy, perhaps an employe in the
building. Investigations left the bic
fire as much Of a mystery az the
bomb explosion In Wall street has since
become. The Parliament fire may
have been an accident, but Ottawa. re-.
calling the attempt on the Capitol al
Washington during the war, still sus.
pects incendiary motives
Congress was sitting IN night ses
sion when the 1re broke out az ,
o'clock. The members escaped just II
time The city water power was no
sufficient TO reach the top Of the tai
central tower Of the building and &
vas Quilted what was left Of IN,
great building was so wrecked an,
water-iogged that attempts 70 reno
yate IL we're futile.
SO Canada st out 10 rebuild and q
raise a finer edince over the ruins o
the old one. The first Parliamen
Ruilding, which had stood since 1856
was regarded as one Of tho most n
| nous structures in North America
and the new one promises 70 be eve
more distinguished.
Except that Il Is three stories talle
than before, the building from the ex
terror looks in general the same. bot
for sentiments sake, and because
must conform to the east and ives
| ljl0cks- buildings on either eide whic
correspond more or less TO our Hous
and Senate office buildings II II
therefore, Of cream -colored sandston,
which time darkens to a rich, war;
shade.
The building. is thirteenth centur
Gothic In style, with all the carving
gsrgoyles, arches and angles that z
with this cathedral type Of architec
ture.
A Great Building.
It is in outline a very long buildin
with low towers at the corners and
very tail tower and spire rising 20
feet In the middle. This tower is
hold a carillon Of 40 bells In IL. to
is to be a war memorial room to so
: 600 Canadians who lost their lives
J the war. France. Belgium and Gre
, Britain have sent stone to build IN
T memorial room. The floor Is bias
= Belgian marble. The columns are
st. Anne's marble. In the cent
on dais is 10 be q Doonsdsy 30,
= Inscribed with the names Of Canada
!. fighters in the war. and in the fio'
: will be a record of the regiments
The whole building is in many wa
g a war memorial. On the exterior. I,
: instance, there IS an arch in u
{ stone, decorated by carvings. Lette
r cut in the stone spell Vimy Ridg
J recalling one Of the big Canadian vi
8 tories. Viny Ridge, Canadians r
gard as the place where they ga
the confident Kaiser his first frigf
So the carving shows on one side
the arch a typical German head. e
: IN relief with the eyes blindfolde
G representing the German people
d this time. Opposite is the head OF q
y Kaiser with his mustache turned doy
II and an expression Of dismay on !
= face. And above. the story is COZ
j. pleted by carving Of a very vicio
y looking gOat-the Kaiser's.
n The carvings about the building a
d full OF interest. There are numberle
e heads about the size Of small ca
d non ball in the ornamentation OF arc
es. windows and pillars. Some a
weird grOtesques, gryphons ard "a
goyles. Others are human heads. o
OF the stone cutters is said 70 have Il
lnortalized his own features in o
= and COED many are caricat1res
the leading statesmen Of Canada.
N~AAt+A@R% RAAARIA VI -AAs u Nadnaf4A
= represented by some distinguish
feature, as we recognize the Roo.
velt smile and the Lodge whiske
y So, these little stone heads are a SOUL
Il Of delight to Canadians who see IN
y celebrities in the stone: Laurier in
/ suggestion Of a prOminenCnose. B,
J. den in a curling mustache.
The most important rooms OF I
D building are the meeting rooms
n Parliament. The cathedral atmosph
Is Of the Gothic is strongly felt in
er two chambers. The House of Co
sc mons chamber is done in Iight-col
NJ ed grayish brown unpolished wood a
pale green leather. The membe
We desks. made two together, like o
nt fashioned school desks, are along
lg sides OF the long room. the govel