The Washington times., 1904-03-24
Agriculture Officials New
er Thought of DiSfig-
uring Mall.
PLAN FULLY DEVELOPED
Location of New Structure
Awaits Decision of the
Commission.

A the Department Of Agriculture tho
idea as 70 the location Of the new build
ing for that department is TO place it
approximately 100 feet north or south of
Inc driveway which runs through the
Mall and which the commission in
charge or the preservation OF the Mall
ceSifes TO keep intact. Beverly T. Gal
lpMay. chief OF the bureau OF plant in
oustry, 10 whom Secretary Wilson some
time ago turned over al matters re-
!slng TO the new building, says the
&c paftment has never thought of plac-
ing the new building where II would
interfere with the driveway
Preferably on South.
The idea of the Secretary has been
20 place the building either 100 feet
north Of the driveway or 100 feet south
OF IL, as the commission should direct
said he. We would prefer TO have IL
or The south, because there is twenty
nine feet difference I'm the elevation in
favor Of the southern location. But
whatever the commission decides, we
VIA carry out!
The Secretary Of Agriculture has
been giving attention 10 the plans for
the building for eight or nine months
The general plan of the scheme OF build
lngs has been fully developed, and as
ser, no definite decision has been reach
90 IN reference TO location. Plans have
been made for the erection of buildings
on either side Of the Mall These, when
completed, viii cOnsits of an administra-
uon structure, which viii be mOnumen-
tai IN character
Facade Six Hundred Feet.
Extending from this structure on
either side viii be wings. making a
facade about COO feet in width Run
ming back from the main wings viii De
similar structures, forming U-shaped
buildings with courts open on one side.
The buildings. as planned, are all to
be five stories in height. The arrange
meI. Of the buildings win be of such a
ture that distinct lines Of work can be
carried on without interference
This IS necessary, owing 10 the ma
ture Of the work the department is do
ing Four-fifths of the work Of the de-
PattIneft consists OF laboratory inVesti-
cations, and the laboratories must have
special equipments The architects for
the buildings are Messrs. Rankin, KEEL
lOgE & Crane, and they are now engaged
upon the details Of internal consuruc-
ton. mechanical equipment, etc"
Supervising Architcct Taylor does not
favor departure from the L'Enfant
scheme. He gives his views to The
Times.
My position in regard to preservation
OF the Mall IS easily summed up. am
Tor its preservation b. all means. do
not care what particular measure IS
passed by Congress. so that steps are
taken 10 make IL certain the Mall will
Esrp Preserved. The original plans Of
LEnfant, when be laid out the city,
provided for a Mail 600 feet wide. The
proposition now il 10 reduce this by
nearly one-half, making the width Of
The avenue less than 500 feet, or exactly
go feet from building 70 building, the
width OF the Mall proper 10 be 500 feet.
This IS 70 my mind a minimum. The
width should be that much at least.
LEnfant Justified
''The developments Of the last cen
fury certainly show that Washington is
an unusually well laid out city. LEN
tant ana the engineers or that day
agreed that Mall ought 10 be pro-
vided and kept free from buildings.
Now at the end Of a hundred years an
other commission substantially accords
with that Idea II seems 10 me this
IS pretty good evidence Of the wisdom
OF the plan OF preserving the Mall
1t does not necessarily follow that
buildings must be located along the
Mall al once. TIE idea is that this tract
should be laid out and kept intact with
a view 10 the development Of Washing
ton IN the future. While / believe the
width now proposed is the minimum
that should be allowed, il is in my opin-
ION adequate. Eight hundred and ninety
feet IS 40 feet wider than the CapitOl
is long. II the Mall is laid out Of this
width, the entire extent OF the CAPITOL
viii be visible IN looking along the MAJ
Ia that direction"
Captain Sewell's Letter.
Mr. Courts. clerk to the House Com
mittee on Appropriations. has received
ell. Corps Of Engineers. relative 10 the
new building for the Agricultural De-
partment and the preservation of the
Mall:
washington, D. c., March -. 1904
''CleFk House Committee on Appropria-
lions. Washington. D. G.
Dear sir; Referring TO the hearing /
had before the Committee on AprOpria-
lions this morning I WOulc Ike 10 say
that there has just been hello Il meeting
Of the building committee Of the De
partment Of Agriculture Of which
am member We have finally worked
out a solution whereby We can get the
necessary space. properly arranged for
the departments present needs on the
south side Of the Mall without en-
croaching on the s00-foOt space left open
in the plans prepared By Messrs McKifn
Barnard and Oimstead
1T VIII not be necessary for the pres
ent 10 tear down the old adminfstra-
ton buiiIIng, nor The entomology build
ing. Probably the members Of the Com
mittee on Appropriations would like 10
have this information added 10 what 1
said this morning.
JOHN STEPHEN SEWEL.L-
Capt. Corps Engineers.