Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-24
MUNICIPAL BUILDING
THE CONFESSIONS LETTER TO
CONGRESS YESTERDAY.
Why an Increase Of $500, 600 in the
Appropriation is De-
sired.

| The District building commission, con-
| slsting of Secretary Shaw OF the treasury
| and the three District Commissioners. has
| forwarded to Speaker Cannon OF the House
| and Senator Frye, President pro tenn. OF
| the Senate. formal request for the In
crease In the cost Of the new municipal
| building from 100000 to $2.5OO.O00. The
! letter of the commission recites the history
| of the legislation relative to the proposed
new municipal building. and sets forth the
| reasons why the increase is deemed neces-
sary. The commission states that with an
increase Of $275.0OO In the present appro-
| priation 1t may be possible to erect the
building out of limestone. but limestone is
| not considered by the commission as suit
able stone. The text of the request is in
part as follows:
THE act approved June 6, 1902, author
| lied the Secretary of the Treasury to ac-
auire. for sum not exceeding $3.50. 900.
square No. 255. in the city of Washington,
as a site for a municipal building for the
| District of Columbia: and provided further
that when the purchase of such site has
been completed the Secretary of the Treas
ury and the Commissioners of the District
Of Columbia. acting Jointly. should proceed
to contract for the erection of a fireproof
building for the accommodation of the mu-
nicipal and other offices Of the District of
Columbia, the total cost of which, including
81, 100000
IN pursuance of this authority. the Sec
rotary of the Treasury purchased square
No. go. which Is bounded by D street.
street 1917 street and 18th street northwest
1t will be understood that while this loca-
| ton Is satisfactory one, the act Of Con-
gress fixed this square as the site of the
building and limited the price to be paid.
Competitive Plans.
Shortly thereafter the commission is
sued a program of competition for plans
for the building. the competition to be ad-s
| judged by three well-known architects,
George B. Post D. H Burnham and Robert
S. Peabody, and the Engineer Commissioner
of the District of Columbia and the super
vising architect of the treasury AS re-
suit of this competition MeSsrs. Cope and
Stewardson of Philadelphia were selected as
architects for the building.
In recommending the acceptance of the
design of Cope and Stewardson the COM
mittee of award stated: The amount of the
appropriation is evidently inadequate to
secure the construction Of the number Of
cubic feet Of building required for the (your)
building. unless the exterior walls are plain
brick work and the interior finish Is that of
factory
The amount of the appropriation avail
award, was about 100000 which was the
balance of the limitation of 81 800 900 after
deducting the cost of the site. $3.50. 900, the
payment of architects prizes. etc.
On December IL. 1902 the commission
wrote to You a letter asking that the
| limitation Of the cost of the building be
| increased to s2.50O.0o0. A bill providing for
this increase was reported fayorably to the
| House by the committee on public buildings
and grounds, but In the act providing for
the increase in cost of public buildings,
which was passed March B. 1903. the limit
of cost of this building was only increased
to S2,OOO.OOO. instead of s250O,O00, as re-
queSted.
| The commission. after perfecting the
| plans of the building, let contract for
| the foundations. the cost of which would
| be the same whatever the nature of the
| superstructure The amount of this con-
| tract was $105 OOO it being so 600 greater
| than would have been the case had a To-
| cation been chosen which did not necessi-
| tate the driving of piles and the introduce
| tion OF Water-proofng. as was obligatory
| In the location named in the act authoriZ-
| in the location named in the act
| authorizing the construction of the
| building. The commission then de-
| superstructure, with the idea of letting
contract for the stone and for the erection
separately. The reason for this plan was
that all the specifications for the interior
OF the building had not been completed and
a saving of time would result 1t was
further thought that a greater latitude in
the selection of stone would be accorded.
Cost. of Stone.
1.-THE bids received show favorable figures
for marble and granite, but show that a
suitable stone marble or grantee would
cost at least s65OOO The cost of erection
| of the building above the foundations, which
/ is about completed, is estimated at $3.50 GEO.
! or 20 cents a cubic foot. This Is considered
| d fair estimate and is also justified by the
| bids just opened for the building for the
| Agricultural Department. This latter build
| ing was let under one contract, outside of
| the mechanical equipment, but the con-
tractor stated his figures for completion of
the building, exclusive of the stone deliv-
| cred at the site, at about 10 cents a cubic
foot.
| this building is 81. 100000 Taking from this
$3.50, 900 for the site. about 100000 for the
foundations, 500. 900 for general expenses,
architects fees. supervision, etc.: $4,000
for mechanical equipment and $3.50, 900, the
estimated cost of serecting the building,
there remains $4,000. which amount, it
can be seen, is too small to purchase a suit
able stone for the building. as the lowest
bid received for marble or granite was
about $685. 900 and for limestone 1927 900.
IF the increase in cost of 100000 Is au-
thoriZed there would seem to be no reason
able doubt about constructing the building
of marble or granite within the amount
asked for. The experience of the Treasury
Department with buildings of marble and
granite indicates average cost of the
whole building of 40 to 40 cents per cubic
foot.
THE estimated total cost of the building
in this instance is about AZ cents a cubic
foot and the figures received on the stone
those received for the Agricultural Depart
ment building and the known fact that the
contractors are at this time closely COM
peting for work, further indicate that the
building can be completed within that sum.
Limestone is not considered by the COM
mission as suitable material for the
building, but according to bids received,
even If Indiana limestone be used, an in
crease of appropriation of 600 would be
necessary. 1t is possible that IL the con-
tract be let as a whole to company fur
nishing limestone a reduction in price
might result, but 1t does not seem possible
that any such reduction could be made SO
as to bring the cost Of the building within
the amount at present authorized. With
the present authorized amount. therefore,
only brick building with stone facings
could be had. 1t Is much desired that the
building should be built either of granite
or marble. For that reason the increase In