Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1898 — FAR-SEEING FATHERS. [ARTICLE]

FAR-SEEING FATHERS.

Planned the Capital at Washington for the Nation’s Future Greatness. Our great-grandfathers had some idea of the future grandeur of this country when they planned the great capitol building at Washington, for. although this magnificent structure is one of the noblest public buildings in the world, there is reason to believe that its plan is. in the main, what was projected by Washington and his coadjutors, says the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The old north wing was founded by Washington in 1793 and finished in 1800; the old south wing was founded in 1811 and very soon after completion both were burned by Boss and the British troops. Between 1817 and 1827 the edifice was rebuilt, and the new extensions. forming the present chamber of the house of representatives and of the senate, were begun in 1851, the house moving into its new quarters in 1857 and the senate not until 1859. The dome was erected between 1856 and 1865. The length of the capitol building is 751 feet and 4 inches, its breadth from 121 to 324 feet, it covers 153,112 square feet; from the base line to the top of the statue its height is 287 -feet and 11 inches. It cost over $13,000,000.