Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-19
Design for the Building Finally
Selected.
A new YORK FIRM SUCCESSFUL
Some Notifications to- Be Made
to Satisfy thessCommission.
INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS


late yesterday afternoon selected the design
marked mo. 49, as the most satisfactory
one for the new library building, which will
be erected on Mount Vernon Square with
the sum of 100000 donated by Mr. Andrew
Carnegie. When the commission opened
the envelope containing the name of the
firm submitting design No. Is it was dis
covered to be the work of Messrs. Acker-
man & Ross, a wel-known New York firm
of architects. The firm was at once noti-
fed by telegraph of its success, and re-
quested to visit Washington Immediately
for the purpose of comforting with the COM
mission. This morning Mr.. VIM. S. Acker-
man. the senior member of the firm, visited
the District building, and later conferred
with the commission and explained the fea-
lures of the building contemplated by the
firms design. Mr.. Alderman will rema n
in the city until tomorrow, when he will be
joined by his associate, and the firm will
then confer more fully with the commits
sion.
Selecting the Design.
AS explained in yesterdays Star, when
the commission, which is composed of the
District Commissioners, Col. Theo. A.
Bingham U. S. A, and Mr.. Theo. w.
Noyes president of the board of trustees of
the library, entered Monday afternoon upon
the work of selecting design, 1t found
that twenty-siX plans had been submitted.
Twenty-four architects or firms submitted
the twenty-siX designs, fourteen in addition
to the ten invited to do so by the commits
sion. The ten invited to enter the compet-
ton had selected their representatives
before the commission Mr.. Henry Van
Brunt OF Kansas City, the president of the
American institute of Architects, and Mr..
Geo b. Post OF New York, a former presi-
dent of the institute, and to the technical
knowledge and experience Of these experts,
it is understood is largely due the COM
mission early selection.
At the close OF the first days examina-
ton OF the designs, the competition had
been, stated in yesterdays Star,
narrowed down to four plans, and from
few minutes after O'Clock yesterday af-
ternoon until some time after = o'clock last
evening the commission was engaged in de-
gliding which of the four plans was prefer
able.
Announcement of the Result.
The result of the commissions labors was
officially announced as follows:
After careful examination of all the de-
signs it is found that one can be adopt
ed and built without serious alterations.
Nevertheless inaSmuch as the design
marked IS is most acceptable, its author
is appointed architect for the building The
authors of design numbered '113 are found
to be Alderman & Ross of New York city"
The successful firm is composed of Mr..
VIM. S. Alderman and Mr.. Albert Ran
dolph Ross. Mr.. Alderman is a graduate
of the Stephens Institute ofJTschnology OF
Hoboken, n. j., and has had conferred
upon him the degree of mechanical
gineer He has been identified with engin-
eering work in Colorado, having been for
three years chief engineer OF the National
Lead Company of New York city.
Mr.. Ross was for nine years with the
firm of McKim, Mead Ss White of New
York, one of the most prominent firms of
architects in this Country, and is well
known in New York for his architectural
ability. Mr.. Ross has spent eighteen
months in studying abroad, and the results
of these studies during this period We're,
upon his return to this country, made the
subject of an exhibition before the Beaux-
Arts Society of Architects, New York city,
in 1884 and 1885 The society's estimate of
his work is shown by the following card
of invitation issued for the exhibition:
''Beaux-Arts Society of Architects, New
York:
BY the courtesy of the Architectural
League, there will be held in their rooms
American Fine Arts Society building, 215
West 9th street, free exhibition of archi-
tectural drawings made in France, Italy
and Greece by Mr.. Albert Randolph Ross
to commence February and continue two
weeks.
This remarkable collection is considered
by the society (under whose auspices it is
exhibited to be the best ever shown in this
country for purity, style and selection of
subjects. and it is hoped that an apprecia-
ton for really good drawings will be shown
by a large attendance.
WIN. A. BORING, President"
Not One of the Ten Firms Invited.
Messrs. Alderman & Ross was not one Of
the ten firms invited by the commission to
ester the competition. About a year ago
the firm participated in the competition for
the soldiers and sailors monument at Jer-
sey City, in connection with Martini, the
sculptor, and their design for the pedestal
was accepted over forty-one competitors
the competition being adjudged by Messrs
j. e. A Ward, Daniel c. French Herbert
Adams and George 3. Post, committee of
the National Sculpture Society. This work
has received highly commendatory notices
from the architectural papers.
Modification to BE Made.
While the members of the commission de-
cline to state Just what is meant by it's
statement that, after careful examination
of an the designs, it is found that no one
can be adopted and built without serious
alterations it is understood that although
the selected design will be modified, its gen
eral features will be retained. This modi-
fication of the accepted design will be fully
discussed at the conference to be Held be-
tween the commission and Messrs. Acker-
man d Ross tomorrow. One of the rules
governing the competition provides that
'hS 'uSSSooi III COIIlpetitol IL " lllIl-
self in readiness to restudy and modify his
plan in details, in conformity with the
wishes OF the commission and it is
pected that the successful firm will tomor-
row be given a general idea of the modifi-
cations in its design which the commission
believes desirable and necessary.
Must Be Finished in Three Years.
The act of Congress setting apart Mount
Vernon Square the site for the library
was approved March 8, 1889, and provides
in one year and completed within three
years from that date. The commission has
selected Mr.. Bernardo r. Green, superin-
tendent of the building of 1.-THE Library, of
Congress, as the officer to take charge of
the construction of the new library build
man & Ross will modify their design in
such time as to permit the commencement