Show Ut Utah State Capit ia l lIbI j v Y This IbI Is one of a it n t rk of articles to appear ar In this newspaper sponsored by tho the Salt Lake Advertising Ad Club associated OCia d civic clubs of southern and amI central Utah end chambers chamber of commerce part of ot a a. program to po pont ont nt out Utah's Utah resources resource so to that local i people plo opts will Know Utah Better By Dr HAROLD W W. PICKERING Utah's citizenry know and lovo love their magnificent State Capitol In la laSalt Salt Lako City It Is ono one of ot the tho finest structures of ot Ha Its kind lind In America possibly In tho the world Certainly y Its location on on tho commanding eminence at nt tho head of ot State street Is not surpassed by tho the sito site of any other public building in this country While Utah h people people from from tho the oldsters who watched the tho building climb Into tho the sl sky y to tho the children who study about it In school school may may regard tho the capitol c. as an old ld story it is la really realty one of the tho most Interesting In In- features of our interesting state Facts and figures about the tho capitol are like liko all alt statistics dry and easily forgotten Those who want tonnages square feet feet dollars and and cents is cubic yards and such data may consult a n. textbook or official guide But to those who would rediscover er their own state stat a little of or tho the projects project's background may be bo interesting From the tho winter of or until the tho winter of or 1912 twenty tour twenty four years years years-a a large In fenced area marked tho the lofty district in Salt f Lake ake City which was even then called capitol hill The designation of course merely anticipated that It would some day be bo justified that justified that thata a n. building of granite and marblo marble Instead of dreams and wishes would occupy the site During those two dozen years saplings planted without a very clear notion of at landscaping became sizeable trees Shrubs and blue bluegrass bluegrass bluegrass grass grew grew In in more or less rank profusion profusion covering covering the plot which had hall originally been just another hilltop of ot gravel and Juno June grass Neighborhood children used It for Cor a playground and an occasional civic celebration was staged there though there though not too often oCten for the approaches were over precipitous streets So as a n. well known broadcast has It Jt time marches on Then In 1911 HIll after atter tho the states state's revenues tangible and Intangible wealth and especially tho the Inheritance tax had put Utah In n position to go ahead tho the legislature set tho the machinery in motion by creating the tho state capitol commission This body bolly of ot men en headed by Governor William Spry received their appointments about a year later and set to work In December 1 1912 12 the first gouge of or tho the stream shovel l was made In tho the soil Boil that had been ceded to the tho state by Salt SaU Lake City away back In 1888 This had been preceded by l lengthy sessions of ot tho the com com- mission Such a n project on so grand a scalo scale as as Utah's new capitol capitol- to Involve an e expenditure of ot something over naturally naturally attracted attracted at at- traded hot competition from Cram somo some of r Americas America's foremost architects and engineering firms Richard K A. A Kletting of or Salt SaU Lake Lako City was WIlS tho architect whose whoso design on on puro pure classical lines received the award James Stewart Company were the b builders In so huge an enterprise excavations and foundations tho the riveting rIvetIng rivetIng rivet rIvet- Ing of beams and girders building of ot columns setting BettIng of ot stone granite marblo marble and onyx ony take tako time Meanwhile state officers and their small smal army of or were scattered in office omee buildings over tho the downtown district with the tho governor or and his staff starr and somo soma other departments sandwiched into small space at tho the venerable city and county building So it was a day of or relief for these officials officials and and many others others- I when tho the capitol was at last completed and dedicated in July 1915 History has been made sinco since that day clay A little less than two years after tho great bronzo bronze doors were opened the edifice became a n hive hiye o of I activity housing the man many bureaus required to administer Utah's parI par par- I In tho the Great War Simon Bamberger w was s governor go then and tho the reconstruction period un under er Governor Charles R. R Maybey saw tho the big building almost as busy as when tho the conflict was under way Two other administrations that administrations that of ot George H H. Dern now secretary o or of orwar war and the tho present ono one headed by Governor Go Henry H. H Blood have Blood have tenanted d tho the capitol during stirring times Today the tho huge edifice built so short a time ago with the Idea that it would house in roomy comfort the state offices for Cor almost a generation to come Is crowded from roof root to sub subbasement with the tho greatly Increased activities of or a n growing progressive commonwealth To most Utah people as well as admiring throngs of ot visitors th the capitol Is a mecca for sightseeing That is la as true of or Salt Lake Lako City residents as of Utahna from distant centers There Is always something something something some some- thing Interesting to seo see at tho the c capitol Among other things It houses ono one of ot tho the finest exhibits of or contemporary painting and sculpture by native artists to bo ho o found round In any state a most extensive collection o or of Utah pioneer relics occupies a n. largo large concession as aa do tho the exhibits o ot of Utah manufactories minerals and nOlI agricultural ag products During th the past year tho the friezes and spandrels of the giant domo dome have havo be been n filled by mural paintings s by a n group of Utah's foremost artists In tho center center center cen cen- cen- cen ter of ot tho the rotunda stands the tho th heroic statue of by Utah's Utah famed sculptor Cyrus Dallin And tho the capitol grounds enlarged and beautified year by bv year present a delightful study for tor the lover of or trees tree and flowers and landscape gardening Seo See and know your state capitol When YOU po go o spare tho the time for a study of or Its unique beauties even beauties even If HB nn No NoSo and and so or Sm No such and Such and such Is la threatening wrack and ruin to your pocketbook Your legislators and their doings come and go Your capitol stands stands- a thing of ot magnificence cence and surpassing beauty |