Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-15
HOUSE IS OPPOSED
Continued from First Page.)

to incorporate this first section in the bill.
The joint resolution had therefore been IN
troduced in the House and Senate. The
Senate had already passed the resolution,
ard now the District of Columbia commit
tee was asked to make an immediate and
favorable report on the measure.
Fire Question.
1.-THE Secretary of the Interior, to whom
this topic was referred" said Mr.. Browne.
declined to make any recommendation
upon it, stating that 1t was a matter which
lay solely within the discretion of Congress.
He does, however, In his report, set forth
certain facts. He calls attention to the
valuable records stored In the building, TO
the danger of fire, to the fact that during
the use of the building for the inaugural
purposes four years ago three small nres
did occur. and says that the estimated loss
to the government In money through the
unavoidable absence of the clerks from
their desks while the building Is being dec
grated would amount to about $5O,OOO
Mr.. Brown, referring to the statement OF
the secretary with regard to fire, said that
the three blazes reported four years ago
were very insignificant indeed. He was In
the building when one Of them occurred, ne
told the committee, and didn't know any
thing about 1t for sometime afterward. Inc
fire protection arranged for by the commit,
tee he said, had been in the past ana
would be in the future. II the desired per-
mission for the use OF the building was
granted most efficient and entirely ade-
quate The best trained men OF the nre
department would be stationed with their
chemical apparatus at various points IN the
building. and he doubted very much wheth-
er any fire that might start could make
moro Roadway than those whicn occurreu
four years ago. Mr.. Browne told the com
mittee that in his opinion the best possible
argument against the fear Of damage from
fire to the pension building during the in IN,
augural ceremonies, was the fact that nve
times during the past twenty years II
had been so used and not cents
worth of damage had been inflicted
than that, he said. the building was ac-
tually improved by such use, as the decora-
tions put up-painting and the hke-Were
J in a way, permanent LIT.
| ing was one of the most freproof structures
| in the world. It's contents might be imam
| mable, but the structure Itself couio NOT oe
destroyed by a confiagration. Ihere was
not even any iron or steel framework IN II
| to warp and twist. The building was COM
posed, he said, of 100000 bricks. and was
recognized by architects all over the coun-
try as a model fireproof structure;
So far as the interruption to pubic pusl
ness and the loss to the government OF
$50 600 in the time Of clerks was concerned
Mr. Browne told the committee very frank
ly that he did not think that such argu-
ments as these should be brought into play
against q proposition for great patrlouc
celebration of the nature or the inaugural
reception and concerts.
In answer to questions by members or the
committee Mr.. Browne disposed OF the prop
cstion for a temporary structure. he
called attention to the inaugural Dali VI
President Grants second term. Wn1cn was
| held In a temporary wooden structure. ana
when those who were unfortunate
J enough to attend had all they could 90
| to. keep from freezing. Moreover. MT.
Browne said that, frankly speaking, the pen
| sion office had been built for just such
| purpose as the accommodation of the great
inaugural gathering. The immense court
In the center. 400 feet long by ZIG rect
WIDE had certainly not been built for once
room. For that purpose 1t was simply
useless But for the inaugural ball 1t was
ideal. The four great exits made 1t possible
to empty the building quickly and quietly
In time of panic or possible catastrophe
and the fact that the inaugural reception
was held on the first floor made every
ones mind at ease on the score of the
strength of the building and the safety OF
its occupants.
'"The inaugural ball Is not local any
more" said Mr.. Browne. People corne
to Washington from all parts of the United
States to the President on his induction
into office. From the signs of the times. 1t
is apparent that the crowd which this city
must accommodate on the 4th of March
next will be very large indeed.
Our civic pride tells us to provide for the
entertainment of the visitors, and We know
that the main feature of that entertain.
ment should be the inaugural reception
for bali is assuredly misnomer. II you
do not give us the pension office we cannot
have the ball That is all there Is to It,.
Congressional Library.
Chairman Babcock interrupted Mr.. Browne
with question as to what he thought OF
the proposition to use the Congressional
Library for the purpose of the inaugural
ball and inaugural concerts.
Mr.. Browne said that he had talked over
the matter with General Wilson, and while
they had both agreed that in some ways
1t would be fine thing. they realized that
It would be impossible to get the consent
the last Mckinley Inauguration. Mr.
Browne said, when he was then chairman
of the committee on legislation, a feeble
effort had been made to secure the use OF
| the Congressional Library instead Of the
| pension Office It did not take them very
| long to find out, however he told the COM
mittee, that the matter was one of abso-
lutte impossibility. The late Senator Hanna
house had told him very frankly that they
would not even introduce bill providing
for such a purpose, and that 1t certainly
had no show of passing If introduced
'Then. you think it would be fine thing
but don't think the other end Of the Capt.
toll would see it that way?' asked Mr.. Bah
| cock.
Mr.. Browne announced that that was
just about the size Of it. but said that he
still preferred the pension office to the
Library for the inaugural ball OF course,
in the matter of decorations the Library
was already prepared. You cannot paint
the lily. and you cannot decorate the Con-
gressionaa Library" he declared.
Representative Babcock then asked Mr.
Browne what he thought Of the rotunda of
the Capito' as a place for holding the ball.
Mr.. Br6 Hne spoke at some length on this
subject pointing out that while the space
might be adapted to the purposes of the
function. the fact that Congress is In ses-
sion right up to the 4th of March, with
crowds of people In the Capitol building.
would preclude all possibility Of successful
prepare ton.
Reverting to the Library proposition. Mr..
Babcock inquired of Mr.. Browne whether
he thought the Congressional Library build
ing would be damaged by the inaugural
ball crowd, and in answer to this question
Mr.. c. c. Glover said that the inaugural
committee had not thought much of that
portion of the subject. as they had realized,
and realized now. that the whole business
was in the realm of the impossible.
Many members of the House. Mr. Glover
said. were dead set against the use of the
| library for any such purposes. and he mem
| TONED Representative Dalzell of Pennsyl-
| vania and several others as having declared
| that they would fight such a proposition
| until they dropped.
/ Mr. Bernard r. Green, the superinten-
| dent of the library, was then called to give
| his Views on the subject Mr.. Green support
| ed Mr.. Brown in his contention that the pen
eli hHtf1 NJ haff ,1a ~k1x1