Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-21

and change the seating arrangements The
resolution appropriates $4,000 for the
purpose.
| Mr.. Mccall at the same time submitted
| a report on various schemes proposed to
the library committee by Elliott Woods,
superintendent of the Capitol.
| THE superintendent of the Capitol
says the report, presents three schemes,
marked A. and G. The last scheme
need not be considered. its adoption
was not recommended by the superintend-
| ent, but was made to show that the sub
| ject had been 'exhaustively studied and
| all possible arrangements for the new hall
| considered
Two Practical Schemes.
! Scheme A presents plan in arrange
| ment a hemicycle. after the style of the
| old hall of the House of Representatives,
| now statuary hall. and substantially the
same size. While this scheme is prefer
| able, architecturally the superintendent
stated to the committee that for all prac-
| teal purposes, scheme would be as
good scheme A.
1.-The acoustic properties of a hemicycle
! cannot be accurately determined in ad-
| vance Of construction. The acoustics OF
the old hall referred to above were not
| satisfactory: but this was due likely to
| certain details of its structure rather than
| to its form.
But the superintendent is confident
| that there would be difficulty regard
| ing the acoustical properties of a rect
angular hall as presented in scheme B.
| Furthermore, the gallery area of the
hemicycle is fully as great as that of the
| present hall. The committee believes that
would be that we should have, side by
| side in the Capitol, two halls of the
same type and practically of the same
| size.
For these reasons. among others. the
| committee favorS scheme Il. This plan
| involves a hall rectangular in shape like
| the present hall of the House. but sur
rounded by pillars, and with other details
of treatment which make it architecture
ally q great Improvement over the present
| hall.
| Scheme B affords a reduction in area
| on the floor level of 100 square feet and
on the gallery level of 3,211 square feet.
Then it reduces the entire cubic contents
of the hall from ;,S6,370 to 30, 745 feet, or
| almost exactly third, and increases
the cioakroom space by 1923 square feet
| Greatly as the hall would be reduced. it
| would still remain one-third larger than
| the Senate chamber.
Arrangements Under Scheme B.
| The seating arrangements under
| scheme B would admit of the use Of
ample individual chairs as in the Senate,
or chairs joined together and continuous
| between the aises. The committee re-
CARDS the former as preferable. There
would also be an extended rack in front
| of each row of chairs, giving each men,
| Der a place upon which to write, and
desk. or pocket. large enough to hold
several volumes.
This scheme moves the hall to the
| south and eliminates the corridor directly
back of the Speakers desk. The hall
would then open directly upon the MEM
bers' lobby. fronting upon the south por-
| tico The press gallery would be directly
| over the present members lobby, and the
rear of the press gallery would be along
the south front of the House wing, with
| five windows directly opening into the
outer air.
From the statement of the superintend-
ent of the Capitol to the committee it
appears that this direct connection with
the outer air through the press gallery
and through the openings connecting with
the present members lobby would meet
all reasonable desire for direct ventilation
from the outside.
..The superintendent expressed the opin-
ion that any further direct connection
with the outer air would be Objectionable.
The artificial system of ventilatio would
also continue, and would be fully as effec-
tive as in the present hall. The Speaker s
desk would occupy the same relative posi-
ton as in the present hall.
Upon the north side of the hall, in adj
diton TO the public corridor, there would
De private lODDS TulliiiHS ttc "Iloic
length of the hall and nearly thirty feet
in width. a portion of which could well be
used as a reception room where the MEM
bers could see visitors instead Of in the
public corridors. as is now done.
1.-THE cloakroom space at the two ends
of the hall would also be greatly in
creased and some of the additional
space might be made use Of for refer
ence library. The committee has not at
tempted to prescribe the exact uses to
which the great additional cloakroom
space should be devoted, but that could
be determined upon by the House itself
in some suitable way if ii SHOULD order
the change to be made.
Would Provide Suitable Hall.
in the opinion of the committee the
great advantage of scheme over the
present hall would be in substituting a
hall suited in size for a parliamentary
body for hall which. by reason of it's
enormous magnitude, can by no posi-
bility be regarded as Il suitable place
for the deliberations of an assembly
transacting business of vital conse-
quence to a great nation.
1T is only necessary to state the di-
mansions Of the present hall: In great
est length it is 139 feet, in breadth SO
feet and it's cubical contents are 3SG,37O
feet. The daily experience of members
demonstrates to every one or them It's
| unfitness. on account of its size, for pur-
poses of deliberation. There is no critic
of repute who has written about the
House of RepresG natives who has not
commented UPON the 1nordinate dilnen-
sions of the hall Of the House and its
adverse effect upon debate and delibera-
ton.
Mr. Bryce in his American Common
| wealth. gives a lively and yet a cor
rect description of the debating condi-
tons in ,he House. Speaking of ,the
| hall, he says:
at is more than thrice as large as
| the English house of commons, with a
| floor about equal in area to that of West
| minister Hall. The proportions are SO
| good that it is not until you observe how
small d man looks at the farther end
| and how faint ordinary voices sound
that YOU realize it's vast size.
".When you enter your first impression
| is of noise and turmoil, noise like that
of short sharp waves in a Highland loch,
| fretting under squall against a rocky