The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-11
THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

That Majority Report 2, Sf which SO much was
At the last meeting of the Public Buildings
Commission there were submitted two reports
from the Committee on Location-the minority
against and the jority for, the building of the
structure on the intersection. This last report,
which is too elaborate to be printed in full con-
cludes with an answer to a communication sent
by the anti-intersectionists to the commission,
and thus concludes
Your committee are unable to see anything in the
communication which should lead the commission
TO hesitate a moment in proceeding promptly, and
with the utmost despatch consistent with the
buildings upon the intersection OF Broad ana Market
streetsas already determined upon :and unless they
are hindered and obstructed iu the discharge OF
their dutes they see no reason why the buildings
should not be fully completed by the time OF the
centennial anniversary OF American Independence,
when the many thousand visitors who in the lam
guage of the communication doubtless Will honor
our city with their presence In 1875" will have the
satisfaction of seeing that Philadelphia has placed
her public buildings upon site where they can be
four sides OF which noble vista will stretch to the
four points OF the compass, as far as the eye can
reach.
Architect Macarthur in answer to the resolu-
tion of the commission, also submitted state
ment detailing the two proposed plans for the
buildngs-irst for building on the intersec-
tion; second, for building on each of the plots
of ground now laid out, thus;
Plan No. exhibits the four plots as described in
the resolution, with the streets surrounding them OF
the same width ss Broad street, and follows:
Northeast plot, 237 feet inches by l65 feet
tains an area OF &c. 1871 superficial feet northwest
plot 23T feet inches by 100 leet inches contains
an area OF 3s 1S6 superficial feet; southwest plot,
100 feet inches by 160 feet inches contains an
area OF 25 760 superficial feet; and the southeast
plot 165 feet by 100 feet inches contains area Of
36 64626 superficial feet-129 54sH superficial feet.
Plan No. exhibits single plot at the intersec-
tion with streets OF 1876 feet in width surrounding
the same, which leaves total area for building OF
1884, 23lH superficial feet, being an excess OF 54,6S3
feet over the four plots, an area greater than the
smaller plots combined; or, to make their rela-
tive capacity more apparent, the buildiags erected
upon the southeast and southwest plots would be
much smaller than the new Masonic temple, at
two plots only tribe larger. In presenting these
plans and opinions In response TO your request, l
deem II my duty TO say that several Of our judges
and other public Officers have expressed regret at
the limited provisions for the future which even the
largest area at the intersection only affords, and
which must be still further circumscri0ed by con-
structipg the buildings upon four separate plots
whose combined area is but little more than two
thirds OF that proposed for the single structure
have already called the attention OF the com mlssoT
lin nv letter OF 3lst OF October last, herewith ap
pended) to many OF the advantages to be derived
from the erection OF single building In the centre
of the square, and to that letter eau only add M
professional opinion, that before many years hay
passed the great public improvement inaugurate
by this commission will, as a natural consequence
attract the attention OF liberal and enterprisiHg Cit
zeps. corporations and educational and other socie
ties 10 the locality OF Penn Squares result whie
cannot fail to make that portion OF our city one
the choicest architectural spots In America
Very respectfully, JOHN MoAHrHoH' 'A'