Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-02-23
VAST IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED
IN WASHINGTON.
HUNDREDS OF OFFICES
Great Building Needed to Give Each
Member Private Quarters for Pub
lie Duties-Series of Low Struc-
lures at Each Corner of Capitol
Grounds.

Washington, Feb. 19.-More than
$6,OOO,000 is to be spent in extending
the original design of the capitol
building and in the erection of build
ing for the use of members of the
house of representatives as offices.
There will be 400 to 500 offices, 17x18
feet each. The appropriation for this
work has been made in the sundry
civil bill. AS it has the support of
Chairman Cannon of the committee on
appropriations and of practically every
other member of the house, it is ex-
pected that the senate will agree to it.
The plan of Elliott Woods, architect
of the capitol, is to have the capitol
the center of a magnificent plaza, on
the corners of which are to be govern
ment buildings. These structures are
to be low buildings Of granite or mar
BILE, conforming in general appear
ance to the congressional library. None
of the buildings will be permitted to
rise to great height, in order that the
great dome of the capitol, designed and
constructed by Thomas M. Walter
may not be dwarfed. The extension
of the capitol building to the east is to
be carried on along the lines and upon
the plans of Walter, who planned the
present extensions, adhering to the
ideas of Thornton, the designer, and
Charles Bulfnch, the original archi-
tect.
Two Sites Proposed.
Mr.. Woods's plan is to locate the
new Office building either on the site
and in the square occupied now by the
Congressional hotel and private resi-
dences a little to the southeast OF the
capitol building, or upon the large
square to the southwest Of the capt.
toll building at First and B streets, on
which there is a huge car barn, now
being used as document room. He
does not approve Of the two squares
directly south of the capitol, because
of the limited area. The office build
ing and it's site are to cost about $4,-
100000.
Because of the limited space every
room in the house is now occupied by
a committee Of the 1856 members only
50 have committee-rOOms. AS only
the chairmen of the committees are
supposed to occupy a cOmmittee-room,
che great majority of members have
absolutely no accommodations except
their desks at the capitol.
In addition to furnishing Office
room for members, Architect Woods is
of opinion that the heating, lighting
and power plant of the capitol build
ing should be housed outside Of the
capitol building proper. At present
the machinery and boilers occupy the
greater part of the basement space to
the exclusion Of Offices. Mr.. Woods
wants to install the entire power plant
in the new building, thus freeing the
capitol from the smells, noise and dirt
Incident to machinery.
1t is his idea to connect the new OF
Zee building with the capitol by a tun-
mel. The tunnel is to have three sta
tons, one at the house proper, another
near the rOtunda and the third at the
senate wing. Members are to be con-
veyed to and from the office building
by miniature electric cars or by a NOV
ing sidewalk such as was in use at the
Chicago fair The tunnel is also to
be used to conduct light, heat and
power from the office building to the
capitol.
members occupying rooms in the
new building" said Mr. Woods, ''could
reach the hall Of the house almost as
promptly as they do now from COM
mittee rooms in the terrace"
'In view of the proximity Of the
proposed structure to the capitol
building" said Mr.. Woods, 'Ethe con-
structio nshould be carried out on
classic lines. The exterior walls should
be either of granite or marble, prefer
ably the latter. The interior should
be constructed largely of steel and
terra Gotta and other fireproof ma
terials. The court walls should be
faced with enamel brick, conducive to
cleanliness and to good lighting for
the interior rooms.
Cali rooms are counted from the
street level. Below this is a space
equivalent to the floor of rooms. AS
considered at this time, the space be-
low the street level is to be used for
storage and folding rooms.
every room shown on the plans
has a window opening outward
Even rooms facing the court will suf-
| fer little in this respect, because the
courts are large and will admit much
light.
Each room and corridor will be
heated and ventilated by a forced sup,
NV of fresh air at an even temperature