Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-12
NEW CITY BUILDING
Plan for One Submitted to House Dis
trict Committee.
Site ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE
Right to Repossess Market CON-
pany Property at Given Period.
A SAVING OF EXPEN IS E

Mr.. John A. Baker has submitted to the
House district committee a proposition by
which new municipal building for this
city can be acquired, he claims, at COM
paratively trfling cost. In letter to the
acting chairman, he says:
There is before the committee on the
District of Columbia of the House of Rep
resentatives H. r. bill 1859. to provide for
a municipal building and court house in the
District of Columbia
Il venture to direct your attention to
more desirable location for such a building,
under conditions that will probably involve
no appropriation for this purpose from the
general government or from the District
of Columbia. 1t should be erected on that
part of the public reservation fronting the
market building, on Pennsylvania avenue,
from ith street to 9th street. This space
is ample for the acc accommodation of the Dis
trict offices, ard the courts, too, if neces-
sary, Tor many years to come. 1t contains
over 81 per cent mere square feet than the
square on which the new post office is To-
Gated.
Required to Surrender Franchise.
The Washington Market Company is
the only corporation of the District of Co.
lumbia chartered by Congress which is re-
CURED to surrender its franchise to the
municipality at a given period. Under the
terms of its charter, granted in 1870, the
District of Columbia holds the right to re-
possess the land and acquire the market
building after thirty years, at a fair and
just valuation of the latter. The building
can be secured at small cost, and for the
cost of the building alone the District Of
Columbia may repossess itself of land
worth $2,OoO,oOO improvdently given away.
II may be stated that this property, under
proper management, will provide for the
interest on the cost of a costly municipal
building.
That part of the reservation referrrd TO
was, in 1873, selected for a District build
ing, and was ielinquished by the market
company for that purpose, it having then
no use for it, under arrangements herein
after mentioned; and, in furth rance of
that purpose, the general government paid
to the District of Columbia $4,000 for the
present court house, then the city hall, for
the use of the courts.
Identifying the Avenue.
ut is Undoubtedly the wish of the people
of Washington that Pennsylvania. avenue
should be adorned and beautlfied by mpos-
ing public buildings as they are needed, and
in this many of the Representatives of the
country in Congress concur. Owing to the
great width of this avenue the south side
of it perhaps will never be built upon to
correspond with the magnificence of future
Washington, unless it be adorned from the
Capitol to the treasury with public build
ings. To locate SUCH buildings on it will
add to the convenience of the business of
the general government and add to the
beauty OF the capital of a great nation in
which the whole, people are interested.
All things being equal, aside from the
TACT that the revenues from the market I'M
der proper management will pay the inter-
est on bonds issued to provide magnificent
building; that the location suggested is the
best for the convenience or the people-all
car lines passing it-aad that the use of the
upper story of the market building in adGi-
ton, II ever needed, will provide for all the
offices in the District of Columbia in the re-
mote future, when Washington shall have.
become great city, this great thorough
fare should be beautified and made the
pride of the people of this nation even as
the Avenue Champs-Elysees is the pride of
Paris and of the French people.
The upper story of the market building
is now used for lectures, concerts, exhibit
tons, fairs and other public entertainments
also as the armory for nearly all of the
District militia. This condition emphasizes
the fact that proximity to the market can
not be Objectionable.
Includes Triangular Reservations
ITO provide for future municipal needs
and for the use of the general government,
the triangular reservation between Sth and
9th streets and the intervening short streets
"a part of the large reservation diverted
for a street not needed-should be included
in the site, making a continuous front on
Pennsylvania avenue from eth street 10
9th street, frontage of $50 feet"
Continuing, Mr. Baker holds that a mu-
nlc1pal building should not contain the
courts. They should be widely separated
He gives summary of the legislation re-
latins to the market company, and quotes
Senator Morrills reports on the subject.