The Washington times., 1912-10-20
IN .LOCAE FINANCIAL CIRCLES,
By GEORGE Il. GALL.

Considerable Interest has been aroused
In financial and other business circles
by the appointment Of a Joint commit
tee. composed Of George E. Fleming,
representing thu District Bankers AS
ISOLATION; william J. Fiather. the
Washington Clearing House Associa-
tion; BENJAMIN Woodruff, the Washing
ton Stock Exchange, snd Joshua Evans
jr., the washington Chapter. American
Institute Of Banking, to receive proposl-
o building In which these and other
business organisations OF the city might
be housed together.
Interest has been aroused to the ex.
tent that the committee, which meets
tomorrow afternoon at 4:3o at Mr..
F1eming's office. has reason to believc
that more than one proposition will bo
presented for consideration; and to the
further extent that members Of other
organizations. the Chamber Of Com
merce and Board OF Trade, are consid-
ering how they may cooperate to make
the project q success.
The first plan considered was to make
the building the home Of institutions
related to the financial interests Of tho
city, but In all probab ability the scope will
be enlarged to include the two big busi-
ness organizations, and possibly the
Commercial Club, as well as the Retail
Merchants Association and the Real
Estate Brokers' Association Both Of
the latter are now using the rooms OF
the Chamber OF Commerce.
Arthur Z. Moses, president OF the
Board Of Trade and a prominent mem.
ber OF the Commercial Club. expressed
himself as hopeful that some PROPOSE
tion would be put forth which would
result In providing a home for the varf-
Gus organisations.
There 10 no reason why one assembly
hall could not be used by both the
Chamber Of Commerce and the foard
OF Trade" he said. and 1t might ac-
Robert N. Harper. president OF the
District National Bank. and one Of
those chiefly active In trying some time
ago to work out plan for a building
for the Chamber Of Commerce, does
not think that the time Is ripe for q
gested, but he makes two other den
mite suggestions that sufficiently largo
quarters be obtained In ono Of the
larger office buildings of the city. such
as the Southern Building, or that the
proposed convention hall building be
30 utblBHtu W ACCOMMODATE thN
local organizations.
with space available In one OF the
large office buildings Of the city. ample
and adaptable to the needs OF these
organisations I do not believe II would
be wise at this time to commence the
Of new office building"
he said.
Mr.. Harper has obtained some inter-
esting figures with reference to tho
proposed convention hall, but his data
are not complete enough for pro-
has fireproof convention building
which Is profitable, which has q seat
ing capacity of 1900. and which cost
only $4,000 to build and equip. This
he regards as evidence to refute the
charge that q suitable building In
Washington cannot be erected for even
10000. He has also learned that the
inaugural committee paid out some f2<,-
600 to put the Pension Building in shape
$500 was necessary to put the kitchen
In proper order.
It was suggested to Mr.. Harper that
possibly the proposed Finance Building
might be combined with the conven-
tion hail structure. He agreed entirely
with this idea and hoped that the COM
mittee would take the matter into their
calculations.
still another possibility Is presented: :
II is understood that the National Saw
ings and Trust Company Is about ready
to proceed with their plans. announced
some months ago. to erect an add.
tion TO the present building on half Of
the site now occupied by the Lehman
building, adjoining. While the entire
first Hoor space will be used as an ex-
tension Of the present banking room'