Evening star., 1901-11-13
BEAUTls UL WASHINGTON
PLANS FOR THE ADORNMENT OF THE
SEAT OF GOVERNMENT,
Report of the Capital Commission to
BE Submitted to Congress.
in January.

Washington Correspondence New York Tribune
The commission-D. H. Burnham, Charles
w. McKim, F. l.. Olmstead and Charles
Moore, secretary-appointed by the Senate
committee on the District of Columbia, to
prepare plans for the extension and adorn-
ment of the capital Will submit its report
| to Congress early in January. Acting upon
instructions, this commission visited the
principal cities Of Europe last summer to
observe their public works and study land
scape architecture They were everywhere
received with cordially and enabled to in
spect the cities included in their itinerary
under the most favorable auspices. But
with their visit to Europe the work of the
commission was only begun. Quite as i'm
portant part was to consult with authori-
ties in this country and with the army en-
g1neers, the District Commissioners and
other officials having charge of public i'm
provements in Washington from whom
they met with hearty reception as from
their brothers in Europe.
NO power to change, alter or make con-
tracts for projected improvements was
given to the commission. They were asked
simply to formulate plans for the extension
and improvement OF the city. Their work
has already been accomplished, their report
practically decided upon. but the details of
the plan will not be published until the re-
port is laid before Congress. In connection
with this report there will be exhibited in
the COrcoran Art Gallery a model in plas-
ter. prepared under the direction of Charles
McKim, Augustus ST. Gaudens, Stanford
White and John Lafarge, Of the capital
as 1t Is today, and another showing the
cannot anticipate their formal report to
Congress, the members of the commission
speak freely of the general idea they have
adopted. s57i
Possibilities of Washington.
No city in the world has the architectural
possibilities of Washington. It's situation
was chosen with discrimination and taste.
its environs are particularly beautiful. and
the plan laid out by l. Enfant is unexcelled
Had this plan been closely and inteligently
followed there would be no need of com
mission to suggest plsns for the rbeautify-
ing and extension Of the city. The commits
sion. apprecating the beauty of L Enfant's
plan, will follow it as far as possible, and
to reclaim the mail. TO convert it into the
imposing park the first architect of Wash
ington intended 1t should be; Is enc Of the
most interesting proje-.J set forth in the
report of the commission, which will con-
tain also detailed plan for Its Improve
ment. 1t Is proposed that the mall shall
be the center of a great park system, and
from 1t on the east and west broad boule-
wards will connect 1t with the Soldiers
Home. the Geological Gardens and Airing
ton. The most Important problem in the
carrying out OF the plan sketched by the
commission the removal Of the railway
tracks. stations and Sheds has already been
solved by one of it's members, Mr.. Burn
ham, through whose influence the Pennsyl-
vania railroad has decided to remove Its
tracks, abandon the old and inadequate sta
tion on the edge of the mall and erect a
great central station in another part of
the city.
The report Of the commission will also
include suggestions for the reclamation of
the Anacostia flats. the treatment of public
buildings. extension Of roads and the beau
tifying OF the waterways which, when
properly handled, are such a pleasing fea-
ture Of landscape architecture. While the
instructions to the commission included
only the preparing OF report for Congress,
the reputation OF Its members in the va
rious fields they represent. their attitude
toward the work they have undertaken.
their advice has been eagerly sought and
as faithfully followed by those officials
having the erection Of new buildings or the
carrying on Of other public works tn hand.
Secretary Root consulted them regarding
the plans for the war college. soon to be
built, and Mr.. Burnham has been selected
to make the plans for the new building for
the Department Of Agriculture. for which
an appropriation was made IN the last Con-
gress.
Not the First Commission.
The present commission is not the first
one authorized by Congress. AS long ago
as 1850 President Buchanan, in obedience
to resolutions adopted by Congress calling
for the appointment OF a commission COM
posed OF three Of the leading artists Of the
country to examine and report on system
OF decorating and embellishing the public
buildings and grounds so to secure a
harmonious result, named Henry K Brown,
John +. Kensett and James r. Lambden.
ME-. hensett ranked high as a landscape
painter. and both Mr.. Brown and Mr..
IamOden had attained fame In their pro-
1esslonS. 1t would have been difficult at
that time to select men more suited to the
duties laid out for them or whose opinion
would nave greater weight. The Presi-
cents choice was widely commended, and
the commission accepted the trust cOnfided
TO them with somel enthusiasm. assembling
at washington In June, following their ap-
pointment to begina theinflabors
more tnan yeaF-thdteen months to be
exact.was spent by this commission in
investigating whatF had calready been done
ana IN celebrating On afplan OF their own.
The result Of all this, weFk was a brief and
unsatisfactory report idey0ted principally
to condemning what.haa- already been done.
me great questlonssthsy should have con-
sldered We're entirely overlooked, and the
suggestions they Wadef concerned matters
found badly ventilated, poorly lighted and
unhealthy Senate chamber and hall of Rep
resentatives. othergftfbfic buildings needed
overhauling and theaintroduction Of modern
appliances; the PARIS aFere neglected: but,
instead of working, on these problems. the
ready been done thd asked for money to
buy more pictures and statuary. Congress
was justly indignant. The report fell so
short OF its object that no action was taken
regarding 1t. The commission 1t created
was ignored by Congress-. and the result OF
their labors was laid away In grave SO
deep that few know Of It's resting place.
Since the death OF the first commission at
tempts have been made again and again to
have another appointed but without sue
cess until the last Congress. when the Dis
trtct affairs committee provided for the
present board. whose report promises to
give a new impetus TO improvements at the
capital 7asE
The Hancock NJ NaEassl<i.
A cablegram received at the War Depart