The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-08-06


suits there will inevitably be the results
here, If a three-story plan should be
adopted. And what were they? The old
capitol as architectural entity was
destroyed, its identity and individuality
were completely merged into the new mass
and its individuality was totally lost.
Not only so, but 1t was found after the
wings had been added that the length of
the whole was entirely too great for its
height, and to remedy this 1t became
necessary to build a marble terrace on
the avenue front at cost of at least
one million, and l believe three millions
of dollars and it is said by competent
architects that even this great outlay Of
money did not overcome the serious de-
feet which the addition of wings of the
same height made in the mass. There is
no room to doubt that those results will
follow the erection of three-story wings
to the capitol of Alabama. In respect of
the destruction of the architectural in
dividuality. the result Is precisely that
which everybody wishes most devoutly
to avoid; and Alabama has no million of
dollars or other sum to expend on a mar
BILE, or even a brick and stucco terrace,
in an abortive attempt to eliminate from
the perspective of her enlarged capitol
the unsightly squattiness of appearance
which the carrying out of any three-story
plan would inevitably produce.
On the other hand, we are likewise ex-
ceptionally fortunate In conspicuous gex-
amples to prove that the addition of wings
of two-story elevation to the present cap
itol of three-stroies will neither destroy
or seriously impair the identity or individ-
uality of the old capitol as an architecture
al entity, nor give to the whole a length
out of proportion to its height, resulting
in an eyesore or requiring to the allevia-
tion of the defect the expenditure of large
sums of money. There are many such
architecture; but l will content myself
with reference to two only, each of which
Is remarkably and curiously opposite here.
One is supplied by independence hall
and the story of it's enlargements. A
more striking analogy In point of history
and consequent reverential sentiment cam
not be imagined than exists between that
edifice and the capitol of Alabama. Each
covered the travail of a people which
gave birth to a nation. The nation born
at Philadelphia lived and has prospered
and grown to the highest stature among
nations That which was 'storm-cradled"
in this old edihce did not live, though
its cause was as just as the cause of
the other, but the heroism OF its strug-
gle for freedom and Independence Is I'M
exampled In the tombs of history. If the
monuments to its greatness has a just
reverence for its natal spot the people
of the nation that fell whose poverty adj
mits Of few memorials to its brief, bloody
and brilliant career, should the more
reverence and seek to preserve this monu-
ment to a cause they loved and lost.
independence Hall.
Independence hall became too small for
the practical uses to which 1t was de-
voted. Philadelphia In respect of 1t had
the same problem we have in respect
of the capitol. 1t was desired to add to
the building in which a way as to pre-
serve its Individuality and architectural
identity. Wings were added of the same
height of tho original building. 1t Wa
found that such additions merged and
destroyed the separate architectural en-
THY of the old building; and after
dozen years or so, for the purpose of re-
facilitating the original building as an
architectural unit. the wings that had
been erected at the same height of the
old building were torn down, and other
structures were added at q lower eleva-
ton, a story less in height, and thereby
the sentimental purpose there entertained
and conserved and carried out as the
Judges propose here to conserve the Just
sentiment of the people, by adding two
story wings to the capitol and leaving it
still to stand in its own lines and proper
lions individually dominant, and perpetu-
ating 1t as a monument to the past
The other example to which | will re-
fer is that of the white house. In a gem
eral way to the eye of a layman at least,
the style of that edifice Is much the same
as our capitol, excluding the dome of the
latter 1t became necessary to make adj
dtions to 1T, and 1t was desired that such
additions should not impair the original
building from an architectural point of
view. The situation presented the pre-
else problem we have here OF course
the foremost architects OF the country
were consulted To the very greatest Of
them all was assigned the designing of
the additions. The White House is of two
stories McKim, Meade White made
the wings only one story In height The
ends were thereby met. The necessary
room was Afforded The architectural in
tegrity, dominance and beauty Of the orig
inal building we're preserved At first
there was an ignorant howl In certain
newspapers. But that blew over. Now IT
is recognized all sides that the plan
was most happy one. and not only per-
petuates the individuality of the original
structure, but gives beauty to the whole
Such are the reasons and such nome
of the examples which support our con-
clusion that the ends universally desired
in the enlargement Of the capitol could
only be accomplished by giving a height
Of two stories to the new wings, | will
now recur to professional opinion on the
subject.
AS this whole matter has been resolved
by Mr.. Smiths friends into a question 81
the relative merits of his, ana Mr.. Lock-
woods plans, it must necessarily involve
a weighing Of their opinions, Lockwood, .
for the two-story scheme and smith
for the three-story idea. Opinions on nro-
fessional subjects are considered more or