Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-23
A MODEL STRUCTURE
Proposed Naval Hospital on
Old Observatory Grounds.
THE TENTATIVE PLANS
ALL BUILDINGS ON LOT TO BE
CLEARED AWAY.
Grounds to Be Converted Into Lawns
Hospital Buildings on Most
Modern Lines.
THE TENTATIVE PLANS

and 9th street. Action is being taken UNI
der the following provision of the naval
appropriation act approved March 3. 1903:
For the erection and completion of new
buildings for the accommodation of the
United States Naval Hospital, Washington.
District of Columbia, on the grounds be-
longing to the United States Naval Mu-
scum of Hygiene. s125,0OO."
Admiral Rixey intends to make the new
hospital model building for its purposes,
SO far as possible with the funds at his
disposal. He has had several long con-
ferences with Architect F1agg on the sub
ject, and the plans and specifications are
approaching completion. In this work no
is having the active assistance of Surgeon
John F. Urie assistant chief of the bureau
of medicine and surgery. Although there
era1 plans Of the building, there are GER
tain details of construction still open for
settlement.
The Tentative Plans.
During a recent conversation with Archi-
tect Flagg a Star reporter obtained some
interesting particulars Of the tentative plans
and purposes of the new building THE
new naval hospital" said Mr.. Flagg, rs to
be located on the grounds of the old OBJ
servatory. The old building there is now
used Museum Of Hygiene. II the plans
under consideration are adopted the hos
pital will consist of a group of six build
ings, more or less connected with each
other, and placed in two parallel rows on
the southerly side of the grounds on the
high lands overlooking the river and oppo-
site Arlington. The main transverse axis
of the group comedies with the longitudinal
axis Of the old observatory. Sc that the
main entrance to the principal building OF
the hospital will be directly back Of that
building. 1t is possible, however, that II
hn I'D fr how f6n hy1tt limo
the river. But II not the approach will be
by a circular drive around the old build
ing.
Lawns to Be Provided.
"All the small outbuildings. sheds and
old fences which now disdgure the site will
be cleared away and the grounds laid out
in lawns. The fine grove of old trees which
stands on a knoll to the southwest Of the
observatory will be undisturbed. When the
hospital Is built this grove will be directly
west of it and will form pleasant outing
place for convalescents On the river side
Of the hospital group, or rather one should
say to the south Of 1t, the ground falls OF
rapidly to the low lands along the river.
which are to be laid out as a public park.
On the edge of this bluff, at a little dis
lance in advance of the facade on the river
sde 1t Is proposed to erect shelter for
patients who are able to enjoy the open
air. This little building is to be circular in
by Doric colonnade. It will form an at
tractive object as seen from the river. and
will relieve the simple lines Of the hospital
buildings. The view from it will be one OF
the most attractive about Washington.
commanding. as it does. the grand sweep
of the river for a great distance in both
directions, and the heights Of Arlington be-
yond.
''The hospital buildings are to be disposed
in two rows of three buildings each. The
central building of the north row is to be
the administration building. fanked on
each side by ward pavilion A third ward
pavilion occupies the center of the second
row. All these are to be connected by COW
cred ways. The third ward pavilion is
f1anked on one side by the nurses home
and on the other side by the isolating pa
vilfon.
Administration Building.
'"The administration building contains on
its ground floor the entrance hallway. Of
fees of the administration, reception rooms,
etc. The entire second floor is occupied
by rooms for sick officers. These are ar
ranged to be used singly or in suites Of two
rooms and a bath room. A small diet
kitchen on this floor communicates by
dumb waiter with the serving room in the
basement The third floor, partly in the
roof, contains rooms for female nurses the
pharmacists quarters and rooms for the
hospital stewards, with all the necessary
toilet and bath rooms. The basement con-
tains the dispensary, consisting of large
waiting room, an examining room, pre-
scription room and room for the storage Of
drugs. This department occupies the north
erly half Of the floor. and has a separate
entrance from the outside. The rest of the
floor is occupied by store rooms.
1.-THE ward pavilions each contain a sin
gle ward for sixteen beds on the same level
as the main floor of the administration
building. AS the wards are practically all
: alike, description of one will serve for all
AS already said. they are reached from the
administration building by covered ways
but these connecting passages are some
thing more than this-they serve the double
purpose Of connecting the wards with the
administration building. and as solaria, or
sun corridors, being sufficiently broad for
that purpose. In winter they can be In
closed with glass. They do not connect
directly with the ward or with the admin
istration building, but are separated from
them by what may be called fresh air cut
OFFS or narrow vestibules fitted with a
contrivance which automatically opens the
window on the leeward side and closes the
one on the windward side. so as to abso-
lutely prevent the circulation OF air from
the wards into any other part Of the group.
Beds in Center Of Room.
''The wards proper are square in the plan
and the beds are placed. not along the wall
as is usual in the wards Of hospital
where the patients head is always near a
window and exposed to every draught and
where the light from the windows on the
opposite side of the room is directly In his
eyes, but in the center Of the room. in four
groups of four beds each. The ward has
windows on three of its sides. In the CEN
ter of one side is large fireplace, with
ample space about it where patients can
sit. On the side of the entrance each ward
has quiet room, to which any patient who,
by reason of his condition might annoy the
other patients, can be removed; a small
diet kitchen and nurses room, the bath
room and a room for the water closets.
The ward ceilings are high and the win
dows are the full height of the room. In
the construction Of the wards. as. in fact.
throughout, the utmost care is to be used
In the selection of materials so as to make
all wall and floor surfaces non-absorbent
and easy to clean. All corners are rounded
and projections avoided, so there can be no
place where dust or dirt can lodge.
lowing to the lay Of the land the West
erly pavilion will have a full story below
the ward This Is to be used for the
kitchen department. dining rooms for
nurses seamen and employees.
THE ward pavilion, which lies south of
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