The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-06
HEIGHT OF CITY BUILDINGS
Prof. Raymond Intended No Refec.
ton on Commissioners.
Writing TO Mr. MaefarIEnd, He Re
ferred To influence of CONNER
cIaIism over Sentiment.

The following letter has been received
from Commissioner Henry B. F. Macfar-
land in relation 10 the statements of Prof.
Raymond regarding the height of Wash
ingtoa buildings:
Editor The Washington Herald:
Sir; In your issue OF Thursday, April
4. Prof. George /. Raymond was quoted
as having said at a meeting of the
National Society of Fine Arts in Hubbard
Memorial Hail on the previous evening:
The law Of the District limiting the height of a
building % the width Il the street upon which
ii fronts is nov being violated. sud the rich man
can secure the approval Of the Commissioners 70
further violation Of this regulation. Selfish interests
in the erection Of skyscrapers built with regard
for the Landscape and the invasion Of land suitable
for public PARIS ly business houses. is the OBJ
stscle 20 be overcome In this difficult task
fronts as. for t is possible % interest the public
only 50 far a. their pocketbooks are Concerned.
Churches and other bildings Of architectural beauty
are oToTshadowed hy the "skSseraper and the Law
relating 10 this is now violated in the District
Upon reading this statement, wrote
the following letter TO Prof. Raymond;
] assume Of course. that you did not make the
statement attributed to yCu in the inc0sed para
graph cut from The Washington Herald Of this
morning. because believe sou incapable o. either
making misststemeut making a statement reflect
ing upon any without accurate knozledge Of the
facts As sou m0E that the Commissioners would
not knowingly e0untenanee ANY violation Of the isW
Cr permit a rlch msu 60 do anything which thfY
would not permit poor man TO do. the statement
cannot have been made by YOU bat as I am being
asked about H. / want before making my statement
70 kuo. from sou just Ebst you did say
IN response 10 that. I received the fol-
lowing letter from Prof. Raymond
You mole has Just reacled me. You are as wise
and courteous usual In making inquiries az head
quarters The remarks attributed 20 me in The
neaHs discussion at Hubbard Hall and were eyi-
IDENTIFY not taken down stenosTaphicsly. Even Il
they bad besH. they would have appeared very dif-
feiCEt. if reported In connection with their couteFt
certainly did not say that the uch man can
the HpIEuFal q the Commissioners 10 further
violation ui 'his regulation. I talking Of the
inability Of -hs American mind 10 comprehend es-
thctic requirements when they conflict with cora
mercial requirements, aud pictured Trinity Church
New York. as 81 APPEARS ia a hole surrounded b.
skyscrsTeTs, I said that the same Influences were
at work III Washington; that II understood that
there was regulation limiting the height u build
iugs to the width Of the street which they fronfed
and that there were two buildings now being CON
struCted Fifteenth street which seemed. at any
rate 90 be higher than this and that If build
ing could b. slightly higher there reason
Why ILlitin eltut4 NHL FE greatly uiEffF. IN ali
that I said J Speaking Of oniy thc general in
fuence Of commercialism- I never dreamed Of TN
pugning the personal character Of the Commission
eTs. Everybody who thinks knows that there are
many ways that are not al all personal through
which wealth aud the position acquired by It
influence public sentiment, and also that Il is one
Of the first duties Of official TO reflect public sen
tmeut. The phrase in the report which seems 10
be rather ugly. in which l spoke Of the "pocket-
I book introduced. not when discussing this
subject specifically. but a suggestion from a re-
marx Of senator Beyeridge with reference 10 an
analogous difficulty IN gettiug the American people
70 consider the subject Of child labor because it
too conticted with the aims Of commercialism. Il
was this. assure you and not the Commissioner
Of which / speaking last night IN Hubbard Hall.
With many thanks fer your kindness IN commIni-
eating with me. and with great respect. &c.
You are at liberty 10 use this letter IN any way
in which sou may desire TO do 50.
IN reply to the above letter. wrote the
following to Prof Raymond:
Thank you for yous note which confirms my be
lief that ycu had not made statement 50 con
trary 20 the facts as that attributed TO you
The two buildings On Fifteenth street 90 which
you refer being constructed strictly in Accord
ance With the building regulations The curnice line
or the sky hne" IN each case is at a height equal
% the width Of the street and they are % be
crowned with dOmes as allowed in the building reg
ulationS
The Commissioners are sansitively careful to treat
all men alike in the administration OF the laws &C
cording to the motto Of the DISTRICT Of Columbia.
Justitia Omnibus
Justice 10 al concerned seems 70 require that this
correspondence should be published in The Herald
Sincerely yours.
HENRY h. F. MCFARLAND.
When interviewed concerning the re-
/ ceipt of Commissioner Maefarland's let
ter, and as was stated in The Herald of
Thursday, Prof. Raymond said:
I f,o Of ,-lr- -
peared in The Washington Herald is sub
stantially correct. 1 am sorry, however,
that my statement concerning the favors
10 be gained by persons of wealth should
be regarded by the Commissioners as
personal. / had no idea of impugning the
/ personal character of the Commissioners
and was speaking only of the general in
/ 1uences of cOmmerCialism.