Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17
THE HALL DlE;REC0RDS
-r
Plans Are Ready to Be Sub
mitted.
APPROPRIATION ASKED
PROGRESS ON THE NEW MUNICH
PAL BUILDING.
Plans of the George Washington Uni
versity = Other Projects in Con-
temptation or Under Way.
BY William E. Curtis.

temptation or Under Way.
BY William e. Curtis
Written for The Evening Star and the Chicago
Record Herald. af
About thirty years ago the late Gen. Mont
gomery Meiggs called the attention of Con-
gress to the continual danger Of the files Of
the several executive departments from fire.
and his warning was emphasized by fire
In the patent Office which for a time threat
ened the destruction of that building and
It's priceless records and models. General
Meiggs said that the evidence concerning
claims against the quartermaster's depart
ment alone was worth many millions of
dollars to the government as protection
against fraud, and recommended the erec-
tion, of fireproof hall of records In some
location convenient to the several depart
ment buildings. That recommendation has
been renewed almost annually by Presi-
dents. secretaries, supervising architects
and others, and on several occasions plans
and estimates have been submitted. But it
was not until recently that Congress paid
any serious attention to the matter.
A Hall of Records.
In the deficiency act of March 8, 1903, an
appropriation of 100000 was made for the
purchase of plot of ground bounded by e,
F, 18th and 10Th streets. with the main en-
trance facing south across the little park
upon which the statue of General Rawlins
formerly stood. There has been drift that
way since the erection of the CorcOran Art
Gallery, and the new hall of records will
have for neighbors the Continental Hall of
the Daughters of the American Revolution,
the new buildings of the George Washing
ton University, and the new naval hospital
and medical school. The site has already.
been purchased for $350,OO0, with the eXcep-
ton of one parcel of land. the title to which
will shortly be perfected. Congress has
authorized the preparation of plans for
building costing s2,oOOJOOo, to be construct
ed of granite brick and steel, and Super
vising Architect Taylor is ready to submit
them for approval. The building will be
2I5 feet by IS feet on the ground. and Jig
feet high. with a central extension to the
rear 1870 by SO feet The plan contemplateS
future enlargement to double the pro-
posed capacity of 5000 600 cubic feet. which.
it is believed, will furnish all the file room
that may be needed for the next quarter of
a century. The Secretary of the Treasury
has asked an appropriation of 100000 to be
made Immediately available for beginning
construction "a . g. s.s
The Municipal Building,
Work on the new municipal building is
proceeding rapidly, although 1t is likely to
be interrupted Because the appropriation
will not pay for granite or any other stone,
and structure of its dimensions and inn
portance should not be built of brick. The
first appropriation WAS $I.5C0.O0O. of which
100000 was paid for the. site ON Pennsyl-
vania avenue. between 1$A and l4th
streets This left only $4,000 for the build
ing, which was not sufficient. and Con-
gress has been asked for 100000 more,
making total of 81 450.06 for the building
proper. The plans were secured by COM
not n which fCave tha
inent architects in the country participated.
A jury consisting of the Engineer Commits
sioner of the District. the supervising ar
chitect of the treasury, ID. H. Burnham of
Chicago r. 8. Peabody of Boston and
George B. Post of New York. adopted the
plans going forward with the work under
the direction Of Capt Chester Harding Of
the Engineer Corps of the army.
The District government is about to build
a municipal hospital at a cost of $3.50 900.
the plans for which were prepared by
Frank Miles Day of Philadelphia, after CON-
petition with thirty-efght other architects.
Congress has been asked to increase this
appropriation by $4,000 in order to enable
the sanitary authorities to accommodate
berculosis patients who cannot gain ad-
mittance to other hospitals because of the
danger of contagion.
Other Building Operations.
Seventy-five thousand dollars has been
appropriated for the erection of new
building for the Police Court. at the cor
ner of 9th and D streets, where the pres
ent court now sits in the old Unitarian
Church, which was formerly attended by
some of the foremost men of the nation.
The adjoining property once the home of
Daniel Webster, has also been acquired, so
that there will be plenty of room for the
new building.
Work upon the new bridge that is to
span the gorge of Rock creek along the
extension of Connecticut avenue Is pro-
crossing rapidly, but 1t cannot be finished
for two years more 1t will cost about
S1,000, 900. There is also to be a new
bridge over the Eastern branch of the
Potomac to Anacostia, which will cost
$150,00O.
The memorial bridge across the Po-
tomac, with its great arches in honor of
Lincoln and Grant, has not yet been be-
gun. and there is no proper monument to
either in the capital city, although two
effgies of Lincoln modest and we'll
meant, but inadequate and inappropriate
are to be seen. l suppose that the me-
mortal bridge will be built some day.
Congress came very near ordering it a
few years ago, but the agitation has SUBJ
sided and no proposition is pending at
present. Perhaps the construction of the
new steel bridge between Washington
and Virginia has indefinitely postponed
the greater project
The great filtration plant, costing more
than million and half of dollars and
grounds in the northeastern part of the
city, Is progressing rapidly. An enormous
amount OF work has been done there dur
ing the last eighteen months, and the ap-
paratus will be completed and in opera
ton before another year.
On the Old Arsenal Grounds.
Few people are aware that more than
million and half of dollars is being ex-
pended by the government in the erection
Of buildings for war college and a
school for engineers on the site of the
old arsenal. on the peninsula between the
Potomac river and its eastern branch, the
extreme southernmost point of the city.
The unwilling of the9statue of Frederick
the Great. presented by the German en-
peror, called public attention to the en-
terprise, but no opportunity was given
for people to see the work, and very lit
tie has been said about 1t. The war col
lege will occupy asstately building of
stainless marble, costing 100000, de-
signed by McKim. Mead "a White OF New
York, and it will be completed within
year.
The same architects have designed a
group of buildings consisting Of bar
racks. officers quarters, hospital, lecture
rooms and other buildings for the use OF
the school of army engineers, which was