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University Lands were directed to sell the ten sections of land appropriated by Congress" for the completion of Public Buildings," and apply the proceeds towards enlarging and improving the State Capitol. The State also appropriated $30,000 for the same object, and $50,000 was given by the city of Madison. The Governor and Secretary of State were made Commissioners for conducting the work, and operations began in the fall of 1857 on the selected plans of Messrs. DONNELL & KUTZBOCK, then architects living in Madison, but lately deceased. The building was continued from year to year, until the fall of 1869, when the dome was completed. The total cost of the enlarged Capitol to the present time is $541,447.93. In 1866, work in boring an artesian well near the south entrance of the Capitol was begun, but after going down 1,000 feet, at a cost of $8,622.70, and finding no water, the work was reluctantly abandoned.

The present Capitol exhibits an attractive outside appearance, and is generally admired. The stone for its construction was supplied from quarries near Prairie du Chien and Madison. The inside is handsomely finished, and contains complete conveniences, although more are yet necessary. In the basement are the water closets; boiler room, from which the building receives heat; carpenter shops; book room and committee rooms. On the upper floor the four passages of which are neatly laid with squares of blue and white flag, are the Departments of the several State officers. In the north passage are the offices of the State Treasurer and School Land Commissioners; in the south passage the offices of the Superintendents of Public 'Property and of Public Instruction and the office of the Attorney General; in the east passage the offices of the Governor and Secretary of State, and in the west passage those of the Adjutant General, legislative clerks and State Agricultural Society; the last of which contains some fine specimens of minerals and other scientific curiosities. From the center of these passages the Rotunda and Dome are seen to great advantage. The second floor is reached by wide iron stairways, ascending from the south and north passages. This floor is diversely laid with red, yellow and black tiles, and in the center a heavy iron balustrade marks the Rotunda. In the east is the Senate Chamber; in the west, the Assembly Chamber; in the north, the Supreme Court Rooms and State Library, and in the south, the choicely filled rooms of the State Historical Society. The first purchase of books for the State Library was made in 1837, and it has received additions since, which make it very complete and valuable. The Historical Society rooms, always attractive to visitors present an array of books, pictures, sculpture and literary and other curiosities which are not only interesting and suggestive to Badgers, but to residents of other States. In one of these rooms, the torn and pierced flags carried by Wisconsin regiments during the late war, are carefully preserved in a glass inclosure, and in another room is a rare collection of animal, mineral and vegetable curiosities belonging to Mr. ISAAC LYON, father of Judge LYON, of the Supreme Court.

The collections in these rooms have for years past been regarded as very

creditable to the State and to Hon. LYMAN C. DRAPER, the patient and per severing originator of them, and to Mr. DURRIE, their skilled custodian; and since the Chicago fire destroyed the historical depository there, they can be recognized as the largest and most valuable in the Northwest.

More iron stairways lead to the galleries and committee rooms of the chambers, and yet more, but narrower ones, lead to the store room where the arms and munitions of the State are kept and to the Tholus; from which top-most elevation an impressive downward view of the whole Rotunda is obtained. The outside of the Tholus affords convenience for enjoying an exceedingly fine view of the city, lakes and surrounding country.

The height of the Capitol from the basement to the gold gilt eagle on the top of the flag-staff is 225 feet and six inches, and exclusive of steps and porticos, the total length of the north and south wings is 228 feet, and of the east and west wings, 226 feet.

The Capitol is surrounded with walks, greenswards, shrubbery and trees, which are carefully kept in good condition, and these, with the pearly white building rising in their midst, elicit the general expression that Wisconsin has a choicely located and elegant Capitol.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.
[BY PROFESSOR S. H. CARPENTER, LL. D.]

BOARD OF REGENTS.

STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, Ex-officio.

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J. H. TWOMBLY, D. D.

Madison.

St. Croix Falls.
Milwaukee.

President and Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy.
JOHN W. STERLING, PH. D.,

Vice President, and Professor of Mathematics.

WILLIAM F. ALLEN, A. M.,
Professor of Latin and History.

STEPHEN H. CARPENTER, A. M., LL. D.,
Professor of Logic, Rhetoric and English Literature.
ALEXANDER KERR, A. M.,

Professor of Greek Language and Literature, and Principal of
Preparatory Department.

JOHN B. FEULING, PH. D.,

Professor of Modern Languages and Comparative Philology.
COL. WM. J. L. NICODEMUS, A. M., C. E.,
Professor of Military Science and Civil Engineering.
JOHN B. PARKINSON, A. M.,

Professor of Political Economy and Civil Polity.

JOHN E. DAVIES, A. M., M. D.,
Professor of Chemistry and Physics.

W. W. DANIELLS, M. S.,

Professor of Agriculture and Analytical Chemistry.

ROLAND IRVING, A. M., E. M.,

Professor of Geology, Mining and Metallurgy, and Curator of Cabinet
HON L. 8. DIXON, LL. D.,

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Professor of Law.
HON, ORSAMUS COLE, LL. D.,

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Professor of Law.
HON. WM. PENN LYON, LL. D..

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Professor of Law.

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