Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-11
CAPITOL EXTENSION
Plans Submitted by Architect
Woods.
DESIGN BY WALKER
MORE SPACE NEEDED BY GROW
ING MEMBERSHIP.
An Office Building for the House Of
Representatives to Be Connect
ed With the Capitol.
DESIGN BY WALKER

How the 100000 is to be spent, which
Chairman Cannon Of the House committee
on appropriations is advocating for the
extension Of the east front of the Capitol
and for the construction of Office build
ing for the House of Representatives, be-
comes at this time matter of most inter-
estng detail.
These details have been prepared by Ell
lott Woods, superintendent of the Capitol.
The plan presented for the Capitol i'm
provements calls for an extension OF the
east front based on the original Walter
plan, made during the time the Capitol
wings were being constructed, and which
bears the approval Of the then President
Mr.. Fillmore. The proposition is to build
the interior of the extension to suit the
present conditions giving to the House
thirty-three and to the Senate thirty-three
rooms. The contraction Of the building
will be the same i1s type as the present
Capitol and the cost will probably be
s2,5OO0oo 1t figures up slightly less than
that, but with ancfdentals it will run up
= The fA' proposition for the rotunda is to
dition. Up to the tisf1e the dome was COM
pleted the rotunda was in the original
sandstone surface, and the proposition Is
to leave 1t stEuctuBzlly it is. but to
dome, and con1pletesthe frieze. That will
cost about $50. 000 as near as the figures
can be made hns 81
The plans for the office building for the
House comprise several designs, ranging
from 374 to tA36 rooms These buildings
vary in cost from "a 600 to %, 100. 000
The building for, SEQ zoo gives $50 rooms
The building which Mr.. Cannon Is advocat-
ing is the ORD to cost "a, 100 600.
Extension Of the Capitol
For the extension of the east central por-
ton Of the Capitol the designs submitted by
Mr. Woods were made by the late Thomas
u Walter, the former architect Of the Cap
itol, who built the present north and south
wings The studies were made by Mr.. Wal
ter with due regard to bringing the Capitol
building to what he considered completion
The old building. fostered by Washington
and designed by Thornton, was considered
to afford, when completed in 1890, ample
accommodations for then existing and prob
able future needs of the country; but the
tremendous progress Of the nation, the In
crease Of population, and consequent legis-
lative representation soon proved the old
Capitol was too small to properly accommo-
date the legislative department Of the gov
eminent.
Then came the first extensions, begun in
1851 and completed in 1853. Congress au-
thorized and Walter carried out the con-
struction of the marble additions at the
north and south. Walter adhered faithfully
to the spirit of the original, and, realizing
that the future might again find the Capt.
toll inadequate in accommodations. he
turned his attention to the preparation Of
plans for an extension to the eastward Of
the present building an extension which
would harmonic with what already exist
ed, which would give additional beauty to
the splendid dome he had designed and
erected and which he hoped would some
day grace a completed structure.
Mr. Woods says: 'sWalter has left as
heritage the present plans. He has left a
picture of his conception of the completed
Capitol What greater tribute to his re-
markable genius could be paid than to say
that, If completed In accordance with his
plans the Capitol will gain a splendid addi
ton, and yet. as one views tt from the view
point supposed In the perspective. It is still
the Capitol?
.It would seem sacriige to offer any other
plan for consideration than the Walter
plan. We may safely be guided by the
thought. the effort and the production Of
this great mans genius 1 do not think
this plan should be altered In any particu-
lar as far as concerns the exterior proper
lions and alignments As relates to the in
terror arrangement Of rooms, the require
ments of the times are different, and
changes are essential In the interior ar
rangement of the Walter plan to suit exist
ing conditions l therefore take the liberty
cations are set forth, In the modified plan
it will be seen that while the splendid mar
BILE corridor leading to the rotunda Is pre-
served a Encouragement OF the rooms on
number as possible, with total Of sixty
six-thirty three for the House and a like
number for the ,SspatMf
Removal ofo0ld Portico.
1.-THE construssaen s0f this addition will
cost, approximately dS2, 100000 and while
it involves the rempYal of the old portieo
at the east it docs nat, involve the removal
OF the principal walls. of the old and his
torical portion Of the capitol. The present
front wall of the old building remains as
the rear wall ofoan open court, which lights
the west side of she rpposed new addition.
I'm the prupos9h addition ample provision
is made for eXatos t ssair r"z!, and CORR.
north and south wings, as we'll as for direct
Communication With athe rotunda from the
east. ,r ~,
and plaster work, remains the same as in
the wings. ooNeps{fure from this idea
will be made. One should be able to pass
from either wing through the new portion
and see the same general structural and or
namentaI features. The magnificent enter
ing vestibule, los feet long, will be but an
enlarged example Of that at the east doors
of the Senate and House. The rooms VIII
appear in interior form like those in the
wings, and will be- commodious and large.
approxtmating " by ~ to 81 feet In dimen-
sion." s@@
Once Building flor the House.
To those persons familiar with the do
nestle affairs of the Capitol. it IS now and
has been for some time apparent that The
members Of the House do not receive ali
Of the accommodations due them In the
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