The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-05
LAW NOT VIOLATED
Commissioners Say Build
ings Are Not Too Tall.
RESENT RAYMOND ASSERTION
Col. BiddIe Declares Statement Made
by George Washington University
tains omciaI Confirms the Exact
Truth of HIS Utterance.

Correspondence was yesterday OK
changed between Commissioner Macfar-
land and Prof. George l.. Raymond, Of
George Washington University, and
statement issued by Engineer Commits
sioner Biddle regarding the assertion
made by Prof. Raymond before the Ma
tional Society of Fine Arts. Wednesday
night. that a District law relating to the
heights If buildings is being violated.
Prof Raymond does not recede from his
position, but states that Ire had no in
tention of impugning the personal char
acter OF the Commissioners in the state
ment that they are influenced by men Of
wealth and position.
1.-THE report OF my remarks which ap-
peared Ia The Washington Herald, is cor
rect" said Prof Raymond last night. Il
am sorry. however. that the Commission
ers assumed that there was anything Of d
personal nature in my statement / was
speaking only of the general influence OF
.commercialism. Everybody who thinks
knows that there are many ways that are
not at all personal through which wealth
and the position acquired by il can in
1uence public sentiment, and also Jhat IL
is one Of the hrst duties Of an official
TO reflect public sentiment"
Col. BiddIe Makes Statement.
This explanation was made also by
Prof Raymond TO Commissioner Macfar-
land In response 10 letter from that on
ciM requesting a statement as 10 what
he had said at the meeting of the society.
IN relation TO this Col Biddle said yes
terday;
1.-The statement made in the discussion
at the meeting that the Law limiting the
height Of buildings in the District was
being violated, was, of course, erroneous,
and was not, il is thought. taken Sc
riously by any one present. The two
buildings to which the speake. referred
are on Fifteenth street. north of New
York avenue. In neither of these is the
c0rnice Of the building higher than is
permitted by law, which in these cases
limited the height Of the building TO the
width Of Fifteenth street, which is 10 feet
between building lines.
ION one of these buildings there is a
dome above this height which was per
mitted by the Commissioners by the fol-
lowing pToviso In the act regulating the
height of buildings. Provided that spires
towers. ana ublilFo may lf tANtttA az
greater height than the limits herein pre-
scribed. when approved by the Commits
sioners of the District Of Columbia.
Concerning this statement of Commits
sioner Biddle Prof Raymond said last
night:
Il am glad 20 have the Commissioner
confirm the exact truth Of my statement.
He Acknowledges that the top Of the
building is higher than the width of the
street. but he calls that part above the
cOruice the dome ] am ignorant. per-
haps. of what a dome is. / call Il a story.
and his Interpretation of il as a dome
might allow i 10 be extended upward
two or three stories. 1t is precisely
against such interpretations of the regu-
ations with reference 10 heights of build
Ings that those interested in the aesthetic
future of the city have a right, as it
seems to me. TO protest"
Replies 60 Mr. Moore.
Reference is made by Col Biddle to the
remarks of Charles Moore before the Ma
tional Society of Fine Arts concerning the
members Of the park. commission. as fol
lows:
1.-THE lecturer in advocating the plans
of the park commission. intimated that
some of the officials now in charge of
the parks were not in sympathy with the
park commission plans, and that from
their training not being landscape archi-
teCts. they were not as competent as the
park commission TO develop the park sys-
TEN along proper lines. That they arc
not landscape architects is undoubtedly
true, but on the other hand, they en-
deavor. 1t is thought, 20 obtain COM
petent assistants, and it must be stated
that the Commissioners, from the begin
ming, have been earnest advocates OF the
park commission plans. and have carried
them out as far as possible"