Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-18

to remain, and we may trust the good
sense and the good taste of the public
spirited donor that the building in its style
shall be such as to be lasting ornament
and delight to the people, and not a subject
of growing modification and disappoint
ment, as is the huge blunder that stands
farther down on the avenue as a warning
to the government forever how not to beau
tify the avenue
We have seen how futile are objections,
cruel criticisms, about a building after it
is put up at a cost of millions and with the
labor of five six years and in material
to stand for centuries. And yet before the
post office was erected who asked or cared
what judgment, what good taste or skill
| was exercised in fixing this thing for good
or bad for the coming generations? A few
people in subordinate office of the Treas
ury Department had this matter abso-
| lutely in their control and fixed as I'M
alteraby this great abuse of art upon all
the residents of the capital city of the re-
public as if we had been living under an
absolute despotism. 1t is time that this
abuse of public sense and feeling should be
stopped, and if another building is going
up on the avenue let the style of 1T be Sc
lected and determined upon by competent
judges Knowing we do the beauty and
excellence of the design of the Carnegie
Mnsc Hall and Lii AIRY Of Allegheny City,
We may feel assured that Mr.. Carnegie,
whose wishes will certainly be consulted,
will not consent to a design that does not
conform to the highest future architectural
development of the avenue. Happily the
building will stand far enough away from
the post Office for it not to require to be
made to conform itself to that except in
most general way. 1t Will be a relief TO
see a building that does not wear on it's
face the tell-tae story of how much gov
eminent money was sGuandered on con-
tractors and how little thought was given
TO the simple requirements of good taste,
beauty and convenience.
simple but dignitied building. not neces-
| sarily of cold, gray granite. but cheerful,
of,nlC p1N hxa Ion.
run afford the truest satisfaction to the
people. 1t is hoped that a part of the new
building may be devoted to large lyceum
hall constructed with special adaptation to
the educating and refining influences Sof
literature and music. Mr.. Carnegies gift
to the city of Allegheny contains such a
hall. Washington needs nothing in public
convenience so badly as a hall for the Choir
al Socety'S oratoriO performances for SYM
phony concerts and for the lectures of the
National Geographic and other scientific So
cieties and conventions. suitable hall
could be provided at extra expense in
the new library building to meet all these
needs and without departing from its le-
climate purpose of the mental culture and
uplifting of the people. r.
Having been a temporary resident in
Scotland some ten years ago. while in Ed
inburgh / witnessed the dedication of the
Free Library donated to that city by An
drew Carnegie. and I read the tributes of
thanks in the Scottish press to Mr.. Car
negie's enlightened liberalty closely at that
instance of his patriotic love for our own
country and it's capital. and it is to be
hoped that his offer will be met by an APP
preciative and intelligent cooperation of
the government in such way to secure
the very best results from his timely and
generous gifts. FRANK SEW ALL.
January 10, 1890.
Title Reverts to United States.
Col. James G. Payne the auditor of the
District Supreme Court, to whom Congress
destruction of the Northern Liberty Market
by the board of public works in Septem-
Der, 1872, stated to a Star reporter today
that in his examination of the question
he found that the market was established
in 1916, as above described, and that the
land in question was one of the public
spaces in the city, the fee of which was in
the United States. By an act of Congress
of 1920, he explained. establishing a char
ter for the city of Washington, the corpo-
ration was authorized to occupy and inn
prove for public purposes. by and with
the consent of the President of the United
states, any part of the public and open
spaces and squares in the city, not inter-
1arlng with any private rights.
After the market house was torn down in
leI2, said Col Payne, the rights of the
corporation ceased to exist, so far as the
occupancy OF the land for a market was
concerned, and the land of course revert
ed to the United States Therefore, he
said II Congress should desire to grant the
space or any part of it for a site for the
public library, it would have full and ample
authority to do so.
Not an Original Reservation.
Mr. James II. Forsyth, the chief of the
District surveyors Office who is considered
an authority upon such matters, stated to
Star reporter that the records of the Of
flee show that the land in question was
never one of the seventeen original "appro-
priations' or reservations, but simply an
open space formed by the confluence of
Massachusetts and New York avenues and
the abandonment of K street from It'll to
9th streets. The title Of the streets and
avenues of the city being in the United
States In fee, said Mr.. Forsyth, the land
is the sole property OF the United States,
and Congress may, therefore, dispose OF 1t
as 1t may see proper.
Mt. Vernon Square Site.
What is known as the Mount Vernon
Square site, upon which to locate the pub
lie library, for the erection Of which Mr..
Andrew Carnegie has agreed to donate the
sum of S25O,0OO, is not, as has been COM
monty supposed, one Of the seventeen origi-
nal appropriations or reservations, but
was formed by the confluence of Massa-
chusetts and New York avenues and the
abandonment or X street between 7th and
9th streets. This land was once the site of
the Northern Liberty market, which was
torn down during the reign of the board of
public works The land belongs, as it al