Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-15
THE CHOSEN MAN
Inaugural Committee Chair
manship Probably Settled.
THE NAME WITHHELD
MR.. CoRTELYoU CALLS AT WHITE
HOUSE.
Belief That Use of Pension Office Will
Be Granted for Inaugural
Ball.
THE NAME WITHHELD

be dranted lot inaugural
Ball.
While the matter Of the Craftsmanship of
the inaugural committee Is to be settled
without delay, as stated exclusively in The
Star yesterday, Mr.. Cortelyou, chairman Of
the republican national committee, will not
make the appointment without careful con-
sderation. not only of the nominees whose
names already have been announced by
their friends. but of other prominent Wash
| ingtonians whom he may have in mind
| The requirements demand a chairman of
| the highest standing in the community, one
! who can obtain the contributions of 100000
to $4,000 for the inaugural expenses with
! out any trouble, and one whose dignity and
| executive ability is equal to the occasion.
Friends have put forward the names Of
| Mr.. B. H. Warner, Mr.. Charles C. Glover,
| Mr.. s. w. Woodward, Mr.. E. Southland
Parker. who. by the way, is a good repub-
lican, and Mr.. Frank K. Raymond, who
has the support of the Central Labor Union,
Columbia Typographical Union, No. 1O1
and the Business Mems Association.
Mr.. Raymond is conducting active
campaign for the appointment. The rest of
the gentlemen named are reticent and re-
firing, preferring not to say they would
lihc Tic pOSlllOH uutu IL IS tenQereu them,
and not caring to declare themselves not
candidates for fear of declining a position
which has not been offered. The SITUATE
is delicate to those whose names have been
mentioned.
Calls at the White House.
Mr.. G. B. Cortelyou called at the White
House today and talked with the President
about the selection of a chairman for the
inaugural committee but he had no infor-
nation this subject to make public He
did say, however. that he had practically
made up his mind who he would appoint
as chairman of the committee, and that no
good results would follow calls upon him
in the interest of this or that candidate
Mr.. Cortelyou intimated that he knew the
local situation pretty we'll and thought he
could handle 1t to the satisfaction of the
District people. Mr.. Cortelyou thought an
announcement would be made before
great while.
Pension Office for Inaugural Ball.
There is no doubt in my mind that Con-
gress will permit the citizens of the District
OF Columbia to use the Pension Office
building for the inaugural ball." said
prominent Washingtonian today, who has
been associated with inaugurations and
similar public ceremonies for quarter of a
century. Remember. this is to be the in
auguration of republican President, and
Congress is overwhelmingly republican
Do you think for a moment that these re-
publican congressman are going to place
anything in the way of a successful cele-
bration of the grand victory of Mr.. Roose-
welt? Never in the world.
Il venture to predict that the desired per-
mission will be granted within forty-eight
hours after the next session of Congress
convenes. Now If Mr.. Roosevelt had been
elected, but democratic Congress seated
the story would be different. 1 don't say
that the democrats would positively refuse
to let us Washngtonans use the Pension
office building, but the permission would
come only after many hours of argument.
and In Difference to the chief executive.
I'm view of the present conditions how
ever, cannot see why any further thought
should be given to the transfer of the
L. S. government building from the worlds
fair grounds for this purpose, at least"
Not Denied on Grounds Of Expense.
From figures obtained today from the
Pension Office it is apparent that Congress
did not deny the citizens of Washington
the use of that building for inaugural balls
on the ground of the expense involved
On such occasions it is customary TO dis
miss all the employees of the Pension Office
with the exception of the field force, for
five or six days. The only loss to the
government Is the money represented by
the pay of these clerks.
March 1, 1G05 will fall Saturday,
which will be made a holiday in all depart
ments precluding the charging of this day
up to the expense of the inaugural ball.
Chief Clerk Bailey of the Pension Office
stated today that the work of preparation
probably would commence about Tuesday
or Wednesday preceding. The allowance of
two days after the inaugural ceremonies be-
fore the clerks could resume work would
give them an enforced holiday of five days.
The daily pay roll amounts to approx
mately $5167, or an aggregate loss of $685.
S35. This does not include repairs, which
are always paid for by the federal govern
ment.
J. Knox Taylor, supervising architect of
the Treasury. who designed the plans for
the United States government building at
the st. Louis fair, 'favors the idea of re-
constructing that building in Washington
for the use OF inaugural balls. conventions
and other gatherings requiring an immense
auditorium. Mr. Taylor said today that as
soon az Congress meets he will request the
Secretary of the Treasury to recommend to
Congress that the building be carefully
taken down and the steel work brought to
Washington, to be made use of immedi-
ately or at such time when Congress may
authorize re-erection.
Magnificent Building.
The government building at st. Louis is
of magnificent proportions. 1t is 100 feet
long and 175 feet wide. and the enormous
floor area thus created is unbroken by even
a single column. The trusses have been the
envy and the admiration of all engineers
who have seen them, and already, at the
request of the State Department, three COM
plete sets of detail drawings have been pre-
pared for the use of many governments
of Europe, where the building will be du-
plicated for armories railroad depots.
The building cost nearly half million dol
lars If Mr.. Taylor's suggestion to save the
steel work is not adopted and the govern
ment pursues its usual course of selling it's
building to professional wreckers, the
whole sum realized will be about IS 600
The Chicago building which cost the gov
eminent 100000. brought the government
So. 500, and the building at Buffalo. which
cost $500 600 to erect, sold for less than
81 900. 1t is true that to take down the
building, to take apart all the steel work,
| to bring it to Washington, to rebuild it here,