The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-27
NEW CHAMBER OF REPRESENTATIVE
To the Editor o| tAs Union r.- .. ID f--. ...-

To the Editor efAs Union E51 .rtr
Permit me a few words in reply 10 a eommunica
ton which appeared in Saturdays Union, touching
| the proposed addition 10 the Capitol
Your correspondent A., q presume that am reply
ing TO COL A6er) alleges that In the allusion mad
i in my former letter to the plan reported from tn
| Typographical Bureau, there sundry errors.
| Ihad objected TO that plan, that while one WING
| only was necessary for the new Hall the other wa
added "for the sake Of uniformity; also that 'th,
wing on the south of the present Hall would shu
up all It's south windows, and that access 10 thai
wing from tho rotunds could only be had by passing
| through the present Halt" ..
Your correspondent denies that the second wing
was added merely for uniformity. IL was "to give
new Hall for the Senate, and, by yaeating the
present Senate Chamber, TO afford better aoeommo-
dation for the Supreme Court" =.
That some use can be found, or rather made, for
the second wing, il built did not intend 10 deny.
That IL is not and will be Tor half century,
cessary essential is what assert. IL the Senators
desire a larger Chamber, the present library room
can, at a comparatively small expense, be lifted up,
so as TO give them nearly half as much room again
as they now have, and the present Senate Chamber
may then be coded 10 the Supreme Court. This be-
ing So the second wing is, and would be for fifty
years to come, mere surplusage. IL built within
that time il would be, point Of fact, to repeat my
words, ''added for the sake Of uniformity" ..
Your correspondent admits the fact, that the pro-
posed soutn wing would smut boulu
Of the Hall; but adds:
at is however, incorrect, that access from the
rotunda could be had only by passing through the
present Hall. An examination Of the plan will al
once show this error. Large passages, on each side
Of the Hall and within the present walls, will be
found designated on the plan from the Topographic
cal Bureau"
And so, your correspondents idea is, frat, to shut
up entirely the south windows Of the present Hall,
and then, by such passages, to cut OH from II not
only all the eastern and western windows also, but
even to take up the very space, back OF its pillars,
where alone the alcoyos for books can be suitably
placed or sufficiently lighted.
Undoubtedly, il we fl to ruin the present
Hall as a Library Of Congress, passages to the
south wing may DO obtained without passing
through it, But il will suggest itself 10 every one,
that such a sacrifice ought not to be made.
| expressly stated in my former communication
that, in fitting up the present Chamber AZ Library
of Congress, il was proposed to run the a!coyos
back from the PILLARS these aleoyes, OF course, to
be lighted from the external windows. IL was with
reference TO such plan that said, and truly said
that access TO the south wing from the rotunda
could only be had through the present Chamber OF
Representatives. ...
Like your correspondent, have no desire in this
matter except that the most judicious psn--the
plan that best unites convenience with economy,
and that without sacrificing architectural taste
should be adopted. ] am no professional architect
vet | believe | can find many who are, to agree
with me in the opinion, that the eastern projection
will have a happier effect than the two wings and
common sense suggests that the expense can be
little, il any, more than half The area covered
by each wing ia to be lO3 feet by l52i about
the saFae a. thst covered by the proposed eastern
projection. The style of finish, external and inter-
nal; mny he supposed similar; each wing, then,
IL IL fair to nfef, would cost about the same that
protection. The removal Of the portioo will not
materially vary the estimate Ten or twelve thou
sand dollars is probably sufficient allowance for Ne
rost of its removal
My sole object being to show that | have no;
spoken lightly incorrectly on this subject, nor
Expressed an opinion the plans Of others without
careful examination, and having no intention here
further to discuss the relative merits Of the two
plans, will no, longer trespass on your crowded
columns. 'E.
am, sir, your obedient servant,
ROBERT DALE OWEN.