The Washington times., 1901-09-26
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT.
The Views of Architects on the
Municipal Hospital Plans.

A Hearing in the Interest of ar
Amended Programme of Competi
tiOn-Tbe Verdict in the OpeninG
of PennsyIvania Avenue Extended
The terms set forth in the programme
of competition for the plans of the pro-
posed Municipal Hospital were the sub
ject of discussion al a hearing before the
| Commissioners yesterday morning at II
o'clock. Several architects took excep-
tions to the terms of the programme soon
after its publication and the Commission
ers invited those interested in the matter
to appear before them and state their OBJ
jections. This was done yesterday. twelve
architects from Washington and other
! cities being present. rs ise-
w. NJ. Poindexter chairman of n COM
mittee of the Washington Chapter of the
American Institute of Architects. pre-
| sented to the Commissioners their obiec-
tions to the programme. In the course of
| his remarks he said:
"A hospital deals with human life at a
critical stage. hospital built with pub
lie funds in the Capital of the Nation de-
mands the best skill of the land and of the
! day. To build such hospital is to as
! sumo grave responsibility toward this
| and future generations.
IF the present programme is not sat
isfactory. it may be asked how can a new
| one be issued without injustice. to such
architects as may already De at work
upon the problem? We believe this pre-
sents no difficulty. We suggest, speak
| ing for the committee of the Washington
! Chapter of the American Institute of Ar
chitects a new programme. TO provide:
''First-For drawings at a small scale.
"Second-A selection of perhaps three
| designs from those submitted
"Third-A second competition, by the
| authors of the three selected designs, at
a larger scale.
"Fourth-A selection of one design from
these three.
''Fifth-A division of one-half of the
sum at the disposal of the Commissioners
between the two unsuccessful competi-
tors in the second competition.
"Sixth-That the author of the sue
cessfu design be recommended to Con-
gress as the architect of the hospital.
"Seventh-That the question of COM
pensation TO the successful architect be
stricken from the programme.
"Eighth-That ample time be given for
the proper study of so important SUBJ
1ect.
'.Ninth-That a professional adviser be
selected at once and the new programme
prepared in consultation with him.
''Tenth-A payment to the profession
al adviser of one-half of the sum at the
disposal of the Commissioners.
]. c. Hornblower, of Washington. spoke
in favor of the objections, putting special
emphasis upon the appointment of pro-
fessional adviser to supervise the work of
issuing the programme of. competition,
and of getting the plans submitted in
shape to submit to Congress.
Others who spoke upon the matter were
A G. Noting, of Baltimore. and James
Monroe Hewlett. of New York.
Commissioner Beach said the Board,
when the matter was before the commit
tees of Congress last winter, had asked
n larger sum for the preparation OF the
must get along with the $500 appropri-
ated. Commissioner Beach said that the
idea in the minds of the committee was
that the plans should be sufficient to en-
able Congress to estimate the necessary
cost of the structure or structures TO be
erected. He said that he had taken up
the matter of employing professional su-
pervision and found that ii would be i'm
anything left to remunerate the archi-
tects. He said that the programme had
been drawn so as to suit the circum-
stances
1t was finally agreed that the Con3niis-
sioners would consider the facts set be-
fore them by the architects and would
announce their decision through the COM
mittee of the American Institute of Archi-
tectS.
The Commissioners yesterday received
from their Attorney copy of the order
of the Supreme Court of, the, District of
Columbia confirming the verdict. award,
and assessment in the case of the open
ing of Pennsylvania Avenue southeast.
The Attorney states that no objections or
exceptions on the part of the owners of
land condemned or of land assessed have
been filed in the case. The Commissioners
are informed that this order is the termi-
nation of the proceedings, and that there
is no legal reason for any further delay
on the part of the District in carrying
out the purpose of the proceeding.
The extension of Pennsylvania Avenue
southeast was provided for under the
general street extension act, approved
March 3, 1899, in which the Commissioners
We're directed to extend the Avenue TO !
the District line and to grade and i'm
prove the same. 1t VAS also provided |
hat condemnation proceedings should be |
begun for the acquisition of the necessary |
land for the extension. These proceed |
lngs and others in connection with the |
opening of streets were in dispute for |
some time and the opening of the thor !
ouShfare has been delayed until the pres |
ent time.
The next step in the opening of the |
Avenue will be the settlement of the dam |
ages awarded by the Auditor and the as !
sessment of the benefits by the special |
assessment clerk. This will establish the |
little to the land in the District of Co
lambda, and the opening of the street |
and its improvement will await special !
appropriation for the purpose from Con-
sress.
G. T. Robinson, of 203 F Street north
west, recently wrote to the Commissioners
seeking information relative to his ap-
plication for building a porch in front of
his premises. He requested that an in
spection be made and a permit granted
for porch fourteen feet and six inches
long.
In considering the application the In
spector of Buildings stated that the pro-
posed porch was projection beyond the
building lin, and that he could not
recommend the same.
The officials of the Tax Department
have recommended the refund of the tax
paid in duplicate for the year 1901 on sub
lot 20 and parts of sublots "a and %, block
a. Petworth subdivision, assessed in the
name of Charles Z. Blackman.
The Inspector of Plumbing has recon-
mended the execution of and service OF
notice relative to the repair of plumbing
at SOB Eleventh Street northeast.
w. r. Killmon, operator at the centra!
bureau of the police and fre-alarm tele-
graph service, recently reported to the
LIZ |