The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-06

COLONEL THEODORE A. BINGHAM.
dredth anniversary of the establish i
ment of the seat of government III
Washington. Already Washington is
one of the most beautiful capitals OF |
the world, and there is no reason why |
we should not make it the most mag !
nificent. Two schemes of improvement /
are now fairly under way, one involv- |
Ing the construction of a splendid park
system and boulevard, plans for which
have been submitted by Samuel Par
sons, Jr., the noted architect OF New
York, and which have been approved
by Secretary Root and the engineers OF
the war department, under whose d.
rection the work will be prosecuted,
and the other the enlargement or the
White House, the plans and a model or
which were presented at the recent
centennial celebration by Colonel Theo-
dore A. Bingham, U. S. A, who has
charge of the public buildings and
grounds of the capital.
That the Greater White House" Is
an urgent necessity all freely admit.
but Colonel Bingham's project does not
meet entire approval. There are those
who hold that construction Of the pro-
posed wings to the executive mansion
would not only mar the architectural
effect of the building itself, but detract
from the beauty Of the White House
grounds. These critics hold that the
executive mansion should be preserved
intact not only because it is a national
landmark at once admirable and histor-
| ic. but because it's preservation Is re-
garded as a necessity to the appearance
of the neighborhOod, which is already
imperiled in the matter Of its grace and
beauty. 1t is urged that the present ex-
ecutive mansion, which all admit is
wholly inadequate for its present uses,
should be useJ by the president as an
office and for state purposes only and
| that suitable residence should be pro-
| vided elsewhere. insuring for him and
his family the personal privacy which
| even the humbIest citizen enjoys. There
is not a little pertinency in the sugges-
ton. though it will evidently not be
adopted.
Colonel Bingham's plan, which on the
whole is very satisfactory, will doubt
less be carried out. As every American
citizen will he part owner In the en-
Iarged White House the details are of
interest to the whole country. The
model embodies the present executive
mansion. unaltered and standing out in
conspicuous relief. Colonel Bingham
combines his original ideas with those
of Mrs. Harrison, the wife of ex-Presi-
dent Harrison, for an enlarged man
| sion with wings. Mrs. Harrison
plans. as worked out by F. d. Owen
an architect connected with Colone
Bingham's office, comprise two new
buildings like the old one, but placed
at right angles thereto and connected
by colonnades or wings. Colonel Bing
hams model includes only these con
Meeting wings added to the White
! House as 1t now appears. The large
buildings can be added later whe:eve
congress sees fit to authorize the ex
penditure. The connecting wings will
be complete in themselves until sucl
future improvements are made. TIL
exterior architecture, as shown In tn
model, is in the form of colonnade
sweeping around to the rear, with loni
columns similar to those which supper
the main portico. Behind these ma,
be seen q curved extension Of the orig
| nal White House walls. At the eS
tremity of each colonnade wing
shown a new entrance with port &C
chere facing squarely south The wing
will be two stories in height. their CO
Umns extending to the top all around
The new wings will be divided int
various apartments by temporary pa
titions, which may be removed to a
ford clear space when the larger az
ditions are built to complete Mrs. Ha
rison's scheme of utilizing each colol
made wing as a passageway with Gel
trail rotunda fer reaching the create
ad;uncts. THE extension on the WEI
side Of the new model is designated
the official wing" that on the east II
public wing" In the latter and e.
tending from the east room will be