Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-07-21
Howard University Buildings.

SUBURBS OF the city, someumee known as
"Enngham Place." and the work on them Is
Both buildings have been designed by, and cree.
ted under the supervision and direction Of H.
K Searle, architect OF this city, and are located
on the choicest and most prominent sites the
elevated and extensive grounds afforded, and
are truly symetrieai in their outline and in the
general expression OF their exterior, vet have q
sufficient degree Of variety and picturesque.
ness TO be pleasing to the eye, and in perfect
harmony with the aspect Of the beautiful land.
scape surrounding them. --
The University is les feet long by 50 feet
each end, on both the front and rear side. of
SIX feet, making the end portions of the build
ing "a feet wide. There Is also q projection
extending out about three feet from the mid.
die OF each end, which, with all the other
breaks In the exterior outline Of the plan, are
spaced so as TO give regular appearance 10
the facade In which they come; and are SO ar
ranged in the plan by the architect tina, the
corners built TO form these breaks, make a
series OF corrugations in the wall around the
enuIs building, giving additional briciug
strength without using any extra material
manner of design that is readily understood
by all who are versed in the correct princi-
pies of scientific construction.
The main building is three full stories IN
roof. and the basement or cellar which extends
under the whole edific.. In front of the center
portion OF the building, facing the city, Is the
tower, octagon in plan on the exterior, circu-
lar inside, and thirty feet in diameter. THIS
tower VIII be nearly ITO feet high TO the top
when finished, and only lacks the placing OF
the boldly carved finia in Its place on the Top
OF the cnpola TO finish the tower TO its full
height. which will be done in a day or So
The cellar Is nine feet In height, is paved
with Smith n Bdrlew's concrete pavement,
and contains six fuel and furnace rooms, the
Janitor's dlning-room, kitchen and pantries, a
eapaCious stone cistern, a number Of large
store rooms. and the water closets fer the use
OF uae occupants Of the building. The founda-
no lfSid AZ, o.ef1, id
ing stone, and extend the full height of the
basement, are two feet thick, and stand on thick
footlng courses of flat stone on the bottom,
averaging not less than four feet broad. which
are bedded in hydraulic cement On the ground
TO give them wide, subs tantial base. All the
stone work that shows above the grade is what
We'll laid ia regular courses. The division
walls In the cellar are built OF hard-burnt red
BRICK, and stand on wide stone footines, same
as the outside walls.
The first story is 12h feet high. and contains
room 80 feet wide and 50 feet long, designed
10 be used for the library. (but now occupied
Dy the preparatory Department. the lanitors
parlor and two bed rooms, an lice for the pro.
lessor OF chemistry, with a recitation room con.
nected, rooms for the chemical LABORATORY geo.
logical and philosophical cabinets. with offices
ana recitation rooms attached. The halls on
eaen noor extend from end to end of the build
ing. and from front TO rear. and are about ten
feet wide, we'll lighted and ventilated.
In the second story, which is fourteen feet
IL L.
lecture-Toom, Greek lecture-rooni, with a re.
CITATION room and professors Office connected
with each, the presidents room, his office and
lectuTe-room.
The third.story is fifteen feet high and on
tins floor is the chapel, which will also be
used as rhetorical lecture room, 30 feet wide
ana % feet long, extending from the floor OF
TINS story to the top of the fourth story in the
Manssrd roof and the opened timbered trusses
winch support the arched ceiling, are made
ornanenHi and show in the interior OF the
u1q in hs NH, 40
OF the chapel ne We not yet been put in but are
10 De stained in colors OF cnaste design Tn.
Sue walls, ceilings, plaster cornices, and the
carved pendants in the chapel have been
painted III quite pleasant tints by MIR. Shutter
fresco artist. and adds much to the finish of
tne room In this story are also tour recitation
two society rooms. each Is feet by "a feet and ri
ieet nign, and each has large ante.room con.
Meeting with it.
The fourth story is about eleven feet high,
ana IS In the mansard root, ana is ali finished
excepting the last coat Of paint. which Is now
Delng put on, and contains fourteen large he'd
rooms, most OF them having CLOSETS: also, two
large store-rooms; and q large tank for the
water supply OF this and the dormitory build
ing.
A wide geometrical stairway of inviting an.
peaTance and easy ascent extends on each side
OF the tower, from the basement TO the cupoIa
on top; and al the back end OF the hall, next 10
the rear side, another stairway is also built
from the second floor 10 the top story In front
OF the tower is a large entrance porch one
story high. TO be finished with ornamental en-
causuc Tile floor, ornate windows filled with
enameleo glass, set lead SASH Similar
porches are nearly completed at the other three
entrances 10 the bailding.
The outs de walls, ana all the partition walls
except In the fourth story, are built of gray
American building blocks; and the water table
Wlndow-sills and sill-courses, window and
door arches, the ornamented and deeply-sunk
panels which separate the second and third.
story windows, the quoin blocks on the
corners, the buttress caps on the porches,
the entire corntces on the main build.
ing, tower and porches-which are richly
moulded without much additional expensa
over what it would cost il made plain-and ali
the trimmings are made Of the same material
OF somewhat darker tint, making a slight
contrast between them and the body OF the
building.
The dermitory is 2O2 feet long, 40 fee, wide,
and thre stories high above the basement and
consists OF two end buildings or professors
residences, and centre building, containing
The rooms for the students. The basement Is
nine feet high, and contains a cellar for each
Of the professors houses, and a cellar for the
laundry, storerooms, pantry, diniHg room for
Inc students 81 feet wide and S. feet long large
bathroom, with five bath tubs, and Sc yeYaI
closets Inc Kitchen In the centre building has
= large hotel range. with all the late improve
ments, and the laundry Is furnished with ten
permanent wash trays, supplied with hot and
cold water. Above the basement the end build
ngs are alike In plan, the first story being
eleven feet high, the second ten, and the third
eleven, and each contains parlors, bed rooms,
bathrooms, closets, &c. and are in every wav
f0r nrst-class residences, and are sur.
nountoo with neat obser vatory on the tos of
each.
In he es1ese part of the building, above the
oeseIn ent, - fnloe stories are each nine feet
high, AM toge'hof contain sc venty.two rooms
md the saihc nN0ber Of closets. so arranged in
suites as to give a pLrlor or study roo a, bed.
DOM and two closets to every two students:
IND the parlors are SO arranged as 10 be in
very way suitable for a sleeping apartment
Fnen the institntion Is pressed for more ac-
'ommodation. In this center building there
he tnIee stairways, extending from the base.
nent 10 tne TOP story-one in the middle and
,ne al eacn end. Every calculation has been
made 10 nave the ventilation complete, there
,eing yentilating Cne from every sleeping
'oom IN the buildla1, with MOVING ventiiatlns
and all the doors in the center build.
ing have three Stats with open spaces betwee
nem, In the bottom rail, aud swinging trspsom
tights aboye,to allow tree circulation of air.and
I'll the nails and passages are connected with a
Fentllator IN the roof, the doors OF which are
balanced oy weights, and can De opened and
,losed by cords. "
The material used in the construction of the
iormltory 10 the same as that in the uniyer.
ity, and the work on the building is all com.
'ieted except small amount Of painting ON 1
ONE OF the outside porches. To obtain a
,ieouIul supply or pure water for the uses of |
ne various buildings OF the institution, dam
las been constructed, and a water wheel put
d, at spring on the eastern part of the
rounds, WORKING . force.pump, forcing the
water mp TO the large tank in the uuiyersitv
DO rom ihenee to all parts Of the premises