National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-24
A BIG CITY HALL.
HOW 1T WILL LOOK WHEN FINISHED.
The Wsrk Of Building the Extension 10 be Com
meneed So0n-The Plans Prepared by
Architect Clark - Fire.Proof
Court and FIle.R0Oms.

handing position. From the southern end of
Four and a. half street, whence only the central
pOrtico of the building, with its classic columns
and triangular pediment can be seen in the dis
taDce the building reminds one of some temple
browning Grecian hill. If the visitor has par
ticularly well-cultivated Imagination he might
persuade himself that he was standing on the
bToad-walled avenue leading to Pirpus and gazing
nOrthward upon the splendors OF the Armenian
Acropolis, Lot FlanneTys statue OF Old Abe stand
ing for the colossal gold-tipped figure Of Minerva
which used to beckOn the wcll-freighted white
winged Mediterranean fleets into the harbor OF
Pir;eus But distance lends enchantment 10 the
view. Nearer approach gradually dissipates all
the illusions of imagination. The glis;ening white
turns into musty-lcOking yellow, ana one
is more likely TO compare the building with q
country courthouse than grand temple. Stucco-
work white wash, and other architectural COS
metics have been used pientifGly to give the build
ing an appearance of some imposing edifce Of
marble or granite. The structure is perfect type
OF the vanity of the world. There are few men
and few things that do not suffer, in our estimation,
upon close acquaintance; but probably there is no
case where the transition from admiration TO pity
is so sudden as in the case ofthe City Hail. These
observations refer only 10 the front or southern
elevation of the building. How ones contempt is
intensified when he makes a circuit of the pre-
tentious building and discovers that itwss chopped
off short before it was half completed the north
ern front being but fat, blank wall of brick,
looking as dismal and cherries as the back wall
of a jail! Probably this building would remain as
it is now for many years TO come had not the
GROWING BUSINESS
of the blind goddess, who has much 20 DO i'll this
District settle the disputes Of citizens and punish
offenders against the law, required more room
Even II is, the court in general term has during
part of the tine lately had 10 Occapy quarters out
side of the building. The court representing the
highest legal authority IL the District has been
forced to share the lodgings Of the students who
inst struggling with the first principles of the
grand system CT law and equity, whose majesty is
50 well represented in our Supreme Court. The
grave question Of providing additional room for
our District court, which is divided up into six
different sections, for each ofwbich chamber is
required, was submitted 10 Congress at its
recent session. Congress appropriated Sll7,0O0
for building an extension 10, Ok rather completing
the City Han. Architect Clark, Of the Capitol. was
intTusted with the work subject To the approval of
the Secretary OF the Interior The architect fin
jshed his plans some time ago, and they were ap-
proved by the Secretary of the Interior on the 18th
instant Then question arose as 10 whether it
would not be necessary to submit the plans, as in
CsiSc OI GStitidI
and approval of the Secretary Of the Treasury, the
Postmaster General, and the Attorney General. 1t
has been decided that in this case as the act of ap
preparation specifically states under whose super
vision the extension shall be constructed, the ap
prevail OF the officers named is not required.
SO yesterday the architect received authority from
the Secretary of the interior TO proceed with the
work. II should be here stated that the plans
originally made by Architect Clark for the pro-
posed extension were made last Summer at a time
when iron and other material TO be used in the
construction were cheaper than at present. Hence
it has become necessary to modify the original
plan by emitting the cellariDg, and by other
means so as 10 bring the cost Of construction
within the appropriation. The Secretary of the
Interior has decided that the cost should not ex
coed the appropriation; or, in other words, the
appropriation was not to be considered as merely
q contribution toward the cost 70 be supplemented
by additional appropriations in the future, as has
been the case in respect to other buildings.
PLAN OF THE EXTENSION.
The plans made by architect Clark DO not con-
template completion of the building according
to the original plans. The City Hall, which was
planned by Mr.. George HadIeld and eommencedin
$780, was intended to be occupied by the municipal
government and the United States Courts, and was
so occupied until the Territorial form of govern
ment was introduced in the District. As twas in
tended 10 be a place for public assembly, il was
designed that there should be a large rotunda in
the centre. Since the building has been diverted
from its original purposes and given up entirely to
the courts and the only object to be secured in
building the extension is additional room, the To-
tunda has been omitted from the new design, and
the original plan has been otherwise modified.
The addition viii consist simply of extending the
1nrii hoto
character Of the architecture conforming with the
height and style Of the present structure. The ex-
tension will OF course be Of the same length from
east TO west as the present buildinS-247 feet
, inches. and its width north and south will be
63 feet inches, making the entire depth of the
building north and south about 220 feet. This
extension, whel completed. viii add
TRREE AUDIENCE CHAMBERS
on the main Hoor, besides seven large rooms for
files and the officers of the court. There will be
twelve rooms in the basement, and the same num-
Der of rooms i'll the upper story Of the new part,
all available and adapted for business purposes.
The rooms in the basement and the main floor
will be of FIRE prOofconstruction Owing to the lim
taOns ofthe sum TO be expended the exterior above
the basement viii be built of brick covered with
stucco, Ike the old part The basement will be
constructed Of compact sandstone Or granite. The
north front, looking ont upon Judiciary Square,
will be comparatively plain, but TO carry out the
general architectural plan of the old building
provision has beer made for portico in the cen
ire, with six Ionic columns and pcdiment similar
10 the porticos at the south front, with gable or
level corners al the east and west. The columns
and peliment. with the level corners, will be of
stone.
TIE CORRIDORS
now extending through the east and west wings
VIII be continued through the extension, each
turning at a right angle and carried east and west
till they meet so that one corridor will extend
through the whole building The corridor in the
new part will open into court yard. This court
will be fourteen feet wide and the windows of
the present Circuit and Criminal Court rooms will
look out upon il. By means OF this court light and
ventilation will be secured. As stated above, two
stories of this extension will be practically fire.
proof being constructed of brick walls, the floors
and ceilings being composed of iron beams and
brick arches. The necessity OF fire
proof depository for the valuable records
stored away in the City Hall has often been urged
and il is thought that The want will be we'll sup
piled by the xtension. The extension, when com
pleted, viii restore architectural symmetry TO the
east and west sides of the building as il will leave
the present pedimented portion of the building
exactly i'll the centre of the composition the part
to be added on the north side OF the pediments be-
ing equal in depth and similar in appearance to
the part OH the south side. The work will
soon be commenced as detailed drawings are now
being prepared in the Office Of the architect The
building, when completed, Will be achitecturally
chastc, if not beautiful. Apparently The chief aim
of the architect has been TO provide commOdious
ard convenient quarters for the courts without
violating the rifles which would require conformity
TO the plan Of the present structure, and without
exceeding the appropriation IN this he has sue
cceded well.
Judge Smell Djsagrees with :, Jury.
In the Police Courtyesterday Mr. Hay
den, the prosecuting attorney, asked for the re-
Of