Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-30
Vast Improvements in Progress at
Fort Myer.
A SCORE OF BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED
Description Of the Various Struc-
lures Nearly Completed.
Me ELY A BEGINN q

ginia, and in pursuance of this idea there
is at present in progress over there the
biggest job of building Of its character
that Uncle Sam is interested in anywhere
in the&country. To finish the work In It's
entirety will require six or eight years
longer. There are, however, approaching
completion now the first group OF build
ings, about twenty in all, and they have
been SO constructed that they will be very
nearly as good a century hence as they
are today.
There are now about 800 mechanics and
laborers, nearly all of whom live in WASH
fngton, employed on the work, and the dis
bursements for the current year for build
ing purposes will reach the sum of S22o,OOO.
Some of the buildings are almost ready
for occupancy; others will be in the course
of a MONTH while all will probably be In
readiness by the beginning of 1885,
The Administration Building.
The principal structure is the admin
tstration building. 1t is located on one OF
the most commanding sites of the noted
fort. and from the upper windows almost
every part of Washington can be seen,
while beautiful panorama OF the Poto-
mac river as far as Alexandria and beyond
is laid before the view. The building is
80 by A feet, two stories and an attic IN
height, and has very large cellar. II is
divided into a library, which Is rs by Al
feet; lecture room, 55 by Al, which Is
provided with a stage and the latest styles
Of auditorium chairs; offices for the COM
mandant of the post and his assistants ana
clerks; rooms for holding courts-mart1al
and various other purposes. There is not
as yet any library at the fort, but one is
to be furnished by the quartermaster's de-
partment, and 1t will doubtless be much
appreciated by the officers and men. The
lecture hall will be used for lectures,
dances and amateur theatricals and other
entertainments, and Is expected 10 add
greatly to the pleasures of those whose
homes are at the fort and in the vicinity.
The cost of this building when finished
will be somewhat in excess of $1,000. The
contractors are Manning d Parsons. Tor
construction; James Nolan, plumbing;
Warren w. Biggs. steam heating, and
Heaiy Bros, gas piping.
COmmOdious Omeers' Quarters.
Next in Importance are the officers quar-
tiers, known as Nos. /, 9 3 and 4, comprising
four double buildings, making eight dwell
ings in all. Each set Is sixty-two feet by
forty-four feet, two stories high, with attic
and cellar. On the first floor is a parlor,
dining room reception hall, kitchen and
buffers pantry; on the second, four bed
chambers and a bath room; the attic con-
tains two chambers. also a bath room and
room for the heating apparatus, stores and
the laundry. The cost of the four buildings
complete will be about Sd, OGO. The con-
tractors for Nos. l and are c. Thomas &
Son for construction: r. w. Darby. plumb
ing; Healy & Bro, gas piping. and Warren
w. Biggs, steam heating: while those for
Nos . and / are James H. Grant for con-
structioH and gas piping; r. w. Darby,
steam heating, and William Rothwell,
plumbing.
Z m OF hot M x-icin
has been made for a residence for the COM
manding officer of the post, but this is ex-
planned on the ground that while it is in
tended to build him new home the plans
have not yet been fully prepared in the de-
pot quartermaster's office in the War De-
partment, ard also because he is at this
time mere comfortably housed and suffers
less Inconvenience where he is a present To-
Gated than do any of the other officers.
The Best Bsrracks in the Country.
Next in order come the immense barracks,
two in number, for the use of the troopers.
Each of these structures is one hundred and
twelve feet by one hundred and forty-eight
feet, two stories high, with cellar and attic.
The first floor contains an officers room,
dining room, dormitory and kitchen; the
second, dormitory, day rooms. where the
men may enjoy themselves when not on
duty playing billiards and other games, and
heating apparatus, a lavatory and apart
ments for storage, and from this an elevator
for the carrying OF freight will ascend
What is known as No. 1 of these buildings
will cost $4,000, and the contractors are:
For construction and gas piping, James H.
Grant; plumbing and steam heating r. W.
Darby. No. = will cost S4l 900, and the con-
tractors are: James II. Grant for construc-
ton, K. w. Darby, plumbing; Healy & Bro,
gas piping, and Warren w. Biggs, steam
heating.
The Non-COmmissioned Officers.
The building containing the quarters
Of the non-commissioned officers is a
structure thirty-seven by twenty-seven
feet, and, like the other buildings, is
two stories high, with cellar and attic, and
is constructed in tie same substantial man
ner as are the buildings in which the Off
GERS are TO be located. On the first floor
there are sitting room. dining room, hall
and kitchen; the second has two chambers
and bath room; also an abundance Of stor-
age room. There are two sleeping and sew
eral storage rooms in the attic, while the
heating apparatus, 1avatory, etc., will be
placed in the cellar. The cost of this
building will be about $4,000. The con-
tractors are Minor & Bro. of Baltimore
for construction, James Nolan for plump
ing and gas fitting, and r. w. Darby for
steam heating.
The guard house is a one-story structure
with cellar aud attic, occupying 800
square feet of ground, being eighty-five by
sixty feet, and would seem to be quite large
for the ordinary purposes of regiment
but it is the intention of the War Depart
ment to have this, when entirely COM
pleted, the best military guard house in the
United States.
On the main floor, and occupying about
one-half of the whole building, is prison
room thirty-nine by forty-four feet, in the
center of which is an iron cage, divided in
to cells. The cage is twelve feet high, open
on all sides, and these imprisoned therein
will be constantly under the eye of their
guards. Four feet above the top of the
cage there is a ceiling, made of boiler-plate
iron, and surrounding the cage is cor
ridor six feet wide.
The other part of this floor is divided in
to rooms for the officer in charge, guards
on duty, ETC., and the heating apparatus,
ETC., are in the cellar. The ventilating ar
are in the attic. The cost of
the building will be $4,000, and the con-
tractors are: For construction, James H