Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-08
FOR A NEW BUILDING
SECRETARY WILSON WILL HAVE
PLANS PREPARED.
Expects to Obtain. Appropriation
From, Consress for Wing
Next Winter.

~ n Z
The Secretary of Agriculture win In a
few days. call upon the supervising archi-
tect of the treasury for plans for a new
building for the Department Of Agricul-
ture BY a provision IN the sun6ry civil ap-
preparation bill the Secretary of Agriculture
is authorized to expend IS 600 Ii, the prepare
ton of plans for the new building, but be-
fore asking assistance from private archi-.
tects he will seek to have the plans fur,
nished by the Treasury Department.. -
Secretary Wilson has received assurances
from influential members of Congress that
all appropriation for a new building for
the Department Oft Agriculture will be
made during the first session of the fifty
seventh Congress. The Secretary today
said: = --->>.;sT< s..-.f ~
Secretary Wilson's Plans.
1--WE want handsome building-nothing
too elaborate. but we want 1T to be good In
all ways. We want q building that will be
a credit to the government Of the United
States, the Department Of Agriculture and
the city of Washington We want a build
ing that will be comfortable to work in
and pleasing to look at. AS to the archi-
tectural style to he followed, 1 am going
to take advice but the building ought to
be of stone. We want a quadrangle. I
have been assured that Congress next
begin with, and then. we shall begin the
construction Of one OF the wings / don't
know whether 1t will be at the north or
south end of the present building, but that
does not matter. Winter after next we
will begin the erection of the second wing,
and In the season after that we will tear
ou+ this old building and put up the front
of the new structure.
This building was condemned by experts
twenty years ago, and the work of the de-
partment has been almost doubled because
Of lack Of facilities for the working force.
To illustrate our growth have sent to the
agricultural colleges for fifty young men
to come to this department to take a post
graduate course. will pay them $40 q
month. This will induce them to special
ize, and when they shall have completed
their postgraduate course they will enter
the civil service properly, and then they
will get better salaries. This Is fine talent
that we are asking for. and L don't feel
like putting these young men up in the
fourth story of this old building directly
under the roof, on which the sun beas down
fercely in the summer time.
Need of a Laboratory.
'The provision in the sundry civil bill for
the construction Of a building for the de-
partmental laboratory was stricken out in
conference, but I have been assured that
this was not because 1t is thought in Con-
gress we do not need such a building: but
you know there wasTa fight on and that
Item had to go out.
1.-THE Department Of Agriculture Is now
conducting all of It's laboratory work In
rented buildings, located outside of the de-
partment grounds. These buildings are for
the most part mere makeshifts. consisting
of dwelling houses ,remodeled to permit lab
oratory work. Some, Of them are over
crowded, and none are ffreproof. There are
five OF these buildings. which. with rent and
other expenses, cost the department about
$4,000 year. The work carried on by the
laboratories Is of the highest Importance,
including the Investigations of the bureau
Of animal industry the division of chemis-
try. the division of vegetable physiology
and pathology. the division of soils and the
division Of botany. Much of the material
now in use by these branches of the de-
partment, as we'll as that being constantly
accumulated by them, Is OF great value,
and 1t would be impossible to replace 1t in
case of loss by fire. 1t Is absolutely neces-
sary that better facilities be secured for
this scientific work, either by, the rent Of
additional buildings or by the erection Of
government building ,.y: s.