Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-27
NOTHING TOO GOOD
FOR THE CAPITAL
Representative CaIderhead's
l. Views on Avenue Plan,
WOULD BUY MANY SITES
Believes in Commodious Quarters fol-
Departments. S'-;'''-'"
HOUSE SENTIMENT GROWING
Members Give Their Reasons for
Favoring the Purchase Of Prop
erty for Government Pur-

| Representative Calderhead of Kansas is
one Of those members Of the House VINO
believe that nothing can be too good for
Washington. These are Mr.. Calderhe ads
views as expressed to Star reporter to-
day: --...-..-4 --
| II am frank to say that have always
been in favor of the government acquiring
all the squares on the south side of Penn.
sylvania and fronting on that avenue and
converting it into an extensive park
would also acquire all the ground between
the patent office and the pension bu-
reau on both sides of and G streets
and use it for future public buildings
This ground is elevated, and by spacing
the buildings we'll and preserving ample
park grounds around them the pface
tcould be made as beautiful as 1t should be
| II have not in mind the place where
the buildings should be for the judiciary
department of the government. but II
should be a separate parcel OF grouno
with ample grounds and with buildings
that would compare in dignity with tne
Capitol. The judiciary department Is en-
| titled to this as much as the legislative OF
exc cutive department of the government
Large Cost Justified.
| 1.-THE perpetuity Of our form of govern
ment justifies this large expenditure and
full provision for this department. The
historic associations of the White House
require its preservation, and it might
easily be enlarged on its present grounds
so as to give it the majesty that belongs
to it; . couoo ona
| Toho ie a
grounds equal to the Agricultural Depart
| ment.
"Tnere will soon be other departments,
such as mines and mining, the bureau OF
| transportation, and especially the bureau
of education, which in a few years will
need buildings of the same character and
the preparation for them should begin
now.
1.-The vast development of the nation
has already passed beyond the provisions
| for the complete administration of Its gov
eminent, and there is no economical rea-
son for not making provision for these
things now. Besides all these, We need
national school of arts building, which
should equal the Congressional Library
in architectural beauty. l will be glad to
render whatever assistance / can toward
the accomplishment of the things l have
here suggested and to do all in my power
to make Washington the most beautiful
of the great cities of the world"
Departments Badly Scattered.
| Representative Lamb Of Virginia said
today that he thought the government
| should build sufficient houses to supply
| the needs OF every department in Wash
| ington. - e.s- ~. .-.. Co..
| THE government" he said, lis renting
private residences all over this city, and
the forces are scattered so as to make
| 1t exceedingly inconvenient and expensive.
| The purchase of the squares along the
south side Of Pennsylvania avenue would
be advisable
Representative Frank Clark of Florida
1 said to Star reporter: II am decidedly
| squares on the south side of Pennsylvania
| avenue and erecting thereon department
buildings. as is proposed. l have no
special plan in mind. but I am in favor
Of making Washington the most beauti-
| full. the cleanest and the healthiest city
| in the world"
Means Future Saving.
| Representative Swagar Sherley of Ken
lucky, a leading democratic member of
the House judiciary committee, is en-
Enthusiastically in favor Of the proposition
to have the government purchase the
property on the south side of Pennsyl-
vania avenue and extending back to the
| Mall, to be used as sites for future gov
eminent buildings. During a discussion
of this subject today Mr. Sherley said:,
| Il am heartily in favor of this plan
and believe that the purchase of this
property now would mean a future saw
eminent, and that the resulting beauti-
fcation of the nations capital more than
warrants the outlay. In point of fact,
| had l the individual power to determine
the matter, l should be heartily in favor
OF purchasing not only all of the south
| side of Pennsylvania avenue, but of pur-
| chasing all of the north side of the ave-
nue. between 18th street and the Capitol.
| extending the Mall UP to Pennsylvania
| avenue, and have the government build.
ings on the north side facing the Mall.
While the original plan for Washing
| ton looked to the Mall as the driveway
between the Capitol and the White House;
me me actual growth of the city has made
pennsylvania avenue the great thorough
fare, and this is fixed for all time to
come. At present the buildings on the
whole OF the south side and on the lower
north side of the avenue are of a poor
ORDER: and In many instances unsightly.
| and 1t is doubtful whether for many years
to come there would be any great i'm
provement in the buildings along this
| tho-oughfare.
The suggestion I have made would re-
suit in making Pennsylvania, avenue on
one side imposing by the magnificent
government buildings placed there and
! 1t would then be certain that the north
side OF the avenue between your build
ing and the Treasury would be occunied
by handsome buildings erected by private
capital. The other side Of the avenue
would become an integral part of the
Mall and the avenue from the White
House to the Capitol would outrival the
Ringstrasse Of Vienna or any. other great
| avenue in the worlds capitals
"Of course realize that this plan. he
cause of the immediate great expenditure
OF money would be opposed by most con-
| sentative members of Congress- hut 7
also believe that time would justify the
| expenditure. 1nasmuch however. az 7
have not heard 1t urged by others. and
there. seems difficulty even of obtaining
the south side of the avenue. + am hearth
ly in favor of that plan, and I trust that
1t may soon become an accomplished
| fact" ~