Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
Local Public Buildings.


During the coming fiscal year a number
of school houses and fire department build
ings will be erected under the supervision
of the District government. The custom
which was begun some months ago of hav-
ing the plans of such buildings prepared by
architects in private business will be con-
tinued Since this policy was adopted 1t
is the general opinion that the character of
the designs of buildings has been much i'm
proved, and that, externally at least, the
standard of public buildings of the city has
been advanced. Without increasing the
cost the buildings are pleasing and grace
full in form, and a grateful change from
the style which marked the public archi
lecture of the past.
While this system of securing good de-
signs for the public buildings has proved
to be success, yet the District authorities
feel that the construction of the buildings
can be improved. 1t is said the appropria-
lions made for the erection of these struc-
lures are not sufficient to insure the best
workmanship and the best material 1t is
found to be difficult to have the builders of
the city fully represented among the bid
ders. as many refuse to enter into the COM
petition for the reason that the amount of
money provided is not sufficient to paw for
the construction if the work is done prop
erly anu nrSt-claSS materials are used.
Capt. Beach's Wishes
Captain Beach, who has direct charge of
eAAA9 bAoiICll VI Tue puDic business, Is anX
ious to bring about change, and in order
to present to Congress convincing proof
that the present scale of appropriations for
this purpose is not adequate, he would
like to have as large a representation Of
the of the city as possible put in
bids Tor the erection of the public buildings
authorized to be constructed during the
coming year and then by presenting these
bids to Congress it can be demonstrated
what the representative builders of the CITY
thlflh DulldlnSS Of the style required will
cost. In this way it is hoped our local
legislators can be induced to provide more
literally for this purpose and the result
Will be that the Improvement which has al
ready taken place in the character of the
architecture of these structures will be fol-
lowed by an advance in the quality of the
construction.
residence for Edmund X Fox
Ground has been broken for a residence to
be occupied when completed nv Mr. Ed
mund K. Fox on 10Th street. 100 feet north
of Q street northwest from plans of r
Frank Meyers, architect. The house is to
have frontage of % feet by depth of GA
Feet with two large bay windows on the
south side and one on the front which faces
east There will also be large porches on
front and side. The house will stand on the
north line of a lot 1886 feet front with a
depth of 100 feet. with paved alleys. side and
rear. Buff press brick and Indiana lime
stone Will be used with mansard roof of
slate.
There win be a concrete cellar under the
entire house, containing the hot water heat
err servants bath, cold storage and iaun-
dry. The first floor will contain the recep-
ton or entrance hall, drawing room il
brary. dining room, staircase hall oriental
hail. buffers pantry, lavatory and kitchen
The second floor will be divided into three
large chambers, with sewing room sery-
ants room, store room and tiled bath room
The top floor will be in one large room. %
by 4S feet. with a 10-foot ceiling. The
dwelling will be fitted with electric bells
lights and gas lighting, complete burglar
alarm system, clothes chute speaking
tubes, etc. The interior will be finished ,n
hard woods. William L. Turner has the I.a
contract.
Features of House BuiIdfnp
Some of the architects and builders or
this city are making efforts to effect re-
forms in the building of dwelling bo,,ses
to render them more comfortable In the
hot weather. The tin covering of roofs
is powerful conductor which is ant IN
make an oven of the sleeping rooms under
the roofs unless there is ample air snace
between the roo and the ceiling. Some
builders use a substitute for tin Another
mode adopted is to place a lining under the
tin.
A feature adopted in some houses de-
signed by Appleton p. Clark, jr., architect
to he built on Newport place, is a cold
storage room in the basement, the walls
and ceiling of which are made double and
lined with a perfect non-conduetor, The
dnJIbl