The Colorado statesman., 1910-08-13


propriated s1.500.000 for the erection
of the structure.
This new building will be the long
est in Washington and perhaps in the
country. The capitol is 754 feet long,
the new main hall of the naval acad-
emy at Annapolis is a trifle longer,
while the new bureau of engraving
and printing will extend about $50
feet along the street The structure
will be erected south of and adjoining
the present building on Fourteenth
street, Just south of the hall and will
be one of the dominant features fit
ting in with the general scheme of the
development of the territory about the
Washington monument designed by
the Burnham park commission.
The structure in the general archi-
tectural aspect will reflect the familiar
design of the treasury building. Its
distinguishing feature in point of ar
rangement will be six wings extending
to the rear, each sixty feet wide with
courts one hundred feet wide between.
These wings will be built of glass and
steel, thus affording the maximum of
light to the engravers and printers,
who do the delicate work of making
Uncle Sans money. Only three of the
wings will be constructed at first.
They will extend up to the walls of
the old building. The structure at
present occupied by the bureau will
then be torn down and the remaining
front and wings erected in it's place
The arrangement will enable the trans
fer to be made without interrupting
the regular work of the bureau.
Three other great building projects
in this neighborhood also are being
planned. These are the new buildings
for the state department, the depart
ment of justice and the department of
commerce and labor. The last named
department will occupy by far the
largest home, and as these three struc-
lures will be in a row on Fifteenth
street. facing westward and running
down toward the bureau of engraving
and printing the commerce and labor
bureau probably will be set between
the TWO others. Congress has appro-
priated $8,00O,00O for this work, OF
which 100000 is Immediately avail
able for plans. The government al
ready has bought the land, which is
the square opposite the New Willard
hotel, bounded by Pennsylvania ave-
nue. on the north and Fourteenth and
Fifteenth streets on the east and
west
The records of the treasury depart
ment show that in the early days the
government, which was the original
owner of this tract, sold it for $4,000.
1t has just paid $2,5O0.000 to get the
same land back.
1t is the idea of the commission OF
fine arts that the territory fronting on
Pennsylvania avenue, now occupied
Chase's theater, the Regent hotel and
adjacent buildings shall be parked.
This treatment, it is pointed out, will
give an uninterrupted view of the
beautiful new district building from
the treasury building, and also will
present vista from Pennsylvania
avenue down past the Sherman statue
and the Washington monument to the
Potomac river.
Another appropriation by congress
at the recent session provides for the
erection of s2.500,000 building for
the use of the geological survey, the
Indian office, the general land office
and the new bureau of mines.
There was also an appropriation
for $6,O00,O00 postoffice for the Dis
trict of Columbia. This building is to
be erected on land adjoining the new
union station and already owned by
the government For many years the
city Office has occupied the first floor
of the postoffice department building
on the south side of Pennsylvania ave
nue. and Eleventh street The growth
of the department has made 1t neces-
sary for the city, or district, to have
quarters of its own. In having this
new building erected alongside the
union station, the postmaster-general
is carrying out a plan postal experts
have long had in mind, that of having
q postofice so situated with respect to
railroad station that the mail cars
may be shunted into the basement OF
the postoffice If the Washington plan
proyes the success the postal officials
expect 1t to be, the department Will
no doubt take a firm stand in favor
of putting all new postoffice buildings
In large cities near railway stations.
Congress did one other thing at the
late session along the line of develop
ing the scheme for the Identification
of the national capital. 1t authorized
the purchase of the twelve blocks ly-
ing between the union station and the
capitol grounds. The act appropriates
$500 600 annually for eight years. 1t
is the expectation that this $4,o0O,C0O
will enable the government not only
TO come into possession of these
twelve blocks of real estate, but will
enable it to raze all the buildings on
the ground purchased and to convert
he tract into beautiful PARK,