The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-17
COSMOS CLUB WILL
BEGIN WORK TO-DAY
dolly Madison" House to Be
Raced at Once.
NEW BUILDING TO BE ERECTED
With Demolition of Present Club
house VIII Disappear One of the
Historical Structures of National
CapitaI-BuiIding that Takes Its
Place VIII BE COmmOdious.

The work Of demolishlng the structures
at . and % Madison place viii be com
menced this morning. preparatory 10 the
erection OF a new building for the oc-
cupancy of the Cosmos Club.
When present plans are completed. the
Cosmos Club will nave one OF the best
appointed clubhouses in Washington.
The new structure, which is to occupy
the sites Of the two to be razed. will
have a frontage Of fifty feet on Madison
place and will be five stories in height.
with a roof garden.
The materials Of construction will be
light brick with trimmings OF Indiana
limestone. on the first floor will be
located the billiard reading and general
lounging rooms. On the three next floors
will be rooms for the occupancy Of the
club members, while on the fifth floor
viii be the dining-room.
To BE Completed In June.
The contract for the construction Of the
building has been awarded TO W. P.
Lipscomb. and calls for the completion
Of the structure by the middle OF June,
1910 Thomas J. d. Fuller Is the archi-
tect. The improvement call for an ex-
penditure in the neighborhood of 100000
Architecturally, the addition will be IN
harmony with the present main building.
and Of a style which would conform in
the future with a new building at H
street and Madison place provided that
should be feasible in years 10 come
There will be few important changes In
the older J triton Of the club building
The main assembly hall will remain as 1t
IS
The Cosmos Club was organized thirty
years ago, and from a small beginning
has grown 10 be a body of cultivated
and influential members numbering at
present IA The club IS representative
Of the Intellectual activities OF the Capl-
tai. and. I'm manner, Of the nation.
In accordance with the requirements
as laid down IN the bylaws, the mem
bership is made up Of men who have
done meTitoriOus work i'm science, litera-
ture. or the fine arts, who, though net
occupied in science literature, or the fine
arts. are known 70 be cultivated therein.
or who are distinguished in a learned
profession or in public service. These
are the considerations which make the
Cosmos Club the exclusive organization
that il Is.
of the club is the grill room, which. under
the guidance Of DR.. II. w Wiley, govern
ment chemist and pure food enthusiast.
has come 10 have a reputation nothing
short Of national
The present officers Of the club are:
President. DR.. l. o. Howard; vice presl-
dent William a. De Caindry: secretary.
G. r. Putnam. and treasurer, A. B.
Coolidge
The "DOIIy Madison House"
The present home Of the Cosmos Club,
commonly called the Dolly Madison
House." is one Of the landmarks OF the
city and has an interesting history.
At the close OF President James Madi-
sons second administration in 1877, he
and his wife. Mrs. Dolly Payne Madison.
returned to the family seat at Montpe-
lier. near Orange Court House. Va.
where they resided until Mr.. Madison's
death in June. 1896. In 1923. while resid-
ms at Montpelier, Mr Madison bought
the property. which in after years came
10 be given the name of his wife. one
Of the most brilliant of all the hostesses
Of the White House
A brother-in-law Of Mrs. Madison. Rich
ard Cuts. IS generally credited with hav-
ing been the builder of the house He
acquired the land in 1878 and erected the
mansion soon thereafter. The property
vas decided to Mr.. Madison in 1898. Upon
his death in 1886 he willed It to Mrs.
Madison.
In the winter Of 1897 Mrs. Madison re-
turned to Washington from Montpelier.
where she had resided for twenty years.
and took up her abode in the house