Evening star., 1949-07-19
By Harold B. Rooers


The big job of reconstructing
the roofs and galleries of both
House and Senate chambers is
we'll under way, with two shifts
of workmen speeding the project.
Both historic halls already have
been filled with maze of steel
scaffolding, on top of which tenn
porary wooden platforms are be-
ing laid. These platforms are to
be used first as temporary roofs
to keep the rain out of the in
terror, and later as to help work.
men in dismantling the network
of steel trusses above.
The old steel trusses were put
in place nearly 10 years ago. when
it was found the weakened old
roofs were in danger Of collapsing.
Heavier steel supports also lave
been erected in both chambers to
hold up giant derricks to be placed
soon on top of each chamber to
remove heavy girders and bring in
new structural steel.
MastS to Top Roofs.
Each derrick will consist of a
mast rising 100 feet above tie
rootop. with a boom IS feet long.
Both chambers present a busy
scene from early morning until
midnight. as more than 300 work
men haul in materials. put them
in place and remove old equip
ment. Going in and out of the
big halls, the workmen pass
through passageways in the cor
ridors where the marble floors and
columns are protected by heavy
floors and temporary walls of
wood.
The two shifts work from 7:30
am. to pm, and from 430 pm.
to midnight. A third shift of only
a few workers comes on duty at
midnight as a kind of cleanup
crew. according to David Lynn,
architect Of the Capitol. in charge
of the project.
Among the trades busy on both
ends of the Capitol Building are
carpenters, iron workers, stone ma
sons, electricians. sheet metal
workers, roofers and many labor
ers.
On top of the House and Senate
wings, much preliminary work is
to prepare for the new
permanent roofs which are to be
put up later.
Wings to Be Recovered.
Not only are new covers to be
laid over the two chambers them
selves, but also over the connect
ing wings which join the House
and Senate chambers with the
central section of the Capitol.
The first phase of the work, ex-
pected to be completed by Janu-'
ary l. consists of rebuilding the
roofs and the galleries down to
the gallery floors.
The second phase will not be-
gin until Congress adjourns some
time next summer. Then work.
men will start the job of recondi-
the rest of the chamber
interiors from the galleries to the
floors. planning to finish by Janu-
ary. 1851.
Some opposition to the redeco-
ration of the interior has arisen
in the Senate, but those in charge
have come to it's defense.
Early Motifs Used.
AS explained by Mr.. Lynn, the,
designs for remodeling have been
and developed with mo-
tifs from the same sources of
architecture used by Thornton
and Latrobe in the early portions
of the Capitol and the architec-
ture of the early Republic.
Various features of the old
chambers in the course Of time
are to be retained. In both cham
bers, the visitors galleries and
press galleries will surround the
halls, as now. The walls of the
galleries will be treated acoustical-
ly and will be faced with velour
brocade. Air-conditioning will be
installed.
The central part of the CELL
ings will be "coved' into sort
of modified dome to give the
height needed for proper acoustics
and to provide for adequate in
direct lighting.