Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-29
ENLARGEMENT OF CAPITOL.
Architects Say Work Should First B.
Carried Out in Staff.

Washington. Octob r 27.-"Whateve1
plan the joint commission which is nov
considr ring the enlargement of tn.
Capitol recommends to Congress H.
December" said William $. Eames OF
ST. Louis. president of the American
Institute of Architects. should be
carried Tut i'm staff construction, juSl
like Il worlds fair building, in orde
that We may see how i would look be
fore the actual work is undertaken. II
Congress would appropriate 100000
such a temporary enlargement Of tn
Capitol might be mai" III all its details
and with exact reproduction of tn
color effects, by contrast with the older
stones, which such and enlargement.
would actually produce. The assur-
ance that this could give Of the success
of the Plan might prov worth million.
or dollars. 1t makes me shiver TO think
of the possibility of running the most
magnificent building in America, ana
one of the greatest in the world. b.
amy mistake. How piiidble il would b..
if il should ever come 70 pass, after tn
Government had spent millions in car
rying out this eXtcrsion. that the
Capitol did not look iearly so we'll as
it did before, 50 that the old residents
would GIT into the habit Of saving the
way the Capitol use1 to look. or as its
lines We're originally 1t is not enough
to present the proposed change in n
model: the observer is an exaggerated
CULVER among tn" Lil.iputians in look
ing at Il model. With one glance h.,
sees what with the real structure he
might soc only from a conspicuous el"-
Walton. haif-mile away. Without
moving q foot he gets what might be
seen standing at the Very base Of tn
structure. but bes.auSn he can see 80
much from one point. he misses The
limitations upon obsrrl ers Of the real
huil"ing. who viii at one time see from
only on, point Of view.
The STAFF process with which tn
country has been mad. familiar by tn,
buildings AZ the various worlds fairs
offers Il remarkable opportunity for
testing architectural plans. at cost
Whit represents a very small insur-
ance up"n results. Congress, the
public. ana through the newspapers:
illustrations. the country, could look at
the Capitol thus enlarged III staff ana
make up its mind as to the value of the
change. This would meet no more
criticisms than the actual work in
stone would eventually have. excep,
that mistakes i'll staff could be correc-
ted. While if the work W ere once com
plrted in the old-fashioned way. i
could never be undone
Carrere s; Hastings. the architects
now preparing the plans for the COM
mission. did this with a section of the
Public Library in New York on the
Fifth avenue side and l believe with
most satisfactory results. Here. | do
not propose a section, but rather the
construction in staff of the whole thing.
50 that while this material lasts the
Capitol would be virtually extended.
although Of course nothing would be
done with the interior. Without some
such practical test in advance of the
real work. I do not see how any ona
architect would ever dare to make
himself responsible for change in the
east front of the Capitol
1t Will be recalled that Mr.. McKim
Of McKim, Mead & White said that he
should absolutely refuse to undertake
this work. were he to be asked to do it
alone. He believed nothing less than
commission of architects should pass
uron so stupendous a change Nearly
all great American architects have
taken the same view regarding this |
beautiful building: almost in one voice
they have said that they would be I'M |
willing to make change except on the |
concurrent judgment of many artists |
and experts. In fact. the only con-
spicuous person who has seemed will
ing to undertake it alone is Mr.. Elliott |
Woods. who was made an architect by
act of Congress. at the decree of his
beneficent patron, Speaker Cannon.
Any person of cultivation who looks
at tho sandstone painted to represent
marble in Statuary Hall. and other ex-
cuisitc things upon which Mr.. Woods
has expended more than million dol