Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-29
FOR A NEW BUILDING
Quarters for Three Executive
Departments.
BILL IN THE SENATE
SENATOR GALLINGER URGES
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE SITE.
Would Take Square East of Fifteenth
Street-Discussion Of Fees
of Architects.
BILL IN THE SENATE


ately after the routine business today.
Senator Fairbanks when calling up the bill
proposed several amendments which had
been agreed to by the committee on public
buildings and grounds One of these amend
ments provided that the commission pro-
posed by the bill should select square 167,
1859 or 221, being squares about Lafayette
Square. but this was amended, providing
that it might select a suitable DOCK south
of Pennsylvania avenue.
ITpou motion of Senator Gallinger, fur
Their amendment provided that the block
south of Pennsylvania avenue should De
east of 18th street.
To Determine Value of Land.
Senator McCumber moved to strike out
the provision that the value OF the iaho
should be determined by commission
from the testimony Of real estate experts
and otherwise as they may deem necessary
and in place of that suggested that such
determination should be from competent
evidence" Senator McCumber's amend
ment was at once accepted by Senator FAR
banks but Mr.. McCumber said he wished TO
state his reason for Offering 1t. HE saiQ
that in nearly all cases in which land had
been bought for the government testimony
had been taken from real estate experts
and very little attention paid to rental
value of the land as a means for determln-
ing its real value. He said that the govern
ment by this means had paid three or four
times the price that could be secured for
the land for any business purpose to which
1t could be put.
Senator Gallinger proposed to amend the
bill to provide that the successful architect
shall receive compensation in full for
plans. specifications and superintendent
not more than 21s per cent of the total cost
of such building.
able discussion in relation to what the gov
eminent has paid to architects for its pub
lie buildings here and elsewhere.
Senator Hale Prefers Commission.
Senator Hale spoke at some length on
this phase of the question and said that
the trouble had been that Congress had
had no opportunity to examine the plans
fer it's public buildings and to look into
the price to be paid for land as well as to
architects. He thought that no land should
be bought until a preliminary examination
had been made and reported to Congress,
and Congress had an opportunity to know
exactly what it would do. In the case of
architectural fees he quoted recent ex-
periences of the government at Annapolis,
where, he said, an enormous sum had been
paid to architects.
So far as he was concerned, remarked
Senator Hale. he would like to see a bill
passed providing for commission or COM
mittee to report to Congress what it could
obtain and at what price. so that by the
next session 1t could be known just what
would have to be paid for the property to
be acquired. He said he thought cheaper
land could be obtained than the square fac
ing Lafayette Square. He also said that
this proposition was to carry out the plan
of the park commission, which would in
volve an expenditure of $500. 5000
Senator Cockrell inquired whether the au-
thor Of that plan was the man who built
the office building for the President. He
was told that he was, whereupon the sem
ator from Missouri remarked:
That building is mere second-class
lawyers office building. such as can be
found all over the country"
The proposed building for the State
Justice and Commerce and Labor Depart
ments Mr.. Hale said. would cost $4,000
600 instead of $5,0OO.OO0. as provided in the
DILL before they got though with it. He
was satisfied that that would be the case
Architects Plans Utilized.
Senator Gallinger said that General Casey
was one Of the most COMPETENT men ever in
the service Of the government. 1t was un-
fair. however. to say that the plans of tho
original architects for the Library of Com
gress were not considered. The architects
plans were largely utilized by General
Casey, although he modified them.
Senator McCumber wanted to know n
supposing 1t were necessary to get more
than one architect, there was not a proper
force In the supervising architects ONCE.
ana would 1t be necessary to go outside of
that Office.
Senator Gallinger responded that the an
swer to that question would be another
story. He had no doubt the supervising
architect OF the treasury would appoint q
man to supervise the construction of the
building. He thought 1t would do no harm
TO insert provision giving to the superyis-
ing architect control
Senator McCumber suggested that If the
architect Is to receive 2h per cent of the
cost OF the building 1t might be a premium
to NIX higher limit Of cost He under
stood that the building would cost S12, OOO,.
OOO.
Senator Fairbanks remarked there was no
authority for the statement that the builtl.
ing would cost $12. 900, 600
Senator Bacon said that the state, war
and navy building. he understood. cost
$4,000. 900. and the new building is sup
posed to be as good as the old one.
Senator Fairbanks replied that the actual
cost OF the state. war and navy building
was $10O38 432.
Senator Gallinger said that haste should
not be made in providing for this costly
building. He also thought the Senate
should hesitate before locating on the
squares opposite the White House.
Prefers Pennsylvania Avenue, South
Side.
Il am very much impressed with the
proposition" said Senator Galtinger. ito
utilize the south side OF Pennsylvania ave-
nue. from 18th street to the Botanic Gar
dens. / wish this bill would be amended
so as to specifically provide that the new
building should be located on the south
side of Pennsylvania avenue and that the
government should utilize this section OF
the city as much as possible, so as to get
rid finally of the unstghtly quarter"
He remarked that the proposed site op-
posite Lafayette Square was occupied by
homes.the OCCUPANTS of which. in many
cases. would object to giving them up
Reverting to the question or architects
Senator Gallinger said that the buildings
for the St Elizabetifs Asylum costing
1905 .Oc0. had involved architects fees of
$4,000. He wanted to limit this bill so
that the government would not have to
pay out. say half million dollars In ar
chitects' fees.
Senator Dryden made an earnest appeal
for a liberal provision as to the architects
He said 1t was his judgment that to limit
the architects Is TO begin the work of econ
omy at the wrong end. Competent archi-
tects could not be secured for, a small
figure. The government ought to proceed
along the same line as corporations or a
business man. and 1t Is well known that
in prty fa Sfpo1 rDt.f