Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-10

TIE GENEROUS SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED
METHODIST UyIvERsrrY-ESLARGINa AND IN
PROVING A HOTEL BUlDISG-orHKR MATTERS
OF INTEREST
Turing THE PAST WEEK the Senate bill
Dprovidiug for the erection of a fre-proof
building for the use Of the National Museum
was reported favorably to the House. In case
this measure is enacted into a law the erection
of another public building of considerable i'm
portance viii be begun here during the present
year. 1t is likely that such progress will be
made in the proceedings to secure the site for
the new post Office building that something can
be done before the cl~se of the yeaI toward be-
ginning the erection Of that building. There
is also a strong probability that some decision
viii be reached in regard to the location Of the
proposed building for the government printing
Office. 1t is proposed to expend half million dol
lars in erecting the National Museum building.
One million nine hundred thousand dollars is the
amount appropriated for the post Office building.
The government printing Office building will
perhaps not cost as much as either of the
buildings named. As may be seen it is pro-
posed 70 make a considerable addition to the
number of public buildings in this city. and
beauty Of the capital are discussing the ques-
ton as to whether these new buildings viii be
real additions to the artistic attract ons of the
city As is well known this latter feature does
not depend upon the amount of money ex-
pended. but upon the taste displayed in max
the design 1t is said. and with considerable
force, that il the usual indifference to artistic
merit is displayed in choosing the designs that
the proposed new buildings will be in point of
merit on the same level with the public build
ings that have been erected here during the
past twenty years. The only exceptions noted
In the list Of public buildings erected in this
city during the period named are the buildings
for the naval observatory and for the Congress-
ional Library. The former is sufficiently far ad-
ysnced to show that its execution has fulfilled
the promise of its design Its situation some
distance beyond the bounds of the city and for
the present. at least, in the woods, renders it
not easily accessible. When. however Massa-
ehusetts avenue Is opened up to the Tenleytown
road ii will be on one of the direct lines of COM
munication with the city. just now only those
who are fond of a walk through the woods or
the adventures of drive over a rather primi-
tive country road have been able to get a
glimpse Of the white classic outlines of this
building. or, rather, series of buildings. The
plan proposes the erection of nine buildings.
some Of them. however. quite small and all to
be built of white marble or granite. The main
building, which is the most conspicuous of the
group. is long structure, built of white
marble, and in its form and proportions pre-
senting pleasing whole The architecture is
the Greek and its simplicity is, Of course. its
chief merit. as il is in the patent Office and the
White House, which are modelled after the
plainest type of the classic school of
architecture. As contrasted with the more
pretentious and confused STYLES which
characterize the public buildings erected in
rece nj years in this city, it may be said that
1T least the naval observatory buildings do not
offend the eye even if, perhaps, they do not
suit every taste.
The other new building which is now going
mp Is that for the Congressional Library. The
construction has not, as vet advanced much
beyond the first story, and so it is impossible
20 form an idea of what the new building will
look hAe- The design, however. is pleasing and
seemed to meet with general favor and ii is
therefore. pretty safe to assume that the COM
pleted building will be pleasing addition to
the pubic buildings in this city which have
architectural and also artistic merit Whether
the same can be said of the buildings proposed
TO be built is a question that will be answered
probably, when the buildings are completed.
THE PROPOSED UNIVERSITY
The group of handsome buildings which are
being erected for the naval observatory on the
heights between the Georgetown road and
Massachusetts, avenue extended will be a con-
spicious feature Of that locality. Further along
the line OF the same avenue there will be in the
near future another group of buildings larger
and more extensive than that which will be the
home Of the observatory. This is the hope Of
the founders of the new Methodist University
and that this hope has a substantial basis is in
dicated by the fact that already $4,000 of the
300 900 required for the purchase of the
land has been subscribed. Bishop Hurst
the promoter Of this enterprise, announced
when the site was secured that he desired tina.
the purchase money should be contributed BY
the citizens of Washington. How generous and
prompt the response has been is indicated BY
this statement, which is mace by Bishop Hurst,
that almost IS per cent Of the money has now
been subscribed by the citizens of this
city. The display Of public spirit which
tins movement has ELECTED il crafty
ing to the promoters Of the enterprise
As soon as the full amount is obtained then a
national appeal for funds will be made which
viii be used in the erection Of buildings and
Tor endowment purposes. The material adj
vantages from the location of such institutions
In this vicinity have recently been practically
demonstrated by the building of the Catholic
University. Not only have real estate values
advanced in that locality. bur large tracts have
been subdivided and many of the lots have
been improved by the erection Of suburban
homes The benefits 10 be derived will not be
and are not confined To the immediate vicinity
Of these institutions, but are general and give
stimulus ~ the business interests of the CITY
at large.
IMPROVING The METROPOLITAN HOTEL
Some important changes and alterations are
TO made in the building of the Metropolitan
Hotel The front will not be changed. and the
long marble facade. which rises 10 the heigh;
Of six stories, will be retained. as il was built
In 1851 by NJ and I. Brown. the sons Of Jesse
Brown, who was widely known in the early
years Of the city as the proprietor of the In
dian Queen. as the hotel was then called, The
original building was erected about the wear
lsOs, and the front on c street shows a portion.
NJ least. OF the original walls The plan Of the
proposed alterations, as designed BY Mr.. A. p
Clark, IT. architect, includes the removal OF
this entire front and the putting in Of a new
one built Of brick and stone. The interior is
20 be greatly changed There will be a new en-
trance lobby, which will open into a new
central lobby, where the Office viii be located
Reading rooms and billiard rooms and
the domestic part Of the hotel will be located
On this floor On the next floor will be located
the dining room. forty by sixty-five feet. and
the tea room. twenty by forty feet. This
part Of the building is TO be entirely new from
the ground up and the changes will add ve-y
much not only to the appearance Of this Welt
known hosiery, but win greatly increase it,
facilities The property is still owned by the
Brown estate, having been in the possession OF
the family since 1870 when it was purchased
BY Jesse Brown II is, however. conducted by
Mr.. w. II. Selden, who has been the proprietor
for q number Of years past. The estimated cos,
Il the Improvements is $4,000
MRS EVANS RESIDENCE
The residence on 18th street, Just south o,
Scott Circle, which has Just been completed for
Mrs John D. Evans, is q good type Of house
architecture. IL is built entirely Of brick and
stone and these materials are used in efYectiv,
combination There Is nothing pretentiou,