Evening star., 1914-07-24
Commission of Fine Arts Holds
Meeting in This
City.
SITES FOR NEW STATUES
ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION
General Approval Given to Proposed
Development of East Potomac
Park as Playground.

Questions affecting the artistic treat
rnent of many public works In this city
and elsewhere were passed upon today by
the members of the commission of fine
arts at called meeting held in their Of
fees, in the Lemon building. Those pres
ent were Daniel C. French of Glendale,
Mass. chairman; Frederick Law Ohm
stead of BrookIine. Mass; CaSs Gilbert of
New York city. Edwin H. Blashfeld of
New York city, Charles Moore Of De-
troit, Mich. Peirce Anderson of Chicago.
and Col. William W. Harts, secretary and
executive officer. The only absentee was
Thomas Hastings of New York city.
At the request of the Secretary of the
Interior, the commissioners considered a
question as to the proper height of the
building to be erected on the square
bounded by 18th and 10Th and E and F
streets northwest, for the use of various
bureaus of the Interior Department.
Consideration also was given to a re-
quest from the Secretary of State for
advice regarding the selection of an
american sculptor for the design and
execution of an appropriate group OF
statuary for the main approach of the
peace palace at The Hague. The sum
OF 100000 has been appropriated for that
purpose, and the Secretary of State sub
mitted the names of eighteen American
sculptors, from which list the selection of
the designer might be made.
Potomac Park Plan Approved.
General approval was given by the
Commissioners to Col Harts' plan for the
development of east Potomac Park into
a playground for the people. The plan
calls for the erection just east of the
Pennsylvania railroad embankment of a
modern stadium. having seating capac-
lty of $4,000 people; two large bathing
pools nearby, six base ball diamonds and
twenty-five tennis courts In the same
general vicinity. Farther east provision
Ia made for a public golf course with
eighteen holes lake for lotus and pond
tvation of rare trees.
Houses for canoes and pleasure boats
are to be located on the Virginia chan
mel just east Of the railroad bridge. and
the Washington channel
The area near the east end of the
peninsula opposite the Army War Col
iege VIII be devoted to a garden and
vilion. with pergolas extending to the
point. The east section of Potomac Park
has an area of S27 acres.
Sites for Memorials Considered.
At the request of the Senate commit
tee on library. the art commission con-
sidered various bills providing for the
erection In this city of memorials to
Alexander Hamilton and Thomas JEFF
icrson. especially with reference to the
selection of sites. Among the sites con-
sidered were the Capitol grounds, the
new parks facing the Union station
plaza. the park on the site of the new
building for the Department of State
for the statue of Jefferson and the park
near the Treasury Department build
ing for the statue of Hamilton. The
commission is on record as favoring
appropriations of at least 100000 for
each of these statues and for placing
them near the respective government
buildings with which the fame of JEFF
fcrson and Hamilton is associated.
other questions submitted by the
Senate committee on library related to
the artistic merits of five oil portraits
of former Chief Justice Fuller and
twenty five oil portraits of former as
sociatc justices of the Supreme Court
of the United States proposed for ac-
QUESTION by the government, also nu-
merous bills providing for the purchase
of miscellaneous paintings and replicas
of noted pieces of sculpture for the city
of Washington and for the National
Museum