Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-01

nOn-concur In the senate amendment up
10 the time when Mr.. Secretary Villas became Sec
rotary or the Interior the building was being con-
structed upon the plan known as "Plan No 2;'
That Is to say, 1t embraced the entire building.
The House understood, and the commission seem
TO have commenced on the same idea, that 1t
would cost about $1,000, 900. The excavation OF
the entire site had been made. contract for
concrete foundation was entered upon, and also a
terra-cOtta piping at the same time; but when
Secretary Villas came 10 look into the matter he
determined to confine operations t0 what is know
as "Plan No. l." which is the west front OF the
building proper and the readng-room otherwise
known as the ''rotunda" He restricted the opera
lions OF the commission to this limited building
and the balance OF the enterprise was abandoned.
That action seemed TO be within the scope OF the
law and SO at present the contracts are being full
filled to the extent OF that plan known as No. l,
involving, as have said, the concrete foundation
and the terra-cOtta pipes. The balance OF the
work is in what may be called state OF suspen-
sion. There Will be some money to be expended
yet, because the proposition or neither the House
nor the senate repeats the appropriations hereto
lore made oI i4r that purpose or suspends
effect Will be to delay matters excepting
In so far as have already explained until the
meeting OF Congress again, at which time, If the
provision OF the House Is accepted, new plans Will
be submitted and Congress can determine then
with certainty whether it Will pursue tnis plan
as gentlemen know, In favor Of constructing the
building. l stand by the present Congressional
Library in the Capitol, but am assuming that, In
| some form, Congress will go on with this. work.
Mr. PAYsoNs CRITICISM.
Mr.. Payson OF Illinois, denounced as exrrava-
giant the scheme to which Congress had committed
itself. According TO estimates submitted at the
time the bill authorizing the construction Of
the new building W. was 300 passed, its cost
conceded that 1t could not be finished
for less than $4,000 900, and it might require
she o. fOr
had hole in the ground and q magnificent board
fence. 1t seemed that the Government with
goose which any Body could pluck; and he thoSgnt
that Congress should carefully consider the
expediency OF abandoning the present plan and
starting on the work arresh with another archi-
tect. lie asked Mr. Holman, who Is chairman OF
the special comInlttee Investigating the subject,
TO furnish the House with FACTS that would throw
some light on IT,
FOUR MILLION WILL CONSTRUCT THE WEST HALF OF
THE BUILDING.
Nh Holman said he was not yet quite ready to
report the result Of the investigation there was
yet some testimony he desired, but that
the facts were substantially as have
been already developed in the debate
there is, OF course, an immense space which
viii not be covered by that building. TO
Including sSs 0 nSsunSa p'n or reading
room, ample for the present and for twenty five
years, perhaps fifty years to come, Will cost s.,
the building be made, the banks OF this excava-
ton being graded down as suggested by the Sec
rotary and also by the superintendent, gentle
man or intelligence, who was appointed after
Secretary Villas became Secretary OF the INTERIOR
II the banks be sloped down with a grassy surface
and the ground planted with shrubbery as that in
front OF the Treasury building, the structure
might look well enOugh-will not be an unseemly
affair.
Mr.. Ryan, one OF the appropriation committee
confeees said he did not think 1t had entered into
the House 10 consent to the Senate amendment,
except with additional amendments repeating the
law.
The discussion proceeded upon the assumption
that the west wing Of the building should be COM
peted.
Mr. Payson, Mr.. Caswel, OF Wisconsin, and few
others Violently opposed the continuance OF the
work, criticised the architect and the commission
and condemned the whole enterprise, as did other
speakers.
THE ARCHITECT DEFENDED.
Mr.. Kelly defended Mr.. Smithmeyer. He said !:
"My attention was attracted to Mr.. Smithmeyer
years ago by the consideration OF his plans for
q Congressional Library, and remember the de-
light with which 1 first saw and subsequently
terror In which he first proposed to encaSe the in
terror OF the Library building. 1t stood there In
and rivaled, according TO my Judgment, in beauty
the finest gothic buildings l had seen on the
other side OF the Atlantic. ! freely confess that
am an admirer OF the genius OF John 1. Smith
meyer, and In a greater degree OF the zeal with
which he pursues, even now when he has passed
possibly the prime OF fe all the latest ideas OF the
tectual publications in English, French, and Ger
man give them to the world. l speak whereof 1
my leisure hours, and for eight years when
I have been In Washington We have messed to
gether; II know any living man know this
from Congress- for fourteen years competed with
the world IN preparing q plan for National
grandeur OF his adopted country, and would there
fore immortalize his name"
Mr. Casweil-I think the gentleman is mistaken
,tvf 4 tnR &c . -nn
paid TO Mr.. Smithmeyer for plans which were sub
United but not adopted.
Mr. KelieyET riN was "a competition at one
spectively, were offered for plans, and although
the plan that Mr.. Smithmeyer submitted may
proved pro beyond any other ELECTED BY the
general system OF competition, and 1t seems that
IL is to his great discredit In the estimation OF the
plan was so much better than the others that he
got the s., 500 prize! Mr. Kelley favored the SEN
ate amendment and thought II very wise to put
the Engineer OF the Army In charge OF the work,
In place OF the Commission. He urged the COM
Mr.. Hooker defended the action Of Mr.. Singleton,
OF Miss, in MS work in Congress to secure the
building, and declared that the House distinctly
understood that the estimates made In the report
for that part OF the building II was proposed
to complete at once.
Mr.. Clements spoke in favor OF caution and
economy, and thought that Congress had been
miSled into an extravagant enterprise. He said
there was hardly any controversy over the fact
that the last Congress was made TO believe that
s., 900, 900 would complete the whole work.
CONGRESS- NOT MIsLKD.
Mr.. Kelley interrupted him to say: ~ meant to
say, In the course OF my previous remarks but
believe omitted II, that the last Congress was
not stupid or Tightly, and, therefore, It could not
have believed that building covering SO
many more square feet than the state,
War and Navy Department building COW
ers, and which should be lifted up for
library purposes could be built for less than one
third OF what the state, War and Navy Depart
ment building cost That building coBt over ten
millions, under the wisest supervision. The Gov
eminent building in New York cost over nine mil-
lions. The Government building in my own
state cost about four millions, and my city
is building q municipal building, the estimated
cost or which upon the contract Is over
eleven millions do not want TO see the Govern
ment OF the United states, in erecting enduring
buildings for It's capital city, shrink behind the
villages that are scattered over different parts Of
the country.
After considerable further debate on the subject
the House insisted upon It's disagreement to the
senate amendment
Worthy q Hts Hire
From the New York Sun
"You seem to have quito o sum in your bank,
Bobby" remarked the visitor.
"Yes," said Bobby, INA gives me ten cents .
-.A $3.50 = ~