The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-15
|REP AIRING FOR
THE LAWMAKERS
$50, 900 Improvements Made
About Buildings in
Washington
CONVENIENCE CONSIDERED.
WILL HAVE EV--
ERYTHiNG AT FINGERS END
NEXT SESSION EXPECTED TO
De OF STRENUOUS SORT.
BY Ralph Whitesides.

BY Ralph Whitesides.
Washington, d. c., Nov. 14.-Altera-
IONS andn improvements in and about
ne capitol and the house Office build
ag which will cost about $15O,OOO
Re being made under the direction
I superintendent Elliott Woods, who
M rushing the work SO that it shall
! p completed before congress con-
enes December 7.
For years the inadequacy of the ele-
Rtor service on the house side of the
apital has been a source of constant
omplaint during sessions. This is be-
/ be- remedied by the construction of a
ew elevator shaft. .
The house postofice will be moved
) the Office building and the space
aus vacated will be partially used by
he new shaft. The old (present ele-
ator serving the southwest corner of
/ he capitol will be closed to the pub
,c and reserved for members and the
fess exclusively. .
Installation of the additional ele-
ator on the house side will cost all
7 BID about $4,000. Two additional
evators are to be fitted into ire three
impairment shaft in the north end
the Office building at cost approx
|llately OF $4,000. ~. Il.
II present progress is maintained
lie stately approach to the north en-
'ance of the house Office building,
hich Is to cost $4,000. will be COM
Il leted before congress convenes. The
4 ork is being pressed. The steel and
rick structural work is nearly finish
III, and none of the marble facings
ave been laid.
II Congress appropriated six years ago
1000, 900 for building of the house
/ nee structure, which as then planned
as to contain $50 rooms. The speak
A subsequently insisted that the
i lilding should contain a room for
||yery member and adequate commit
e rooms as we'll, but that under no
circumstances should the appropria-
ION be increased. WI .-.r
! This was managed by reducing the
terior of the enlarged structure to
were plainness and when completed
D. the erection of the marble flight at
ae north end, the building will have
ben achieved within the $3.1OO,OOO
ark, notwithstanding there are more
Han 500 rooms instead of the $50
|figinally allowed for.
a Those cute little electric railroads
|Ihich were to have connected the SEN
lie and house Office buildings with the
|hpitol are not to be installed-at
asst not for the present, and perhaps
|Iot at ALL The subways are to be
|Iaished witha coat of cement, hard
bid white and giving an excellent re-
ecting surface, but the travel in the
Ihbway will be in the good old way
|h foot-except that freight will be
|hndled on rubber tire electric trucks.
The running of electric cars just to
|Erry members and attaches dis
Lnce of a couple of blocks, when the
alking is perfectly good, seemed like
;eless expense. Critics might even
pnvey the implication that congress
Rs becoming nervated by luxury,
I'D II there is anything the average
kngressman dotes on 1t is living
hong the plain people"
. ITO install an electric road over the
| resent routes from the capitol to the
buse building and from the capitol
h the senate building, would cost
|om $4,000 to 100000, it is estimat-
n, and to operate it would cost about
lii per cent of that sum annually
hrhaps more.
nTaking these arguments into consid-
Eation the house building commits
on practically vetoed the railroad,
/ ut left the matter in the hands of Su-
erintendent Woods who has decided
postpone the embarkation of the
Dss.
THE additional facilities for the arm
sction of business at the capitol will
3me none too soon, for the next ses-
On promises to be one of the busiest
history. 1t will have in anticipa-
(pn the three climatic months of the
sesidency of Theodore Roosevelt. and
eerybody expects that Mr., Roosevelt
sort of parting memento will
aload on the legislative branch the
Boicest collection of suggestions and
Esistences that he has ever put for
ard.
FL