The great wings were added during Fillmore’s administration from designs submitted by Thomas N. Walter, architect, who not only superintended the building of the additions, but also managed to harmonize them with the original design.
Years ago it was quite the fashion for Americans returning from Europe to make disparaging remarks concerning the Capitol building, but that spirit seems to have passed away, and the dignity, grace, and beauty of its architecture now receive universal commendation.
Prince Henry of Germany remarked of this noble structure: “For Capitol purposes it surpasses every other building in the world. Its architectural beauty is most impressive.”
It is not our purpose to give a minute description of the building. We have said that it faces east, for the founders of the Capitol believed the city would grow in that direction, but the landholders of early days asked such high prices that the city began to stretch toward the northwest, which is to this day the fashionable part for residences, although Capitol Hill is much more beautiful as to situation.
The base of the building is ninety-seven feet above the river. The central structure is of Virginia yellow sandstone, which is kept painted white. The wings are of Massachusetts marble, and the one hundred columns of the extension porticoes are of Maryland marble.
The building covers three and one-half acres. It is seven hundred and fifty-one feet long and three hundred and fifty feet wide.
The height of the dome above the rest of the building is two hundred and fifty-seven feet, and its weight is eight million pounds. This dome is surmounted by Crawford’s statue of Freedom, nineteen and one-half feet high, and weighing fifteen thousand pounds. The entire edifice constitutes the highest public building in America not located on a mountain, being sixty-eight feet higher than Bunker Hill monument, and twenty-three feet higher than the steeple of Trinity Church, in New York City.
Thomas G. Walker resigned his place as architect in 1865, and was succeeded by the late architect of the Capitol, Mr. Edward Clark, who died early in 1902. His great work had been to finish the west front facing the city, and to harmonize the conflicting and foreign tastes of the many decorators of the building.
Mr. Elliott Wood, the successor of Mr. Clark, had been the latter’s chief assistant. Mr. Wood had long been virtually in charge of the Capitol.
The architects had a candidate ready because Mr. Wood was practically an engineer; to meet this and yet give a faithful man his due, the name of the position was changed to that of Superintendent of the Capitol. He, like his predecessor, has much to do in getting rid of the foreign artists’ effects and in Americanizing the whole.