Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/167

 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:

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: