to vacate the old Capitol building to assemble in joint convention for the first time in the new State House, the following entry was made on the journal of the House:
“As the Senate filed into the room the Speaker’s gravel fell for the last time upon the time-worn desk; a desk the blows upon which had wakened into existence concurrent legislation which had brought relief to the oppressed and suffering, pangs and dread to those who choose the ways of darkness rather than light. The walls re-echoed to the stately tread of progress and the old legislative halls which had, biennially since 1856, sheltered the representatives of a great people from the incipient days of pioneer zeal and self-sacrifice, in panic and war and into the bloom and fruition of peace and prosperity; halls in which statesmen have been made and heroes been sent to perform missions of freedom, to free men, as only such truly noble patriots and freemen could. These rough old walls scarred and picked, seamed and worn by the work of weary years, saw the departing shadow of former greatness, as at 2:14 P.M. the last line of members left the old house and silence fell like leaves from memory’s journal upon the beach of years, whispering a regret, yet sighed relief that time had worked such changes.”
The magnificent structure which now became the permanent State Capitol is classic in style with a superstructure of buff limestone. It is three hundred and sixty-three feet in length, two hundred and forty-seven feet in width, with a central dome rising to a height of two hundred and seventy-five feet. At the time of completion it was surpassed only by the Capitol of the State of New York at Albany. The building was dedicated in January, 1884, with imposing ceremonies, at which Hon. John A. Kasson, delivered the principal address. It was due to his untiring efforts in past years that the General Assembly was induced to adopt the general plan and make appropriations for the erection of a State House commensurate with the rank and growing wealth of Iowa.
At the biennial meeting of the Pioneer Lawmakers’ Association in 1896, Mr. Kasson gave an interesting history of the legislation leading to the erection of the building. He says:
