Evening star., 1898-12-09
AN ARCHITECTS OPINION
Oaustic Comments n the Post Office
interior
InconGruous Finishing and Lack of
Necessary Public Con-
venfenecs.

The opening of tile lower portion of the
post Office building for public use has given
the people an opportunity to inspect the in
terror of the structure, which has been so
prominently In the public view for several
years The result is that comments con-
cerning its suitability are to be heard on
every hand. A well-known local architect
expressed himself on the subject as follows
to a Star reporter recently:
''The people of his country who furnish
the money for the construction Of public
buildings naturally expect, and have
right to demand, that these structures shall
be SO designed and completed as to afford
ample and modern facilities for the trans
action OF business. But Washingtonians
nave been sorely disappointed in the new
city post offce. now in part occupied.
In common with other citizens of the ma
ton capital | have been panied and dis
gusted with this monstrosity as viewed
from an architectural standpoint. But !
mad sincerely hoped that the interior ar
rangements and finish might be so nearly
perfect that the blemish of the exterior
would be forgotten for the time being. My
dream OF what might be-and what ought
TO be, considering the unnecessarily long
time consumed and the large amount of
money expended-was rudely shattered upon
my visit through the first storyof the bund-
ing TINS week The heavy doors on the
avenue front, always closed, give the es-
tablshment an air of exclusiveness and
cause a feeling that mOrtaiS
not wanted within.
Upon entering this main corridor, the
eye catches much in the way of material
that is very beautiful, but the incongruous
mixture there presented of styles and col
ors is positively painful. The arrangement
of the marbles is suggestive of crazy
| quilt. Finishing the columns and pilasters
on either side of the corridors in plaster
down to the base. while on the one hand
the dark and elaborate woodwork of the
post office screen reaches the ceiling. and
on the other the marble wainscoting is
seven feet or more in height, gives the
whole 81 cheap appeaTance. and reminds one
of some styles in vogue fifty years ago.
that may yet be seen in an occasional anti
quated village court house erected during
| that period.
IF further proof were necessary to con-
vince intelligent people that the supervis
ing architects office is a generation behind
the times. that proof is furnished by the
clumsy, out-of-date door-holders set In the
tile floors Of all the corridors at the prin-
cipa1 entrances on the north, east and west
sides of the building. The remarks of per-
sons who stumble over these unsightly oh
strrctions are anything but complimentary
| to the individual who is responsible for
such a back number, when there are so
many suitable devices for the purpose in
tended which would overcome this objec-
tion.
THE charge of incompetency. so often
registered against the supcrN sing architects
office, finds added proof in the ract that this
building, with a ground area of nearly one
acre and a half, is absolutely without puo-
lie waiting or toilet rooms for either ladies
or gentlemen, who visit the city post office
by hundreds each day for the transaction of
business. This uHpa rdOnable omission mer-
its the Indignation that has been justly
aroused and that is finding quiet but most
emphatic expression.
"While it IS true that there is one small
desk in the bureau of information, where Il
postal card may he written by one person
at time, this is only an aggravating make
shift for the ample facilities that should
have been provided for the patrons of the
office who desire to write letters before
leaving the building. The fact will be re-
called by those who have had occasion to
transact business in the government build
ings erected several years ago in some other
cities of the Union that modern couVen-
fences We're provided. but this fack marks
The sad but sure degeneracy in the manage
ment of this important office of the Treas
ury Department which furnishes plans for
public buildings and has charge Of their
construction and the expenditure of mil
lions of dollars of government money. The
system at present in vogue is in need Of
radical revision. and a long-suferiug peO-
pie Will surely demand that this branch of
the public service be put into competent
hands with the least possible delay"