Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-25
PUBLIC LIBRARY SITE
The Senate Passes It's Bill Providing 70,
the Purchase of Ground.
An Amendment Adopted to Secure q
Before Action.

Senate bin $3.50, to provide a site for a
building for the Washington Public Ii
brary, was taken up in the Senate this
afternoon and passed. 1t provides:
THAT the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia be, and they are hereby, au-
thorized and directed to acquire by pur-
chase or condemnation site for the Wash
fngton Public Library, at a cost OF not to
exceed $4,000, to be paid wholly from the
revenues of the District of Columbia In
case the said Commissioners shall be I'M
able to purchase a site as aforesaid, the
said Commissioners shall, within ninety
days from the date of the passage of this
act, begin suit for the condemnation of the
land required for such purpose; and said
proceeding shall be prosecuted under and
In accordance with the provisions of those
sections Of chapter 50 of the Compiled Stat
utes of the United States In force in the
District Of Columbia concerning the con-
oemnation Of lands in said District for the
school sites, in so far as the same may
apply.
That payment Of the sum or sums Of
money adtudged to be due and payable for
lands taken under its provisions shall be
made by the treasurer of the United States
ex officio commissioner of the sinking fund
OF the District of Columbia upon the war
rant of the said Commissioners out of the
revenues OF the District of Columbia; and
suncient sum to pay such judgments and
awards not to exceed $3.50, 600, is hereby ar-
propriated out of the revenues of the Dis
trict.
Sec. 9 That authority is hereby con-
ferred upon commission, to consist of the
commissioners of the District of Columbia
the supervising architect of the Treasury
department, and the president Of the board
of trustees of the Washington public
n no cd no elf
purchased as aforesaid, in the city of Wash
ington, in the District of Columbia, build
Ing for the use Of the Washington Public
Library, with funds to be contributed by
Andrew Carnegie: Provided, That such
building shall be commenced within twelve
months and completed within two years
from the passage of this act: And provided
further, That no liability shall be incurred
or money paid by the United States or the
District of Columbia for the cost of the
erection of said building.
Sec. 3. That said commission shall in
Vite ten architects, or firms of architects
of conspicuous ability and experience to
submit competitive designs for the said
building, upon carefully drawn program,
said competition to be adjudged by said
commission acting with two other persons
to be selected by the competing architects.
The architect, or firm of architects, whose
design shall thus be adjudged most ac-
eeptable shall be employed architect of
the building. to act under the direction of
the office Of construction hereinafter pro-
vfded for, and to furnish all designs and
drawings required for the construction of
the building and personal services requisite
Tor their artistic execution. Said architect
shall receive as full compensation for the
said designs drawings, and personal ser
vices the sum of three per centum of the
total cost of the said building, to be paid
from time to time as the work progresses
and all designs and drawings furnished py
him for the said building shall become the
property of the District of Columbia The