The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-28
"A MODERN OFFICE BUILDING"

O. MANY magnificent buildings are
- erected. from time to time, by
the government in Washington
it is difficult t. impress the peo-
pie of the city with the magnitude
of any new building, and therefore
the use Of superlative adjectiyes in
describing the new Interior Depart
ment building is both congrous and
permissible, for the structure is to be
wonder in the way of a modern
Office building
Congress appropriated the tidy little
sum of. s2,500,00O for this new In
terror Department headquarters, which
is to cover the entire block bounded
by L and F streets and Eighteenth
and Nineteenth streets northwest
with frontage of 4O1 feet 10 inches
on Z and F streets and a frontage of
392 feet on Eighteenth and Nine
1eenth streets. making it one of the
largest structures in the city. The
height of the building on street
Will be six stories above the pave
ment but owing to the grade it will
he seven stories in height on Eight
teenth and Nineteenth streets The
above dimensions OF ground space
covered and the height of the build
V.
a novel feature of the building is
that: II will form the shape of the
letter "E," which will give the build
ing three wings and two large courts
upehius to the south, through which
the prevailing southern breezes will
almost constantly blow. this arrange
ment providing for the maximum of
light and air and GOODNESS. The larG-
est windows compatible with sound
ana safe construction will he nj
in all Offices.
The. offices of each department,
which INCLUDE the private offices of
the Secretary of the Interior. his
suite. the Geological Survey, the
Reclamation Service, the Bureau of
Mines. the General Land Office. and
the Bureau of Indian Affairs. will be
connected vertically instead Of hori-
zontally. That is to say, the office
Of no one department will he confined
to any floor. but will be one
above the other on the several floors
Clerks desiring to so from one Office
of their particular department to an
other will then take an elevator IN
stead of walking block TO possibly
the other end of the building and
another block back Those who need
exercise can get it walking to and
from their homes
style OF Architecture.
When the government architects
were given the task of drawing plans !
for the new Interior Department |
structure they were told to plan 1t |
for IA modern office building" And |
that's what the building will be. but |
its features are unique and distin-
Suish it from any other office building
in this country. Its architectural |
character is a modern and free adap-
tation OF the style OF Louis XVI. Its
appearance will be sedate and simple
hut massive.
Stone is to be used up to the level
Of the first floor windows: above that
the construction will be of selected
face brick laid in English cross bond
above the level of the first floor win
dows
Not d great deal of ornamental work
Is to be used. but there will be suf-
icient to relieve the general construc-
ton. Ornamental cast iron panels are
TO NIL the spaces between the stories |
giving the appearance of broad fiat
pilasters. and affording n suggestion
IF lightness and grace. Three pavil-
ons divide the entrances on F street
and there will also be pavilions on /
The side entrances. The main cornice
decorations are limestone panels cary
ID with a has relief monogram of
he letters II" and ID. signifying
he Interior Department. although
here are 10 be some panels with en-
,lems and figures. one conspicuous de-
'ign being that OF the American
Eagle. i
Features OF the Courts.
In one of the courts. each of which
$ TO be ll9 feet wide. the employees
II the department will have an oppor- I
unity for exercise and recreation in
/ spacious tennis court. library
,apable OF containing 100000 volumes
md an auditorium with a seating ca q,
1acity OF 300 are other features. The
seats will he constructed {
amphitheater style. The stage will
lave dressing rooms and provision |
will be made to install equipment for c
moving pictures. 3
There are to be special rooms for ,
press work, for the Geological Survey I
work, chemical, analytical. physic, I
and Photographic work,
With dark rooms for developing plates. [
Ind all such special rooms will be r
ully. equipped for their particular b
purpose. r
The corridors and Offices on the