The evening times., 1896-03-21
NEW MUSIUN .BUI[D|h6-
Such a Structure IssBadIy Need
ed 10 1Es City.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
II Is Greatly Oveucrowded-Rrl Ap-
propriating $25O,OOO for the Pro
posed Building Not Likely to Pass
at This Session of Congress-ArtC Col
lection Being COnst antly Increased.

The bill appropriating $2bO,O0O for
new museum building, just west OF the
Smithsonian Institution, for the purpose Oh
relieving the crowded condition OF the
present National Museum Is not likely
to pass at this session of Congress; also
il is probable that a good deal more money
than named will be given for this much-
needed structure before 1t Is rinished.
This was suggested by The Times when the
name of Mr.. Bernard r. Green, superin-
tendent of the new Library building, was
substituted for that of the architect OF the
Capitol.
There is q general feeling that when a
new building is erected, IL should be OF a
character In keeping with the architectural
dignity of the Smithsonian Itself. In that
case the appropriation of $2oO.ooo Is
only enough to get the work well uhder
way, The introduction of the bill gives
an opportunity to consider the matter ana
determine lust what should be done.
Thcpresent National Museum building was
never intended is permanent nome LOT the
collection that has been gathered
there 1t was, to quote u hackheyed
phrase "the best. that could be done AT
the time" Prof. Baird was then at the
head of the Institution and said 1t would
do TO erect comparatively temporary
building. The Museum could then be built
up in 1t and when the day came that the
old place was overcrowded and no longer
there would be an expensive
and very valuable mass of material demand-
in the way of an appropriation
for a suitable edifice in which to store and
display 1t.
LARGE STRUCTURE NEEDED.
The amount of money then appropriated
was given without any limitations as TO the
size or character of tne proposed building.
Prof. Baird said 1T would he much better
10 put UP large structure, though architec-
turally poor and inartistic, than to appl y
themoDey 81 as to produ ce ceanefrectivehouse
a architecturally, but much smaller. In the
latter case the building would be bursting
with its contents before there was enough
10 give it the rank OF n National Museum.
As matter of fact, save for its uglincss
and structural weakness. the edifice is very
satisfactory. In Its adaptation I" the uses
for which IL is intended il ts one Of the best
in the world. Itisalsoprobablyth the cheapest,
upon a calculation Of tile cost. as compared
with its available space. The great Metro
politan Museum of Art in New York. upon
which So. 5O0,0 900 has been expended, cost
per square foot Of fi6or space about $50,
and the Agassiz building at Cambridge
S11 per foot; the Museum here cost only
SECS per foot. This is. IN fact, less than
some of the structures for the Worlds FAIR
at Chicago cost.
Constant additions arcsbsiug made to the
material at the Museum. Insuch cases some
thing that has been on exhibition has Ia be
relegatetl to ia rk corn er and the new stuff
put in its place. Tworecent acquisitions re
a collection of finely decorated china from
Mcssrs. Edward and William Lyceti. father
and son, of Atlanta. Ca, aud specimens OF
Favrile glass. the latest de velopnient of ar
tis,ic work in Slass-coIoring and OVERLAPPING,
a loan from the Tiffanys.
Mr.. Lycett is the pioneer Of china deco
rating in America. His gift consists 81 q
tray OF Royal Dresden ware. beautifully dec
grated by himself: two frames Of Pc crsian
luster tiles. the art Of making which he re-
vived, and two cups and two vases Of Jap
anese egg she'll china, presented by William
Lycett and decorated by bis father.
GLASS WARE CASE.
The new glass ware case contains thirty
nine pieces. valued at $500. The pro-
duction OF them is believed by many omark
an epoch in the art of glass working. The
foundation is the commonest kind Of bottle
and window glass. The finer grades will
not give the effect desired. The ware is
for the greater part beautifully iridesccnt.
but in addition there are some curious as
we'll as beautiful results, outdoing the work
Of the ancient Cyprians. One vase has a
fine clouded amber color. another rich
red Jasper, third looks like dark lava.
A Greek fla gon is made in two layers, and
the upper has been removed by cutting and
etching, oas TO give an almost exact imi-
tation of classic remains.
The makers OF this ware say the Favrle
glassis the outcome of a series ofex periments
recently conducted by Louis c. Tiffany.
The result of these Investigations is shown
in new combinations of color with color,
color over color, the deepening of tone, the
introduction of new cOlors, the union of
metal with glass, and the wonderful orna-
mental effects obtained by embedding lines
and threads of one colored glass in that of
another while they are in motion state
and during the operation of blowing.
Examples of this new glass have been Sc
cured by the art museums of Paris, Berlin
and Toxic, as marking new epoch in glass
This scOlectionhas not yet been put before the
public, but will be displayed next week
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