Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-15
BOX KITE AS TARGET TASK FOR A COLUMN
Experiment in Preparation for Maybe Mr. Macveagh Will Pre-
War on Aeroplanes. sent You With Several
NAVY DEPARTMENTS PLAN HAS SOME HE CAN'T USE
Quiet Investigation Under Thirty Them From
/ the Solution Of Problems. East Front Of Treasury.
BIG GUNS OF SPECIAL DESIGN LITTER UP POTOMAC PARK
New Sighting
Necessary Probably of Using
| the Periscope.
Maybe Mr.. Macveagh Will Pre-
sent You With Several.
HAS SOME HE CAN'T USE
Thirty of Them Were Taken From
East Front Of Treasury.
LITTER UP POTOMAC PARK
No Satisfactory Scheme Has Been
Worked Out for Using Them to
Ornament City.

All mat remains of the thirty old sand
stone columns that formed part of th,.
original 18th street side Tor 'front.' OF the
Treasury building will be turned over to
the person who makes the most adyan-
tageous offer for them. Since their con-
demnation and removal from the Treas
ury In the spring Of 1908. they have lain
on the ground. exposed to all sorts of
weather, In Potomac Park. just south of
street between 18th and 2lst streets.
1t is now desired to begin the improve
ments of that long-neglected portion of
Potomac Park under the appropriation
made for the purpose in the latest sundry
civil act and it has become necessary
to make some disposition OF the stones
which cover a considerable portion of
the park.
Col. Cosby the engineer officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds,
presented the matter to the War Depart
ment. On his recommendation Gen. OIL
yer, assistant secretary Of war, has au-
thorized him to invite proposals for the
removal of the remnants of the columns
on the best terms he can make, even to
the extent of giving the property to the
the cost of removing them.
Not disable in Parks.
This course of action was not determined
upon, however until after the commission
of fine arts and G. E. Burnap, landscape
architect. assistant to Col. Cosby, had
reported that the columns in their pres
ent condition could not be used to ad-
vantage in the development of Potomac
Park or of any portion of any other OF
| the public parks In the District
The commission Of fine arts, after ex-
aiming the pieces of the columns, re-
by which the old Treasury columns can
be utilized In the embellshing of the
public grounds"
The assistant secretary OF the Treas
ury, to whom the matter was referred, re-
piled that the Treasury Department did
not desire the stone In any way In con-
nection with it's work. He added that the
department had no appropriation avail
able for the removal of the material from
its present place of storage and would in
terpose no objection to the disposal OF the
material in any manner desired.
In a special report on the subject Land
scape Architect Burnap said:
THE stones from these columns were
deposited in Potomac Park in 1908, to-
gether with certain portions OF the cornice
front OF the Treasury building at that
time. With the exception Of the granite
entablature members. the material is all
of sandstone. in some cases badly broken,
and in general presenting very Clipped
appearance, due to careless handling and
exposure to the weather. 1t is impos-
sible to determine whether the material
of the thirty columns Is complete, owing
to the present disordered arrangement Of
the drums and other members.
Competition in Designs.
been to utilize this debris material in
furthering some architectural scheme for
identifying and embellishing Potomac
Park. In accordance with this idea, a
competition was held by the Washington
Architectural Society in 1868 to develop
some plan which might be artistic in de-
sign, and at the same time inexpensive to
carry out. Several designs were sub
mitted, two alone of which sufficiently
recognized the conditions to deserve at
tention. The design ranking first pro-
posed stadium treatment for the central
panel of the present nursery (Which Is
located between the highway and rail-
way, just north Of the bridges).
THE second design recommended an an
cient Greek ruin effect to be created in
the vicinity of the present bandstand at
the east end of the polo field. No official
recognition was given to either design by
this office.
THE present development of Potomac
Park calls for a serious consideration
and definite recommendation as to the
final disposition of this cut-stone mate
rial. The points to be considered may
be presented as follows
First, The overall height of the
Treasury columns being approximately
forty feet, exclusive Of entablature or
stylobate, their upright use in Potomac
Park lin some such manner as the archi-
tectural motives, accenting the minor
cross-axes at Versailles) must tend to
dwarf the scale of the planting develop
ment for many years to come, and also,
by competing for interest with the pro-
posed Lincoln memorial, would divert at
tention from the main axial treatment
and tend to disturb the balance of the
design.
Second, Any design to produce a Gre
clan ruin effect Ga Ia Kemp In English
gardening) would call for some vertical
use of the columns, as a too PROSTATE
effect is suggestive of earthquake action
rather than the hand of time. The ques-
ton also arises whether artificial ruins
are not at best incongruous and out Of
place in American landscape design.
Cost Would be Heavy.
Third. Approximately ten thousand
dollars would be needed to set up the
columns in any artistic arrangement and
the cost would increase proportionately
with such additional architectural work
as might be included in the final design
Aside from the sentimental apprecia-
ton, it is doubtful whether the final re-
suit would warrant the necessary ex-
penditure for construction, and whether
such an amount, If available. would not
show to better advantage If expended in
some other development of the park.
IRON the above COnSidpraf fnnG IL
seems reasonable to conclude that the
columns in question may not be used to
advantage in the development of Poto-
mac Park and to recommend that the
material be removed from its present
resting place. Such sketches as were
prepared In this Office at the time the
matter was first under discussion seem
to be open to both the criticisms Of dis
propoNi onate scale and excessive cost of
construction. and 1t even is doubtful
Xletler the columns may we'll he uSed