Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-16
Thousands to Be Spent During the
Recess.
fHE CENTRAL PART TO Be EXTENDED
Provision Made for More Com
mittee Rooms.
NEW FIREPROOF BUILDING

improvements other than those necessary
to keep the building in good order and
which are made annually. Not only will
many desirable improvements be made,
but the architect of the Capitol has been
authorized to prepare and submit to Con-
gress at it's next session plans, specifica-
tions and estimates of cost for reconstruct
ing and extending in fireproof manner
the central portion of the Capitol building;
also for the renovation and decoration of
the rotunda and for the construction of a
fireproof building adjacent to the grounds
of the Capitol building to be used for Of
fees. storage and power plant purposes
connected with the Capitol.
The extending of the central portion of
the Capitol building is necessary in order
to make the building harmonious, the
wings now project farther east than does
the central part of the building, making
very serious defect which it has always
been intended to remedy. This extension
will give number of additional committee
rooms for both senators and representa-
tiveS. There is line drawn east and west
through the center of the rotunda of the
Capitol, and although it is an lmaginery
line, it has as distinct a meaning as does
the equator or the lines of latitude and
longitude on the globe.
All space south of that line Is appropri-
ated by the House of Representatives., and
every square foot north of it belongs to
the Senate, except that part which is oc-
cupied by the United States Supreme Court.
But between the Senate and House the
line is absolute. This division of the build
ing between a body of ninety members and
another Of 81 members makes a very great
difference in the amount of accommodation
senators and representatives get in the way
of committee rooms. The inequality is
still greater when it is understood that the
Maltby house is used as an annex tc the
Senate to provide additional committee
hot of he n
has at least one room to use as an oii!ce.
Fer the Use of Representatives.
The authority given by the last Congress
for the preparation of plans for the con-
struction of a freproof building adjacent
to the grounds of the Capitol will tend,
when the new building is secured, to
euualize the comforts enjoyed by the SEN
ate and House of Representatives, for the
new building will be for the House Where
it is to be located is yet a problem to be
determined The government now owns a
magnificent site for such a building south
of the Capitol, now occupied by the Butler
house on Is street.
South of an adjoining the Butler house
site is the coast and geodetic survey build
ing also owned by the government. There
are other available sites which might be
purchased if they could be acquired at a
price satisfactory to Congress, and it is
likely if this can be done that it Will be the
plan preferred. as the marine hospital SER
vice and the coast and geodetic survey
would have to be provided with new quar-
ters were the site on which their buildings
are located selected for the Capitol annex.
Ventilation of the House.
The fact that the House of Representa-
tives has so long been without better facil-
tiles for transacting it's business is entirely
the fault of the House, as there is an un-
written law that neither the Senate nor
l~io Of ha
other body Not only has the House failed
to properly provide itself with sufficient
committee rooms. but it has been niggardly
in putting it's own end of the Capitol in
good sanitary condition. Visitors to the
Capitol during, sessions of Congress can
readily detect the lacking ventilation in che
House when they pass to it from the SEN
ate. The Capitol is a big building to VEN
tilate, and the very best methods are re-
quired to be used in order to keep the air
fresh.
The Senate several years ago made its
system of heating and ventilation COM
plete as the skill of sanitary engineers
could make it. Now the House has pro-
vided an appropriation Of S51, 200, which is
being spent in improving the ventilation of
the House, which is being torn up in order
to carry out the complete plan, generally
similar to that adopted for the Senate,
which has been selected. 1t provides for
outlets of warm air from the supports of
every desk on the floor of the House and
from all the C0I1TS De pldceu IN Iue
galleries. which are to take the place of
benches heretofore used.
The House restaurant and kitchen Will
receive special care in the scheme of ven
tilation
Refurnishing the Hall.
The House has also allowed SCI, 900 for
refurnishing the hall in which it meets. to-
gether with the rooms of the Speaker, the
sergeant-at-arms and new committee
rooms in the old library portion of the
building, which includes the apartments to
be occupied by the Senate.
The house has also set aside s12,5O0 for
refitting it's file room with metal fireproof
cases. For providing the document rooms
Of the Senate with fireproof shelving
$25 900 was appropriated.
The Senate has had portion Of its docu-
ments in metal cases. but they are not of
the most approved plan and are sufficient
for only a part of the documents kept on
file. The $4,000 allowed by the appropria-
tion is hardly half enough to install COM
plete set of metal cases for the Senate doc
ument room, but the next Congress will
probably supply money to complete the
purchase Of the cases. In the House docu-
ment room all documents are on wooden
shelves, where they would make fine fire
If once blaze were started among them.
Minor improvements also to be made
to steam-heating and ventilating apparatus
in the Senate wing of the Capitol and
a new elevator will be put in the Maltby
building.
Reconstructing the Roof.
An enormous piece Of reconstruction, in
volving cost of $153.5OO will soon be un-
der way in the reconstruction and fire.
proofing of the roof Of the central portion
of the Capitol. This reconstruction will
destroy the fire trap roof that now covers
the old Capitol building, and the form of
the roofs will be made fat instead of small
domes, as at present. This change will
add to the apparent height of the main
dome and will be a decided improvement. II
is believed, to the appearance of the build
ing as a whole.
Discharge Certificate Not Necessary.
The Secretary Of War has approved an
opinion by Judge Advocate General Laeber
to the effect that certificate OF discharge