Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-01
Annual Report of Architect Clark.
of the Capitol.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
Annual Report of Architect Clark.
of the Capitol.
The report OF Edward Clark, architect of the
Capitol was submitted to the Secretary Of the
interior to- day.
THE CAPITOL BUILDING.
Mr.. Clark says since the date Of the last an
nual report many and important changes have
been made, particularly In the southern por-
tion Of the building. In accordance with plans
Iecommended rec commenced oy the the board having in charge
the Speakers Sergeant-at-Arm's and Report
ers' rooms, st the south Of the hall OF the
House of Representatives, have been converted
into one room, and by means of large openings
into their north wall have been thrown open
to the corridors between them and the han
| room for members The blank doorways in the
south wall Of the gallery have been opened,
and the rooms and water closet in that port IN
OF the building arranged to suit this modttica-
ton. To provide accommodations for the COM
mittees and the officers thus dispossessed, sew
eral rooms under the old hall Of the House OF
folding department, formerly occupying these
rooms, tranferred to the cellar below.
Considerable work has been done in this story
ments to be folded and stored there and to pro-
vide space for the working room OF the folders,
portion of which has been made comfortable
1t has been shelved and otherwise arranged for
the reception of books and documents. A lift is
being put In for the convenience of handling
the matter to be stored there: This arrange
ment will conf1ne the entire folding department
to the cellar, and thereby prevent the obstruc-
t1on or the corridors with books and folding
tables as formerly, and will also do away with
the moving Of trucks over the tessalated floors
which has caused great injury to them, and
even to the walls and interior columns Of the
building: new steam pump condenser and
small boiler has been placed In the basement.
The latter will obv1ate the necessity for run
ming the large boilers in the summer when
or in nod nn1xy Snr
Saving both fuel and labor Ties The recent cent
fire which occurred in room In the
cellar story, filled with scrap paper, gives al
annual report in relation to the insecure cond-
tion of the roof and floor of the old hall Of the
House of Representatives The semi circular
covered with laths and plaster; and the floor or
the gallery and the ceiling Of the document
room being also of wood. In these rooms there
IS always large amount Of paper, liable TO
and think prudence demands that measures
should be taken to prevent this danger by re-
stitutiIg that which would be fire-proof.
While large air duct is being constructed
and ample means made for the supply OF fresh
air in the hall of the House of Representatives,
it is important that measures be taken to Sc,
cure for it wholesome air. 1t has been Sug-
gested to plant th1ckly with trees the strip of
garden to the Government reservation at the
junction Of New Jersey and Virginia avenues
This strip of land lies between the Capitol and
the direction from which the malartous winds
come; and if this belt be thickly planted, as
proposed, 1t would In a great measure detiect or
purify In part the air, as In particular seasons
OF the year the Objectionable currents OF air In
a sanitary point Of view come from this quar-
ter. In my opinion, wooded belt between the
source OF this malarial air and the Capitol
would greatly improve the healthiness of the
air furnished the hall. This measure consider
the most important step that can be taken to
procure purer air for the hall. The brick floors
have been taken up from the consulting rooms
Of the Supreme Court, and wooden floors SUBJ
Stituted.
Mr.. Clark proceeds to recommend the neces-
s1ty for more rooms being added to the Capitol
that the center portion of the building should
be projected at the eastern front.
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
AS provided by the act approved March Sd, 1879
building, which consists Of two parts; one 60
feet by 60 feet; the other Sc feet S inches by So
feet inches with a corridor connection with
four stories high. The lower portion is already
occupied as a store house and machine shop
and the upper stories are being filled with
The whole win be completed and occupied be
fore the meeting Of Congress.
LIGHTING THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
l, will be seen by the accompanying repor
OF Assistant Engineer j. II. Rogers, electrician
of the Capitol, that by means of the Dynamo
electric machine, recently put in operation.
the voltaic battery formerly used for lighting
the hall, &C., has be superseded.
estimates and the fact of the called session,
there is due the gas company s2,ses24. Mr..
Rogers says In his report:- -"Experiments are
hall Of tie House Of Representatives by the
electric light. We have succeeded In over
coming the difficulties of the staglamite, that of
distance OF the electrodes and now only
slight tiickering remains which we hope soon
TO overcome. Such is the sensibility of the eye
to apply the electric light In the halls Of legis-
latlon IN Its present comparatively imperfect
state.
IMPROVEMENT OF CAPITOL GROUNDS.
The pavements upon the east front were
cracked in several places during the severe cold
OF the early winter owing to the unequal con-
nent injuries were W @ sustained. ~ No IN new R pave
ments were laid during the present year. -
The main approach from Pennsylvania avenueis
carrying forward the design in mosaic previous
ly adopted. Maryland avenue has been COM
menced In similar manner. During the year
there has been 96s square yards of mosaic and
1880 square yards of plain work. The
stone screen wall along 1st street has been
extended around the Maryland avenue en-
placed at the carriage entrance leading east
ward from the Pennsylvania avenue circle.
These are to be surmounted by bronze Lanterns
Of appropriate design. The low rustic wall,
bordering portion of the east park, has been
extended entirely around the northern bounda-
ry. The coping walls along the side Of the
Pennsylvania avenue walk are now under con-
tract and will be finished the present season.
The corners at Maryland and Pennsylvania
avenues, purchased to complete the circles at
these points, were put In possession of the
United States November goth. = The air
duct leading from the southwest ground to the
House OF Representatives is rapidly approaching
completion. The air shaft to be constructed Of
rock faced ashlar bonded with nodded
courses of dressed granite, is now in process of
construction, and will also be completed before
the assembling of Congress- The subject of the
grand statTways and the terrace at the western
front merit the attention and favorable action
OF Congress-
THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
Owing to the breaking OF the Tiber sewer, by
the heavy rams last season, the District au-
thorttteS were compelled to enlarge that Dor
t1on of the sewer which now runs through the
garden. and In order to get the required area Of
the sewer they were compelled to raise the
arch higher than the surface of the garden, and
In consequence OF the mound which covers this
sewer being so high, the main walk of the gar.
den and those running from 1t should be raised
to suit the new grade thus rendered necessary.
COURT HOUSE, CITY OF WASHINGTON.
Mr.. Clark recommends the taking out of the
present hot-atr furnaces and substituting steam
heating In their stead. 81 also feel called on to
notice the insecure condition nj "a ND roonrdS