The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-26
PROPOSED PLAN FOR
REMODELING THE House
The Committee on Ventilation
Makes Its Report.
1t Recommends the Removal of All
the Desks.
The Size of the Hall VIII BE Lessen.
ed in Width Almost
One-Hnlf.

The plan of the Committee on ventlla-
ton and Acoustics for the remodeling of
the House Of Representatives has been
completed and was posted today in the
House lobby for the information of the
members.
Accompanying the drawings of the pro-
posed change was the following explana-
ton as to what it is hoped will be effected
thereby:
The present hell will be shortened from
a length of 1879 feet, including galleries, to
a length of so feet, including galleries. The
present floor will be shortened from a
length of 113 feet to 60 feet. The width
of the present chamber north and south
will remain unchanged.
The Speakers desk, the Clerks desk, and
| the official reporters desk will remain as
I they are. The side galleries will remain
as they now are, including press galleries,
but the present end galleries will be
! brought forward TO conform to the hall as
shortened.
| The height of the chamber and the light
| Ing will remain unchanged.
The hall as reduced in size will be seated
| with benches or seats running parallel with
/ the east and west walls of the chamber,
half of them facing westward and half fac
| ing eastward, except the benches or seats
| in the northwest and northeast corners of
| the chamber, which will face southwark.
| An open space 10 by 40 feet will extend
| from the Speakers desk northward, and
/ aisles at appropriate intervals will extend
! from the aisles between the seats. The
! floor will rise as il recedes from such open
space.
| The chamber will have a seating capacity
| of 406, but no desks for members or dele
| gates will be provided inside the chamber.
II is intended that the chamber as ar
ranged shall be for legislative business eX-
clusively and shall have seating capacity
for the full membership of the House.
The space subtracted from the present
| hall at each end by the above described
alteration will be made into two large re-
| firing rooms for members, fitted with ia
| bles, chairs, lockers and other furniture
| for their convenience. These rooms VIII
have the same height as the chamber. ex-
! cept that part thereof under the galleries.
From these rooms easy access will be
given to the chamber through fly doors
fitted with glass panels. Each OF these
| rooms will be so feet long by 80 feet wide.
The galleries will be supported by rows
of pillars extending north and south across
the retiring room, and the width of the re-
firing rooms from these pillars to outer
walls will be 20 feet.
The entrance TO galleries at east and
west sides of the chamber as reconstruct
ed will be by central entrance to each
gallery. Each of these central entrances
will be reached by bridge passageway
extending from the upper main corridor
across each retiring room. so constructed
as to insure privacy of retiring rooms
These bridge passageways would be Lighted
from above in same manner chamber
and retiring rooms.
From the west end of the present lobby
would be subtracted room Is IL by. q
feet for members and reporters. From the
east end would be subtracted room Is l..