Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1878 — The Proposed Capitol. [ARTICLE]

The Proposed Capitol.

The following description of the proposed capital building at Indian- j apt lis we copy from the Sentinel; “First, as to It* dimension*. The full length of the bulldisg will be 482 feet; width of south and north fronts, 184 feet; width of center wings, feet; height of building, centre wing, 86 feet; height of dome to top of lantei n, 220 feet; height of sub basement, 6 feet 6 inches; height of basement, 13 feet; height of first story, 17 feet; he"; htof second story, 19 feet; height of ihird story, 16 feet. TH* DISTRIBUTION OF DEPABTMJCKTS. The sub-basement will be used fpr. heating and ventilating and the storage of heavy articles and fuel, and the basement will I e divided iuto storerooms, vaults and engine and boiler rooms. The basement will have a carriage drive from east to west with an inside drive from center to north and south extremes. The entire business departments of the State will be on the first floor which include offices for the governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, state board of agriculture, clerk of the supreme court, and adjutant general. The representatives’ ball, 70x70 feet, 44 ft-et «n height; senate chamber, 63x64 feet, 44 feet in height; court room, 50 feet 6 inches x 57 feet 6 inches, 36 feel in height; law library, 30 feet b inches x 56 feet 8 inches, 19 feet in height; library, 44 feet x 56 foot 8 inches, 36 feet in height; and the library, museum and reading room, are all on the second floor, with numerous necessary ante-chambers, officers’ rooms, committee rooms, water closets, wash rooms, etc. The third story will contain 18 committee rooms, two joint committee rooms; public gallery to house—seating capueity, 296; standing room, 250; ladies’ to let rdom, two public water closets, public gallery to senate cham-ber-seating capacity, 408; standing room, 120. DOME, HEIGHT AND VENTILATION. The building will be surmounted by a dome of the best construction, which will add dignity to the whole, and.will be built in accordance with the best and oldest architectural examples extant. From foundation to the springing line of the roof it will be constructed of Indiuna stone, and no plastering, stucco or worn work will be required to finish it without or within, as all the ornamentation is out, on, and in the solid stone of the structure. The rotunda is well lighted and not obstructed with useless galleries, making noise and confusion and serving to fill the air with dust from below. All the modern improvements will be called into requisition in ventilating and heating the building, and every room will secure the sunlight at some portion of the day. The special features icgurding light and ventilation were among the strongest recommendations of the plan, and conduced perhaps more than anything else towards its adoption. Each hall and room is lighted directly from the outside, all roof and ceiling lights beiug carefully avoided. The system of ventilation by exhausting the vitiated air from the floor line by means of the exhaust ducts, which are helped or forced by the steam heating pipes within, is most effectual, and the only safe and certain method of securing pure, fresh air, and will commend itself for its simplicity and economical arraugement, beiug nothing more nor less than the old fashioned fire place, the foul air passing up and ont of the eflimney Bhaft, and the fresh air rushing in, even at the key hole.

EXTERIOR INDICATIONS AND SAFF. CONSTRUCTION.

The building should on the exterior indicate the purpose aud use of the various departments. In this design the hall of representatives, senate chamber and supreme court room, are clearly indicated, affording an example of truthful exterior, aud, necessarily, order, beauty of form and convenience of distribution in the selection of ornamentation. Good taste depends on the simplicity of design, rather than in loading the edifice with ornaments or fictitious helps that do not eu.er into the beauty of design, but ouly serve to bewilder and dazzle the beholder. The safe construction of the entire building will be assured by building walls from the- foundation up. No brick walls will be supported by girders or arches over voids. Wherever it becomes necessary, owiug to small rooms having to be constructed over large oues, to make partitions, they will be constructed with wrought iron trusses, perfectly protected with iron lath work, made to receive a covering of mortar or cement work. The roofs will be plain, except the four bold pavilions, which serve a twofold purpose, that of breaking up the skyline of roofs and for an outlet to exhaust the foul air from the different departments of the building. The roofs over the grand eoi ridor are constructed entirely of wrought iron and glass, the ceilings with ornamental cut glass. THE SELECTION OF THE PLAN. As is well known to most of our readers, 24 plans were submitted for the consideration of the commissioners. The members of the board are Governor Williams, I. D. G. Nelson, of Allen county, Josephus Collett, of Vermilion county, and General Thos. A. Morris and General John Love, of this city—all gentlemen of integrity and character. They have had a great deal of experience in the line of their duties since their appointment last May, having thoroughly examined two sets of plans. They, with the assistance of the experts, spent the entire month of August last in the inspection of the four plans first submitted—those of Eppinghauseu, Myers, Cooper and Johnson. This arduous labor sufficed to make them familiar with architectural designs and drawings, and secured them much valuable information, so that they b ought riper judgments to bear upod tne second series of plans submitted. In many of these by the aid of their experience they were enabled to perceive irremediable effects almost at first glance, and thus quite a number or the 24 were speedily cast aside as unworthy of consideration. For over three months they have been engaged in the close and careful examination of the remaining plans. Their decision was arrived at aud re-exam-in d, and afler they had thoroughly satisfied themselves of thb aocuracy of the estimates on each. It is therefore evitl nt that iu the award just made they were guided by sound convictions and ripe judgments. The commissioners deserve the highest praise for the faithful manner iu which they have performed their duties, and they certainly possess the confidence of the general public. £ The areixit o/s estimate of the cost of the new capitol is $1,721,911.61, and tiie expert’s estimate is $1,792,791.71. The cost of construction is limited to $2/)00,0«;0 by the state house act, and the commissioners reauested archite ts to k ep their estimates inside of $1,800,000? It is safe to say that the

new capitol will be in every way a credit, convenience and ornament to the state. The public firora the illustration can judge of its exjbriof appearance and the description of the plau.will give them an iiuight Into, the interior arrangement. It Is safe to say that it wjtt equal any state house in the west In eveiy particular."

A gentleman once bought two tottery tickets, one for himself and one by the request of his friend who was absent. In the course Of a few months the lottery was drawn, and the friend for whom he hail bought tiie second ticket, and who had not been called upon to pay for it, received a note that he had drawn $20,000. “But how did you know whioh ticket was mine and which was your own?” The honest man replied: “I bought two tickets aud placed them in my bureau drawer, but thinking that there might be Some question, I marked the one I intended for you with a cross, and I find it was your ticket that had drawn. the prize.” Match this who can as an instance of downright honesty- —Boston Journal.