The Washington herald., 1909-02-28
WILL CHANGE HOUSE
Bill ApprOpriating S35O,OOO
Receives Large Vote.
PRESENT PLAN Is CONDEMNED
Many Members speak in Favor of
the Change and Believe II VIII
Give Better Acoustic and Health
Conditions, and Also BE of Greater
Convenience to the Members.

After several years OF indecision, the
members Of the House Of Representa-
tives joined nands yesterday afternoon
and voted almost unanimously 10 adopt
the resolution introduced by Representa-
tive Mccall appropristing $4,000 Tor
changing the sesting arrangement Of the
hall OF the House.
The new plan provides thai the chamber
be about two-thirds as large as it IS al
present. but much larger than the Senate
chamber. Il will also have direct COM
munication with the outer ar through
the windows in the south wall OF the
Capitol
Many Approve Plan.
Many members Joined IN the speech
making On the resolution Of Dir Mccall.
and only few OF them opposed its adoD-
ton. The suggestion OF Mr.. Sims. Of Ten
nessee, that any plan selected would be
an improvement over the present cham
Der, seemed 70 express che opinion Of the
majority.
The plan adopted Is Scheme b OF the
report OF Elliott Woods, superintendent Of
the Capitol. submitted to the House last
week BY this plan the rectangular shape
IS retained. Another plan submitted by
him was for a hemicycle, much on the
same order Is the older chamber used by
the House Of Representative.
VIII Remove Desks.
The cumbersome desks that now take
up half the floor space in the hall VIII
be removed and smaller ledges VIII be
placed IN front Of the chairs 20 be pro-
vided for the members. There VIII be
plenty Of room on these fer the ordinary
uses OF the Representatives.
No one had a compliment 70 pay the
present arrangement Of the House yes
/ terdsy when the matter came up for dis
eslsston. and judging from the stinging
speeches about dust, acoustics. and foul
air. opinion had changed materially since
( the proposition 70 rearrange things was
7 defeated last year.
( IN bringing Up the resolution 8ir. Mccall
I told Of the work Of bis committee, and
+ said the scheme had been decided upon
( after carefully considering the Cu -stiOn
I from oil sides. and that the report was
unanimous.
Reductions Planned.
/ lie said that TIE proposed plan would
/ reduce the area Of the House floor b.
200 square feet; that il wouij reduce the
cubic measure OF the haU from 2S3.ooc
cubic feet 70 2s0.00O. and that the chambe,
would be stnI larger than the Senate
/ chamber. which contains about slot8.
/ cubic feet
The new House hall would Be plenty
/ large enough 10 accommodate both
Houses OF Congress when they meet in
I Joint session. and IL was being constructed
with an idea that SIS capacity FOR HOUSE
members should be so.
The Encouragement OF the House hal
viii necessarily cause a rearrangemeut oi
the floor below the hall. This has alsC
been planned BY Mr. Woods.
! Others who spoke in favor Of the propo-
I sltion we're Republican Floor Leadei
/ Payne, John Sharp Williams. of Missis
sippi: Representative Henry. Of Texas
and Bourke Cochran. OF New York.
Mr.. Henry declared that the poor vend
iation OF the present hall made il Httl'
better than a death trap for the mem
bers who were compelled TO sit there
Mr. Williams and Mr. Payne also mad'
strong pleas for the change. in order tha
the members might have plenty OF fresl
air.