The Washington herald., 1908-03-31

The award for the construction of the
new building TO serve as the permanent
home of the Bureau of American Repub-
lies was made yesterday 10 Norcross
Brothers, OF Worcester, Mass. Twelve
representative building firms OF the United
States submitted bids for the building,
last Friday, all Of which were carefully
considered by the building commission.
aided by a representative of the archi-
tects who designed the building. II was
stated yesterday that based upon the
three most important consideration
time. material. and cost of construction
the bid Of Norcross Brothers was the
cheapest.
The persons passing upon the question
Of the award were Secretary Root. Di-
rector John Barrett. and a representa-
tive of the architects. Kelsey & Cret. Of
Philadelphia. II is expected that work
upon the structure. which will stand in
Van Ness Park. fronting on Seventeenth
street, opposite the White Lot, will begin
ar once. and plans are being formed under
the supervision OF Director Barrett for
the laying Of the corner stone with ap-
propriate ceremonies about the last Of
May, before the adjournment Of Congress.
Carnegie Gave the Building.
The erection of the permanent home Of
the Bureau Of American Republics was
made possible through the gift by Andrew
Carnegie Of S75oOO0 for the building. and
the appropriation Of $4,000 by the repub-
lies OF the Western world to buy the site
The site was purchased about year ago
from the trustees OF George Washington
University. il having been chosen as the
place for setting up the permanent home
Of that institution of learning.
The plot OF ground contains about five
acres. which was formerly the homestead
Of the Van Ness family. the mansion in
its day being the most slightly in Wash
ingtOn- or late years the place has been
the gymnastic center Of the George
Washington University. and the scene OF
many hard-fOught battles on the ball
field. tae gridiron. and the running course
site on Potomac Terrace.
The site forms a part OF the level ter
race above the Potomac level as a house
floor. but happily situated as to the LAY
Of the land. and its relation TO other
public buildings for the purpose 10 which
it Will now be put
The design for the new building was
made by the Philadelphia firm OF arcbi-
tects mentioned. II presents a building
OF the Spanish-American type. carrying
out admirably some OF the more striking
features of the architecture of Rio
Janeiro. Buenos Ayres. Guyaauil. and
other noted cities OF South America.
The design lends itself 10 the general
scheme OF Improvement of the parks OF
Washington. The building viii be ap-
preached by a wide driveway Three large
arched doors with Spanish grill gates will
open into a handsome corridor. This. i'm
turn. viii lead TO an ample patio Of the
Latin-American type. From the patio one
VIII enter the broad reading-room Of the
library, in the rear OF the building
Patio Central Feature.
The patio. OF which the central court in
the POst-ofice Building is a fair repre-
sentation. viii be covered by a sliding
glass roof, to be closed in winter and open
in summer. permitting the cultivation OF
tropical and serai-tropical plants
The Offices Of the building are on the
left Of the patio, while on the right Is
the stack room and the Offices OF the
library.
Two grand staircases, one on each side
of the patio, lead to the Spanish foyer.
which opens on the rear 10 a grand as
sembly hall, 100 feet long by 20 feet wide
an ample space, beautifully finished and
furnished, for the public and large gather
ingS connected with the bureau
On the north side Of the assembly room
is a large office for the governing board
Of the bureau, while on the left are the
offices Of the director OF the bureau and
his immediate STAFF
The building viii be surrounded by
splendid landscape effects, and when fin
ished. will - one OF the most notable.
and in many respects. the most beautiful
public building in a city filed with large
and architecturally handsome public
buildings.