The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-22
FOR 4 GREAT BUILDING.
The Attorney General Wants a
Most Imposing Structure.

He VIII Ask Congress to Supplement-
the Old appropriation for the
Erection of New Home
for the Department of Justice.
An effort viii he made to get the au-
thority OF Congress TO purchase an entire
square Of ground and to erect q much
larger building than formerly contemplate
cd for the Department of Justice.
Attorney General Knox entertains the
ambition to leave as a permanent record
Of his connection with the Department of
Justice a magnificent, modern building
whi0h viii be capable OF housing that de
parrmeut for many years to come His
predecessor, Mr. GriggS. once thought he
was destined To erect such a structure in
his administration. bat he was disappoint-
ed Mr.. Knox. however. goes further than
Mr. GriEEs. Where the latter contented
himself by asking q total appropriation of
Si9j101o for the erection and furnishing
Of n building on 4 quarter of a block. the
present Attorney General contempIates
acquiring an entire block in the centre
of the city and the construction of a
building which viii b. a credit to great
Government. 10 att snpt has vet been
made by Mr. Knox to formulate his ideas
for presentation 10 Congress. but he has
a general plan in his mind.
The Government owns a part # the
block opposite the Treasury be said
and a part of the block opposite the War
Department Either site would be suit
able for building for this department
We're it large enough There is abundance
Of ground were it all together : believe
it would be better. instead Of attempting
to erect a small building on either site to
purchase half or the whole Of one or the
other Of the two blocks. The site intend
cd for the new building at the Corner. of
Pennsylvania Avenue and Jackson
Square. opposite the Treasury Depart
meRt, or the site OF the old Corcorau Art
Gallery, opposite the War Department
could be sold and the proceeds applied
toward the condemnation of the ground
in the other square not owned by the
Government Us could be done by act
OF Congress, as the Government frequent
Iy sells parcels of its real estate
I do not think that under any circum-
stances less than half a block should be
devoted to the new Department Of Jus
tice, and 1 greatly favor an entire block
A building such as the Treasury. or the
War, State and Navy Building should be
erected, one that VIII stand for many
Years and be worthy of the city and the
country. The heads Of the other depart
ments ali believe she Department Of JUS
tice should be located near the site %
the old building which was across from
the Treasury Department, and do not fav-
or the idea Of q TerrpIe of Justice for the
department and the Supreme Court. to be
erected on Capitol Hin
I had estimates submitted OF the plans
drawn under Mr. GTiEEs for the erection
of building on the plot now owned By
the Government opposite the Treasury.
and for which Congress appropriated
$l-o19.05g. II erect the building within the
appropriation the suDerstructure would
have 10 be OF terra Gotta which Is en-
tirsIy unsuitable and inappropriate. BY
squeezing it could be built Of Indiana
limestone. but marble or granite would be
entirely out of the question I think It
would be better for the Government to
acquire one OF the other Of the two blocks
and put up the proper kind of a building,
and ] hope Congress VIII take the same
view"
More than two years ago Attorney Cen
eraI CTiggs reported to- Congress that the
building then occupied by the department
was about to fan down and hn feared
repetition OF the Ford's Theatre disaster.
= approximation OF SA-tfHs--tt was specify
made for a uev building and the Attorney
General announced that he wished 10 have
il constructed under his own supervision.
as when the Government buildings were
built by the Supervising Architect of the
Treasury il took tso- long to complete
them
Within sixty days the old building was
demolished and there thu work stopped
lumber still eucum5ars the site. piles Of
-rHHA- - 81 ~
the building was never commenced
Within che past Two years The price OF
building material has shot upward until
the iLcf@a-= ranges from J. 10 - per
cent So LisGV Ar GTiEEs was unable 10
build what nc thought he could within
the appropriation He accordingly asked
$50 additional which should be used
- supplement the former appropriation
and provide for the furnishing Of The
building But he didn't get il
Attorney General Knox ideas are
somewhat dazzling The block opposite
the Treasury Department is one Of the
most prominent IN the city, and about II
cluster many historical memories. The
Government now OWnS the southwest
quarter To the north IS the Lafayette
Square IheGter. erected on the site Of
the old Seward mansion, IL which Score
tary Blaine died. Beyond that is the
mansion occupied by Cameron. Hobart.
Wanna. and others The Century Club
has a house and at the corner is the ia
nous Dolly Madison mansion. now the
home Of the Cosmos Club. the most noted
social organization Of scientists in the
country Handsome residences front on
II Str It down to the Colonial Hotel,
which, 5 Wornley's, was once one OF the
most noted IN the country The south
east corner Of the block IS occupied by
the Riggs Bank, the old banking strlIc-
tuTe at the corner and the magnificent
new building adjoining it. A Conscryd-
tive estimate Of the value Of the three
quarters Of the block not owned by the
Government would be q Z5E go including
buildings and ground.
The other block mentioned is covered
with fine residences. the most noted cf
which IS the Beaie property, at h Street
and Jackson Place This block could be
acquired for probably one-haif the cost
OF the other
THE MINERVA BOILER TESTS.