Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-19
UNDERSTANDABLE
As Surface Material for New
Municipal Building.
MAY BE TOO COSTLY
LIGHT GRANITE HEcoMMENDED
AS SECOND CHOICE.
Capt. Harding Makes Report to Com
missioners Relative to Material
and Method Of Contract.


struct1on OF the new municipal building.
today submitted to the District building
commission, consisting of the three Com
missioners and Secretary Shaw, a report
on the question as to the selection and pur-
chase OF the stone out of which the new
home of the District government is to be
constructed. Capt Harding discusses the
Feasibility Of this proposition and suggests
plan to be followed in the selection and
purchase Of the material
This proposition, upon which Can't Hard
Ing reported today. was first suggested in
The Star several weeks ago, since which
time the matter has been under considera-
ton by the authorities Interested Capt.
Harding proposes that the building COM
MISSION enter into contract for the stone
direct with the quarry from which it ia
taken, and that the number Of uuarries to
ne invited TO compete for the contract be
limited to those from which a desirabl
stone may be taken. Capt. Harding men,
uons That marble is preferred as the stone
for the structure. but he suggests that IL
marble prove too expensive that a light
colored granite would be the most salts
factory stone.
A copy of the report has been forwarded
to Secretary Shaw, and tomorrow Commits
sloner Mcfarland will confer with the Sec
rotary In order to fix a date for a confer
ence OF the members of the commission,
"hen decision can be reached on the
question as to the selection and purcha Sc
of the stone.
Capt. Harding's Report.
capt. Hardings report contains some in
teresting information relative to the pro-
posed new municipal building and, it is be-
neved, indicates the sentiment of the off,
Gals with reference to the kind of stone
desired In the structure The report is d.
rected to the municipal building commits
sion and is as follows
Inc architects inform me that the draw
lngs and specifications for the stone NAV
De maze ready in about two months which
would probably enable the quarrying opera-
tons to get under way in October and
stone to be at the site ready for erection +
the beginning of operations in the sprine
II Is doubtful If the plans and specifications
Tor the superstructure complete can he
ready in time to enable a general CON
tractor to arrange for getting out the stone
before the beginning of winter and If the
mater Is delayed until everything is ready
Tor the general contract there will doubt
less be time lost between the completion of
the foundations and the beginning Of the
superStructure work
am therefore quite prepa red to recon-
mend that separate contract be made
direct with the quarry for getting ONT md
delivering the stone at the site of the worlx
II this be done, however. careful esti-
mates must be made in order to reserve
sufficient funds to erect the building and
ieaVe IL IN habitable shape, and at the same
time avoid such undue economy in the mr.
chase OF stone as to make the external an
pearance of the building fail to meet tn,
o .,s dni or structure of such important
ana conspicuous character. 1 shall make
careful study of this point In consultation
with the architects, and, shall be prepared
70 make definite recommendation cover
ing 1t at the proper time should the gem
eral proposition to let a separate contra ct
Tor the stone be approved by the commits
Economy Enjoined.
Il have given considerable thought to the
question of selection of stone, and would
like to outline what believe would be the
most economical and satisfactory method
of making the selection and awarding con-
tract. My understanding OF the require
ments is that the stone should best EXPRESS
the design of the architects, which is for
building OF monumental character l am
aware that in the conception and develop
ment Of the design the architects have had
white marble in view, and IL the availa BILE
funds permit, l would defer to their tudg-
ment In any recommendation l am desired
to make on the kind and color Of stone. If
marble prove too expensive I believe the
architects and myself are agreed that
light-colored granite would be next salts
factory.
THE stone should of course possess ade-
quate strength and durability, and should
not stain and discolor under exposure to
the weather: a gradual and uniform mel
lowing in tone could not be avoided, and
would be desirable The quarry should
have ample capacity and facilities for fur
nishing the stone without delay.
with these considerations in mind
would suggest the most direct, econom-
cal and satisfactory method of selecting
the stone that the architects and myself
examine stone buildings of an important
character in Washington and other cities
(such examination already has been made
in Washington, note when the buildings
were erected, the quarry that furnished the
stone, the effect of weather on color and
integrity of the stone, and from such ex-
animation select under instructions from
the commission limited number Of quar-
ries for examination Then to invite the
proprietors of the QuarrieS that are found
to be satisfactory, to submit to the COM
mission proposals for the work.
The case is evidently in which the
lowest bid should not necessarily be ac-
cepted, but where the object is to get the
most desirable stone that can be afforded
for the funds available 1t is also evident
that the competition is one which quarries
In general cannot enter on even terms, for
there are very few quarries that can fur
nish the kind of stone desired"