Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-02

creases the desire Of the Commissioners to
secure for the District government all the
advantages of civil service law. There
Is no reason why the District government
should be left any longer an exception In
this respect, and every reason why the bill
proposed by the Commissioners should be
enacted into law.
Military and Naval Cadets From the
District.
The Commissioners believe that the Dis
trict Of Columbia should have two cadets
at the Military Academy at West Point and
two cadets at the Naval Academy at An
napolis instead of one in each case, as at
present. The population of the District Of
Columbia Is about 100000, and the popula-
ton required under the last apportionment
as a constituency for representative in
Congress is 1914, 1872. So that the Dis
trict would seem to be entitled to
some consideration in this respect on
the ground Of its population. AS the
appointments to the Military Academy
and the Naval Academy, which are made
by the President of the United States, are
as a rule made from among the sons Of Off
GERS of the army and navy, they do not
afford an opportunity for young men of the
District Of Columbia who are not lie sons
OF army or navy officers.
District Building.
The Commissioners were gratified by the
action of Congress at the last session in
providing for the purchase of site for the
building for the District government. with
authority to prepare plans and proceed with
the erection of the building. After years Of
petition for such a building the District
government, which has lived in rented
and unsuitable quarters, Is at last to
have a home of its own. The site
doc tod Inv cd nv,
1872, E, 14th and D streets, was acquired by
the Secretary Of the Treasury for $3.50, 600;
the title was taken in the name Of the
United States. 1t is respectfully submitted
that the title to the District government
building should be in the District Of Column
bia, as is the case with all other buildings,
not rented, under the control of the District
government. 1t is recommended that Con-
gress authorize the transfer of title from
the United States to the District Of Column
bia-
The commission provided by Congress for
the construction of the building, which is
composed Of the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia. and the Secretary Of the
Treasury, promptly proceeded and after
due consideration determined upon. a
limited competition of architects to secure
plans. The commission selected the super
wishing architect Of the treasury as It's pro-
fessional adviser, and approved the pro-
gram Of competition which he prepared
Under this program the committee Of
award is composed Of the Engineer Com
missioner of the District of Columbia, the
supervising architect of the treasury, Mr..
D. II. Durham of Chicago. ILL.,; Mr. R. S.
Peabody of Boston, Mass, and Mr. George
B. Post Of New York
The 9th of December was Selected as the
day upon which the competitive plans
should be received and opened The archi-
tects who were invited to compete were
the following: Glen Brown, 918 & street
northwest; Hornblower & Marshall 1909
II street northwest; Marsh & Peter, $50
18th street northwest; William A. Poin-
dexter, 500 18th street northwest: Robert
stead, 9O6 F street northwest Wood &
Demlng, SoS 18th street northwest; James
q. Hill, Corcoran building, Washing ton. D.
T.; Ed. F. Casey, 1 Nassau street; Helms &
La targe, Temple Court building Albert R.
Ross, 1876 9th avenue, New York city; A
W. Longfellow, fremont building, Boston.
MASS, and Cope & SteWardson, 800 Walnut
street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Municipal Hospital.
Under a competition arranged by the
Commissioners with Mr.. Edmund NJ
WheelWright of Boston as their profess.
slonal adviser) to secure plans TOR the
municipal hospital under authority Of Con-
gress plans were received from thirty
eight competitors. From these on the
advice of their professional adviser the
Commissioners selected five sets Of plans,
three or the five being chosen for the final
competition and two for honorable men,
ton. The three plans chosen for the final
competition were those of Frank Miles Day
& Bro. of Philadelphia, Herbert D. Hale
and George B. de Gersdorff of Boston and
Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge of Boston The
two chosen for honorable mention were
those of Chase & Adams Of Boston and
Leon d. Dessez Of Washington for first
and Of Washington Hull of New York city
for second honorable mention.
On the advice of their nd
wiser, the Commissioners selected the plans
of Frank Miles Day & Bro. of Philadel-
phia for the municipal hospital building,
and appointed these gentlemen architects
of the building. Shepley, Rutan & Cool
idge were Informed that the Commission
ers wished to reserve the right to purchase
for $1,000 such of their sketches for said
buildings as might be decided upon, as pro-
vided in the program, subject to an appro-
priation therefor by Congress, and the
plans Of H D. Hale and George B. de Gers
dorff were returned to them
1t was In February, 1902. that the plans
were received, in April when the award
were made, and so late in the session be-
fore the matter could be presented to Con-
gress that no action was taken. 1t Is
hoped by the Commissioners that Congress
will approve the estimate of $250O0O which
they have submitted for the beginning of
work upon the municipal hospital under
the plans accepted by the Commissioners
by the authority of Congress- The present
District facilities for the treatment of the
sick who are public charges are not at all
creditable to the national capital. There
is an immediate and pressing need for a
suitable modern municipal hospital espe-
cially for chronic cases and for the isola-
ton of tuberculosis patients. The board
of charities and the health department both
recommend the appropriation suggested by
the Commissioners.
The Public Library.
The Washington Public Library building
commission, consisting of the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia, the officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds
and the president Of the board of trustees
of the Washington Public. Library, has
completed the work of erecting the build
ing with the $3.50 600 donated for the pur-
pose by Mr.. Andrew Carnegie, and has ar
ranged for the formal opening of the build
ing on December 16, 1902, when 1t will be
turned over to the board of trustees, with
simple and appropriate ceremonies. The
building is not only of fine architectural
appearance but Is. In every respect,
model library and reflects credit upon those
who have unselfishiy devoted much lime to
the immediate supervision of its erection.
AS constructed the building Is provided
with complete steam warming apparatus,
with mechanical ventilation by which fresh
outdoor air Is properly tempered and fur
nished to all parts of the building. The IL
Elimination will be electric.
The contracts for the strictly structural
part of the building and it's necessary me-
chanical equipment consumed so much OF
the Carnegie fund that no adequate bal