Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-11

Is utilized by a committee, and members
who are not chairmen Of committees, but
who must have some place to attend to
their congressional duties, have the choice
Of either renting an office for that purpose
or, through the kindness Of some chairman
Of some committee, using little table
space, where much of the time he cannot.
owing to the presence of others, conduct
with satisfaction or any reasonable degree
OF privacy the correspondence incident to
his representative duties. Out of a mem
being chairmen Of committees, provided
with ROOM and even these must be
shared for committee work or. as said be-
fore. with committee colleagues.
Another problem quite as important is the
necessity Of providing for the rapidly in
creasing heating lighting and power plant.
The extension Of the Capitol will add to
the present plans to that extent that proper
accommodation for the additional machin-
cry in the present location cannot be had.
The construction Of an Office building for
the use of the House will add still further
to these necessities, but will solve the
problem, for in the new structure can be
placed the total power plant required. This
may be done by constructing the plant at the
rear Of the building and below the street
level, utilizing the street space back Of the
plant for coal vaults, access to which can
be had directly through vault covers, with
a consequent prompt and easy delivery of
the fuel.
Connection With the Capitol.
The new building is to be connected with
the Capitol by a large subway, through
which the electric-lighting, power, and
steam and hot-water systems for heating
latter building would be carried. Through
It. all materials now dumped at the east
front would be delivered. The subway
would connect with each section Of the
Capitol. 1t would be sufficiently comfort
able a public passageway, and would be
nIyid cd wi m n
for material and persons. 1t would become
very important passageway between the
two buildings, especially In bad weather.
Members occupying rooms In the new struc-
ture could, by its accommodations, reach
the hall of the House almost as promptly
as they do now from committee rooms in
the terrace.
For the outside building sketches and
plans have been submitted covering build
fngs for each square south of the Capitol
from LIST street west to LIST street east
In view of the proximity of the proposed
new structure to the Capitol building, the
construction is to be carried out on classic
lines. The exterior walls of the new build
ing should be either Of marble or granite,
preferably the former. The interior would
be constructed largely of steel and terra
court walls would be faced with enamel
BRICK conducive to cleanliness and good
lighting for the interior rooms.
The area below the street level Is de-
voted TO storage 1OlCUnS TOOfHS anu I'll OtHcT
features of document handling; and for
that purpose 1t Is designed to leave the en-
tire space free Of obstruction. except where
the steel framing within the outer walls
reaches downward to the foundations ~Ex-
pressed in another way, the partition walls
below street level are left out.
The Sub-Basement.
Surprising that in the course of events
it Is decided that all space indicated on the
plans as reserved for storage be utilized
for office rooms. and IL it should prove cha:
all the documents now handled in the Cap
ftol and proposed to be handled in the new
structure could be handled and distributed
from their sourcethe government printing
oftice-this sub-basement could be utilized
as office rooms. This would add 20 the total
heretofore set forth.
Every room has window opening cut
ward and therefore will be we'll lighted.
Even rooms facing the courts will suffer
little in this respect. because these courts
are large and will admit much light.
The approximate cost Of the new heating,
lighting and power plant, including the
machinery, housing. coal vaults, etc, not
including exterior wiring and steam mains,
Is S375.0OO.
The approximate cost of the subway from
the new building to it's several terminals in
the Capitol building, and in Guiding all in
terror ARRANGEMENT, is Sis, 125.