132 



CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



?AKT II. 



DESCRIPTION 0¥ THE STATE HOUSE. 



BANKING AND BANKS. 



making the whole length 1-50 feet. Tlie 

 centre is 100 feet deep, and the wings 50 

 feet deep. To the apex of the pediment 

 of the portico in the centre is 44 feet, and 

 to the top of the dome 100 feet from the 

 ground. The wings are 36 feet high. The 

 walls of the exterior are of a beautiful col- 

 ored granite, which shews the architectu- 

 ral details to great advantage, and the roof 

 and dome are covered with copper. 



The interior is entered in front from the 

 portico, through a door 8 feet wide, into 

 the entrance hall32by 38feet,14 feet high, 

 the ceiling of which is supported by 6 Ionic 

 columns, 16 inches in diameter; there 

 is also an entrance from each end and rear 

 of the building, communicating with the 

 entrance hall, by corridors of proper width. 

 In the lower story are offices for the Sec- 

 retary of State, the State Treasurer, the 

 Auditor of Accounts, and the Engrossing 

 C erk, the two first have fire proof safes 

 attached to them. There are also in this 

 story eleven committee rooms, and two 

 rooms for furnaces to heat the halls, «fec. 

 in the principal story. To the right and 

 left from the entrance hall two spacious 

 stairways lead to two circular halls or 

 landings in the second or principal story. 

 These halls are 20 feet in diameter and 20 

 feet high, with domical ceilings, and com- 

 municate with the senate chamber and its 

 gallery, the vestibule to the representa- 

 tives' hall, the governor's room, the libra- 

 ry, and several rooms for the officers of 

 the senate, &c.; and they also communi- 

 cate by stairways and galleries with the 

 gallery to the representatives' hall and 

 committee rooms in the attic. The ves- 

 tibule to the representatives' hall is 18 by 

 36 feet and 18 feet high, and is square in 

 plan. The representatives' hall is in form 

 of the letter D, is 57 by 67 feet and 31 

 feet high, with domical ceilings. The 

 senate chamber is elliptical on the plan, 

 30 by 44 feet and 22 feet high, with domi- 

 cal ceilings. The governor's room is 

 square, 20 by 24 feet, 18 feet high. The 

 library is 18 by 36 feet, 18 feet high, with 

 gallery and shelves capable of holding 

 10,000 volumes. All the above rooms are 

 finished in a neat and appropriate manner, 

 the walls have an agreeable architectural 

 ordonnance of columns, pilasters, niches, 

 autac, &c. and their ceilings are panneled 

 in the simple and imposing stile of Gre- 

 cian architecture. From the peculiar pro- 

 file of the mouldings of the details of the 

 ceilings, and the curves of the arches, tlie 

 most beautiful gradarions of light and 

 shade are produced, from the brightest 

 light to the deepest shade, so combined, 

 as to give the greatest possible effect and 

 beauty to the whole. The rooms are all 



furnished in a neat and appropriate man- 

 ner, with their proper furniture. The 

 representatives' hall has hard wood desks 

 and seats for the members, and the officers 

 their proper desks and chairs. The gov- 

 ernor's room and senate chamber are fur- 

 nished witii black walnut tables and 

 chairs : and every thing is in perfect 

 keeping throughout the house. 



TJie building has been found to answer 

 admirably well the purposes for which it 

 was designed, and, at the session of the 

 legislature in October, 1838, the follow- 

 ing resolution was unanimously adopted : 

 ^'■Resolved, by the General Assembhj of the 

 state of Vermont, That the thanks of this 

 legislature be presented toAmmi B.Young, 

 Esq. as a testimonial of their approbation 

 of the taste, ability, fidelity and perse- 

 verance which he has manifested in the 

 design and execution of the new capitol 

 of this state ; which will abide as a lasting 

 monument of the talents and taste of Mr. 

 Younsr as an architect." 



^ 



fco S 



Section VIII. 



Banking and Banks. 



In the present agitated state of the 

 country on the subject of banking, a his- 

 tory of the origin and progress of a paper 

 currency would doubtless be interesting 

 and valuable ; but for such an article we 

 have neither materials nor room, and shall 



