Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-17
THE NEW PENSION BUILDING.

-
TIE CENTRAL HALL, WITH ITS ROOF OF IRON
AND GLAss-RoOMs OPENING INTO GALLERIES
AN EXTERIOR OF SOLID ELEGANCE-AMPLE
ROOM FOR SIXTEEN HUNDRED CLERKS
An immense Roman palace, with its walls
surrounding an interior court yard and all its
apartments directly communicating with the
outside air and light is the main idea of the
plan Of the new Pension building, work on
which is now in progress in the northwest
corner OF Judiciary square. There are no halls
In the building. 1t Is simply structure 42 feet
wide, covering the outside Of a rectangular
space extending 400 feet from east to west and
200 feet from north to south. This building
will be IS feet high and will be divided into
three stories The rooms on each story will be
lofty and spaciOus-the standard dimensions OF
each room being 81 by 26 feet. Folding doors
separate the rooms so that If needed two
rooms can be thrown into one spacious apart
ment- The interior space between the walls
forms
LARGE COVERED COURT YARD,
or inside hail. the dimensions of which are lick
SIC feet This court yard will be rooted. the
roof being Of iron, which rises at both ends
above the walls, the center rising still higher.
being crowned with turret-like structu re re-
sembling the one on the National Museum
building. The sides of the roof will be of
glass. TO admit the light. No horizontal or in
clined glass lights are used, as they allow too
much heat to enter the building.
TWO TIERS OF GALLERIES
will run around this hall, by which access IL
gained to the rooms In each front Of the
building there will be brick staircase. which
Hz-iH ta.I inf, To,
thence to tire galleries looking into the interior
hall, all the rooms having entrances from the
galleries. AS the rooms occupy the entire
Width OF each side Of the building they are open
TO the light and air on both sides instead of on
one side. All the outer windows will be double
glazed, the parallel panes being separated by
about an inch of space, which arrangement is
both cold and heat. The idea Of building o
large hall, fully lighted and Initiated from the
outside, surrounded by rooms fs an entirely
novel one in the architecture Of public build
ings here. Gen. NJ. Z. Melgs, the super, Using
architect, has followed, in a general way,
THE PLAN OF TIE GREAT ITALIAN PALACES,
and this building Is the first Of the kind ever
attempted in this country. 1t does away with
the dark, unwholesome halls that are found in
nearly all the public buildings and avoids the
small and badly ventilated rooms which have
sum VIZ sct odo ci4ctt upon the nealtH o. gov
eminent employees.
PROGRESS OF THE WORK.
In devising this plan Of construction General
Meigs had in view the literal execution of the
law, which appropriated SEX, COO to begin the
construction OF q brick and iron fre-proos build.
Ing at cost not to exceed 100000 The &C,
further urged the Importance OF haste In order
TO save rent. The latter suggestion has no.
been neglected. Ground was broken last fail
and the work OF laying the foundation was con.
tinued during the winter when the weather per.
mitted. Now ali the foundations have been
completed except portion of the south front
On Monday the brick laying will be begun
starting on the north front. There will be a
force OF about 500 men put to work, and thi:
number will probably be increased.
THE OUTER WALLS
VIII be faced with press bricks, laid In red NOR
TAR ana decorated with mouldings and sculpture
In terra Gotta The windows, eornices and the
general architectural design Of the building. Il
Roman, and 1t repeats come O. the features o.
The works OF the renaissance architects NJ ths
Roman palaces and villas The windows will
De large, and viii be decorated with pjIas,ars
cornices and pediments In the two miner sfa.
RES In the lower story horizontal eosniee
supported by terra Gotta Consoles CROW ms ~,
windows. very pleasing feature vii; be the
course OF terra Gotta which marks the hrs,
story. consisting of a band three feet wide RIM.
ming around the building, and representing. b,