Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-03
MUNICIPAL HOME, ALSO
GRANITE MAY BE USED IN ITS
CONSTRUCTION.
Capt. Harding's Inspection of the
Quarries in Vermont Has
That in View.

II developed at the District building to-
day that Capt Chester Harding's mission
To the Quarries In Vermont 5 in the in,er-
ests of the new municipal building FOR the
District, as well as in connection with the
construction of the new un on station mere
Captain Hardings direc ions from toe
Commissioners to proceed to Bethel and
Barrie, VT. and such other points in that
state as he may deem necessary, for the
purpose of examining quarries in connee-
ton with the construction of the new Dis
trict bu Id ng and OF the new union station.
1t is also ordered that the expenses of the
trip. in mileage. are to be ch-irged one
half to the appropriation for the new mu-
nicipal building and one-half to the de-
posts made by the Baltimore and Ohio and
Philadelphia Baltimore and Wash ngton
Railroad Companies, on account of railroad
changes.
II has been understood heretofore that
Captain Harding was to be sent to Bethel.
Vt. the official representative of the
District authorities, in order that he might
inspect the granite quarry p imariiy in
connection with the construI ton of the
new un on station. In their cons deration
of the matter, however, the Commission
ers concluded that the tour of inspection OF
the assistant to the Engineer Commissioner
might conveniently serve the double pur-
pose indicated. hence tie instructions to
that effect.
the quantity and un. form quality of the
granite therein, Captain Hard ng will OBJ
tain information to the fac.l.ti for
getting out the stone and transporting 1t to
this city. He viii also endeavOr to aScer-
tain whether the Bethel quarry contains
sufficient granite for the construction OF
the municipal building Other quarries
producing different kinds of granite and
marble in the state of Vermont will also
be inspected. and Captain Harding Will
make extended report on the results of
his TRIP to the Commissioners upon his re-
turn to Washington.
Increase in Cost.
BY act of Congress, approved early in
March. 1903. the appropriation for the pur-
chase of site and the construction of the
new municipal building was increased from
$500 600 to $1,000 GOO The cost of the site
and of the competition for designs amount
ed to about 1857 600 and the amount now
available for the construction of the build
ing for the use OF the District government
is approximately 81 AZ. 80. The cost of en-
gineering. inspection: etc. will amount to
about 100, 1t is stated. leaving about
$4,000 for the erection of the building
itself. less the architects fee, 9 per cent of
the cost of the building, which it $ esti-
mated will amount to about SAP 0O0
ommisSioner Biddle estimates that the
cost of the stone In the new District build
ing Will approximate $JjO,tS0. 1t is stated
that the Commissioners w.llsprohably ad-
vertise for proposals for the construction of
the new municipal building in about thirty
days. and the specifications will likely call
for bids on different grades of marble
granite and limestone. Either granite or
marble seems to be the preferred stone for
use in the building.