Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-06
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
Selection of Material for Dis
trict's New Home.
WHITEGRANITEINVIEW
INSPECTION OF QUARRIEs BY
LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
Preparations Submitted With the Pur-
pose of Reducing Cost of >
the Stone.
WHITEGRANITEINVIEW

From information obtained at the Dis
trfct building today it is believed that
within short time the selection of stone
for the new municipal building will be
made and that the people of the District
Will know for a certainty the exact kind
of material that Is to be used in the con-
struction of the building.
During the past few weeks the members
of the District building commission and
Capt. Chester Harding, supervisor of con-
struction, have been inspecting granite and
marble quarries in various parts of the
country from which samples of stone for
the new building were submitted to the
commission, with the view to ascertaining
capacity to furnish stone of uniform
colcr and quality within the time limit
fixed for the completion of the structure.
AS has been previously stated in The
Star, the members of the commission have
expressed personal preference for white
granite as the material to be used In the
construction of the building, although no
official action has been taken by the COM
mission on the matter. The only white
granite submitted, SO it is stated, was from
the Hardwick granite quarry in Vermont.
This stone is said to be practically the
same as the Bethel VT white granite now
being used in the construction of the new
union station in Washington, and the quar-
ries are located within a short distance OF
each other on the same mountain.
Second Proposition.
The bid of the proprietor of the Hardwick
quarry for furnishing white granite for the
District building was SS72,500. Col. Biddle,
executive officer of the District building
commission, and Capt Harding both esti-
mated that even with the increase of $780,
GOO in the total cost of the building, not
more than $750,0OO could be expended for
the stone, and representative of the
quarry asked permission of the Commits
sioners, which was granted, to submit a
second proposition. The representative OF
the quarry stated that he believed that by
making certain alterations in the building
considerable reduction might be made in
the bid of his quarry. The bid on the white
granite also specified certain changes from
the specifications issued with the call for
bids, with reference to the size of stone,
and these changes We're to be submitted to
the architects, Cope & Stevardson Of Phila-
delphia, for approval
1t was learned today that representatives
of the quarry appeared before the archi-
tects in Philadelphia the latter part of last
week and, together with a draughtsman,
the architects and the quarry people went
over the stone plans of the building. Capt.
Harding was in Philadelphia yesterday con-
ferring with the architects with reference
to the results of the conference between the
quarry representatives and the architects.
While no report has been made as yet as
to the results of the conference, it is indi-
CdtSu lildl Tie dTcIlteclS CONSIDER the
changes suggested by the quarrymen as
feasible, and it is also stated that certain
other propositions made with reference to
reducing the cost Of the stone were con-
SideTed favorably.
Capt. Harding and the members of the
District building commission, however de-
cline at this time to discuss the matter
but state that meeting of the commits
sion will be held within a few days when
definite action will likely be taken.
Reductions in Cost.
Col. Biddle stated today that the quarry
people have submitted several propositions
in connection with their former bid, and
these new propositions provide for reduc-
tions in the cost of the stone 1t was
stated that one of the propositions brings
the cost of the stone for the entire build
ing, including the base and the super
structure. within the limit of 100000
While definite information could not be
obtained as to the exact nature Of the
propositions of the quarry people, yet 1t is
said that the changes proposed have to do
with the stone to be used in the base of
the structure and with the facing stone to
be used in the inner court of the building.
1t is thought that the quarry people pro-
pose to build the superstructure out of
Hardwick white granite, and to use some
other kind of granite, perhaps the Wood
bury, owned by the Hardwick people, in
the construction of the base and in facing
the inner court of the building. 1t is
stated by architects who are familiar with
the general plans of the new District build
ing that the use of a stone in the inner
court different from that used in the rest
of the superstructure will not detract from
the general appearance of the building, as
the inner court will not be exposed to view
from outside the structure.
White Granite Probable.
From the attitude of the members Of the
District building commission, and from the
negotiations that have recently been under
way between the commission and the Hard
wick quarry people, it is predicted that the
new home of the District government will
he constructed ont of white ora mite if