Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-14
Would Make Clean Sweep.

Would Make Clean Sweep.
you cannot quote me too strongly.
said Senator GallinEer, chairman of the
District committee. If / could have my
way would make clean sweep from
the Botanic Gardens to 9th street, to
begin with. and then. when everybody
saw the ma gnificent effect there would
be no trouble in carrying out the idea
throughout the whole length of the
splendid thcroughfsre- I may be said
that the scheme would cost great
deal of money, but In my opinion the
sum would he we'll expended. Nobody
to cite an example, now regrets the
millions spent on our Congressional
Library. although simple building
for the mere housing of books could
have been built for a comparatively
small sum. We cannot think, do too
much for the identifying of the CAPT
tai. Why. would be in favor of build
ing up both sides OF the avenue from
the Capitol to the Treasury with hand
some structures surrounded by parks.
I suppose, though, that this is lmpos-
sible. The least We can do. therefore.
IL to take the south side for our bufld-
ings | think II IL absurd to scatter
our fine structures all over the city
would make Penn sylvania avenue the
greatest street in the world and to do
IL / would have the government buy
up all the property on the south side
be seen anywhere
Public Buildings in Parks.
II am heartily In favor of the plan
which proposes to beautify Pennsylvania
avenue" said Senator HansbrouBh of the
District committee 1t seems to me.
however. that the scheme should include
the bringing Of the Mall up TO the ave
nue. and II public buildings are erected.
am not In favor OF building another
structure like the city post office. which
comes clear out to the pavement L think
that the parks around the public buildings
add greatly to the beauty of the city. 1t
would be well to supersede the present
structures on the south side of the ave-
Eue with fine edif1ces.
II have always been In favor Of put
ting our public, buildings on the south
side of Pennsylvania avenue" said Sena-
tor Hale. II think the government should
acquire all the land between the Mall
and Pennsylvania avenue. We should
have secured that land long ago. and l
am In favor of having the government
take it now. Our public buildings Of the
future should be ON the south side Of
the avenue. with only parking beyond
them"
"I have always thought that much dam
age lad been done to the city of Wash
fngton by the massing of buildings be-
tween the Mall and Pennsylvania ave-
nue." said Senator Lodge. in commenting
on the improvement of the Mall. There
should be only public buildings and parks
from the avenue to the Mall. / have al
ways believed in that policy. Whether it
IL possible to secure this change now, in
view of the valuable real estate In the
form % buildings in this section. do not
know. l am utterly opposed to placing
any more public buildings on government
reservations. This project for utilizing
the sites on the south side of the avenue
for public buildings should have been
begun long ago"
Advantages Of the Avenue.
For years / have been in favor of plac
Ing our public buildings in this city on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue unless
there should be some reason in a particu-
lar ca Sc for the location of building csc
where said Senator Proctor of Vermont.
II think the ground between the Mall and
PENNSYLVANIA avenue should be utilized
for public buildings as rapidly as they
should be called for. l am very glad the
city post office building is there. and hope
the convenience Of the location and the
opportunity that those sites provide for
identifying the city will be shown by it
"The location of public buildings on the
south side o. the avenue would make
them extremely access. bic for members of
Congress. as most OF them have to pass
up the avenue in going to and from the
Capitol. ,There is no doubt in my mind
about the general policy of eventually
purchasing all of this land being ad-
visable. Such land as /; not needed for
building sites should be acquired in order
that Objectionable features of the section
could be wiped out and the place beauti
fed.
More Buildings Needed.
Il am decidedly in favor OF locating
our public buildings on the south side of
Pennsylvania avenue, said Senator
Teller Il have long been in favor of that
plan. | was disguised when the Public
Library building was put Mount Yer
non Square. / believe If the people OF the
District had held out for an avenue site
they would have got It. but they were so
eager to get the library building they
were too ready to compromise. The pen
sion office building should never have
been put on Judiciary Square. A site
should have been purchased for 1t.
was Secretary of the interior when Con
gress authorized the Secretaries of War
and Interior and Gen. Meigs to select a
site On a public reservation. and our
choice was reduced to taking the Ju-
dietary Square site or the square di-
rectly west of the Center market, and
We decided on the former. But l never
believed in the policy OF using our parks
as sites for public buildings. Congress
should purchase the ground 1t needs for
its buildings along the south side of the
avenue The government needs more
Nd you'll haXr