Evening journal., 1907-01-01
UNCLE SANS
fine new HOTELS
They are Meant Only For
Senators and Repre-
SentativeS
LUXURY AND CONVENIENCE

LUAUkI AND CUNVENIENCE
WASHINGTON. Jan. 1.-Uncle Sam is
building two apartment houses in Wash
ington. They will be the most magnificent
structures of their kind in this country. /
and will cost s2,5OoOOO apiece. Exclusively |
for use by congressman they Will be to
all intents and purposes detached wings
Of the Capitol, though separated from the
latter by several hundred feet. One Of
them viii be coupled by Senators ana
the others by Representatives.
These official Congressional Flats"
as they might be called. will be devoted
wholly 10 the personal convenience and
comfort Of their legislative occupants, !
who will be surrounded by every I'M
aginable luxury. In effect, they viii
be huge hotels each of them occupying
more ground than the Waldorf-Astoria
in New York, though not so high; and
the dining rooms will be on a great
scale and very handsome-thougnl
guests" will be at liberty to have their
meals served in their rooms by messen-
gers on the Government payroll and
ia uniform. if they so desire. Also there
will be magnificent barber shops; md,
indeed, the only regular hotel feature
lacking will be bedrooms, all Of the
apartments being intended for daytime
use merely-a fact which, nevertheless
will not bar occupants from utilizing their
quarters for sleeping purposes if they
WISH
The two buildings, which are to be OF
white marble will be exactly alike in
respect to their exterior. and will not
differ much so far as their interior is con-
cerned. Thanking the Capitol at eithor
end, they will form with the latter
harmonious architectural whole, the great
dome dominating the group as the con-
trail feature. II would suffice then, 10
give description of one, in order to con-
vey a satisfactory idea Of both-save for
one or two differences. relating particular
ly to the number of rooms. In the SOUTH
ern hats, allotted to the Lower House,
there win be four hundred and ten rooms
lone for each Representative. on the
either hand, in the northern flats the same
amount of space comprising the whole Of
nine apartments
Certain of Customers.
Now, at the present time there are in
the House s91 members and delegates SO
that 10 rooms will be left over for
future margin. In the Senate there are
$3.50 that quarters for eight additional
Senators from possible future States will
be available But, It will be observed, the
smaller number Of Senators makes it prac-
ticable TO supply them with much more
commodious quarters. and, while each
Representative win have only one room.
there will be for each Senator an apart
ment IN the proper sense Of the word
comprising a room for himself a slightly
smaller rnom for his secretary, and a
bath room
These Senatorial apartments viii be very
handsomely decorated and furnished. A
small army OF uniformed messengers W IL
be at hand to furnish the requisite service
and. with private stairoases and private
elevators for the exclusive use Of the
wearers Of tho toga the whole outfit Will
be of the most comfortable. not TO say
luxurious description. Furnished private
apartments in a white marble palace,
with rent and all sorts of incidentals paid
for BY the Government, are not by any
means 70 be sneezed at so to speak
Contrast With the Old.
Il earlier days, when more simple
! manners prevailed. Congressman were
: content to rub along with fewer COM
forts and conveniences. Though the
Capitol was a much smaller building
than IL is to-day, the space il afforded
was made to serve for committee
rooms and all other legislative pur-
I. roses. But Congress, Of course. has
] grown numerically. and. though the
e Capitol has been likewise greatly ex-
/ landed, the wants of members Of both
$ Houses have multiplied. For good
many years past every Senate has in
: sisted upon having his private suit and
T the committee rooms in the Senate
J wing being too few 10 go round, the
: Maltby Building, across the street has
been occupied for the purpose.
b Meanwhile it has seemed to many
Representatives that they were not
getting their share of the pie, as it
We're; and so for the erection Of a
building outside. which should contain
suitable quarters for themselves. Thus
it was that eventually S5.000,000 was
IAlDTolildltO 10 put up tit Two r1fStst
apartment houses here described--the
Senate naturally insisting that the
Upper House should not be left out.
II can hardly be said that there was
any necessity for the erection OF either
II these magnificent structures. but
what is the use of being a legislator
FOR the nation II you cannot be liberal
with yourself at Uncle SANS expense
Anyway. as the matter turns out. the
twin palaces now in course Of cree
ton will provide every Representative
and every Senator with priva9 quar-
tiers Of his own outside Of the Capitol
Each Occupies a Block.
A pretty fair notion Of the magnitude
OF the structures in question is con-
vayed by the statement that each OF
them occupies an entire block. and on
its four sides has a total frontage of
l1741 feet or about one-third of a mile.
Each Of the twin palaces is built IN
such a manner as TO inclose a great
Quadrangular court walled with In
diana limestone This court will be
300 feet square. and from IL access
win be had 10 a tunnel leading TO the
Capitol Both Of the great fiat houses.
lit will be understood. are 10 be corr
nected with the basement of the Cap
I itol by suhterranean passageways
; lined with vitriied brick and brilliant