  Expanding the Capitol  As the nation grew, so did its
government. Congress enlarged the Capitol with new wings
flanking the original building. Each wing was three stories
high, 140 feet wide, and 235 feet long, built of brick faced
with Massachusetts marble. Construction took 17 years
(1851-1868).  Philadelphia architect Thomas U. Walter designed
the wings. The engineer Montgomery C. Meigs (and, later, William
B. Franklin) oversaw their construction. These additions
provided spacious new chambers for the House of Representatives
and Senate, with scores of new offices and committee rooms, plus
grand lobbies, corridors, and staircases. For the convenience of
lawmakers (who often lived in crowded boardinghouses), the wings
also included bathing rooms, barbershops, and restaurants.
Steam-powered fans drove a central heating and ventilation
system, and every room was lighted by gas. In 1852, Walter also
designed an innovative cast-iron room for the Library of
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