The Washington times., 1916-02-07
Calls For No Appropriation.

tor Martin. He viii thus be in position
to lay the matter before members OF
his committee.
Calls For No Appropriation.
As to insinua tions that the people who
are working in the interest OF the ar
tistic development Of the city are being
used as "catspaws" by local light and
power interests. the engineers not only
contradict II flatly. btu say 1t is alb
seurd.
They point out that II the Government
really desires to build up a great light
and power project here. Great Falls
should be developed. And theV say nu-
merous other locations can be found for
the proposed central heating and power
plant.
The committee was headed bv DR.. Ell
mer c Corthell president Of the Amer
lean Society OF Civil Engineers. Of New
York. Other members included Colin
l.eavitt, Landscape engineer. Of New
York; Ralph ID. Mershon. electrical en-
gineer. OF New York: Reginald Pelham
Bolton, heating engineer. OF New York.
and W. J. Wilgus. Of New York.
Senator Newlands presented Che
members "f the committee to senator
Martin. and renewed his objections
TO the course taken bv the Treasury.
Call Charges Absurd.
public buildings and grounds, and
secretary OF the Fine Arts Commits
sion, was with the committee OF en-
sineers when they called on Senator
Martin.
Colonel Iiarts mad" strong pro-
test to Senator Martin against the
location ~ the central heating and
Treasury Department.
Members Of the committee. after sec
iing senator Martin. sad ti'v exLect"d
10 see Chairman FITZGERALD OF trC
House Appropriations Committee. and
former Speaker Cannon.
They had PLANNED tC confer with the
conferecs on the urgent IL hct"rcN b'il.
but were unable 10 do so. They were
advised this was not the customary
procedure.
Views of Treasury.
On the premise that 1T is time the
posed plant. an official statement
urv Department, emphasizing the
opposition of tn" Potomac Electric
Power Company. and directing atten-
ton to the Ironaganda against con-
struction OF the plant ON the Mall"
which has brought Ielugc Of letters
to Congress and 10 the department.
The statcn:ont does not go behind the
opposition OF the power company or
the work Of the propaganda. s'mriy
saving, from these tarts tho public
may draw it's own conclusions
The statement follows
For some time an active propassn
da has been at work throughout the
country. setting forth that central
be established on the Mall near the
White House. outraging the esthetc
sense OF Washington and marring the
beauties OF the city, which the whole
country is interested in preserving.
This propaganda has inspired violent
published expressions apd has aroused
the hostile interest OF civic bodies and
citizens. resulting in a iood of protest
ing kilograms to members OF Congress.
the Secretary OF the Treasury, and
1T is time the truth was told. The
central heating. lighting. and power
plant will not add to the Disagreement
OF Washing ton. II will not further mar
its beauty. 1t will not add to the smoke
nuisance. 1t will not place more un-
slightly smokestacks in the landscape.
1t will eliminate many of these objec-
tionablc features.
Congress is interested in maintaining g
the beauty OF Washington. The Secre-
tary OF the Treasury Is jealous of the
beauty OF the National Capital and
jealous in his efforts and desires to
maintain that beauty. Those were the
fundamental facts which inspired Con-
gress. after years of careful investiga-
ton, to authorize and appropriate
money for the construction of a central
heating. lighting, and power plant and
to select the site upon which it should
be built.
In Remote Spot.
This power plant, for which a con-
tract was awarded on December "a. 1915,
will be situated at the foot OF Thir-
teenth street on the river front on Gov
| ernment reservation set apart by the
founders OF the city of Washington for
| commercial purposes. 1t will be so re-
mote from the Capitol from the White
House, from all Government buildings
| and from Pennsylvania avenue that il
cannot be seen from these points.
1T will eliminate from the city OF
| Washington seventeen smokestacks now
existing on Federal buildings which
| belch forth smoke and gases from their
| individual plants. Electricity and steam
generated at this one central point will
| be conveyed to all other Federal build,
| ings. therefore making 1t unnecessary tc
! maintain in these individual buildings
| their plants and smokestacks:
| In all these years that this project
has been studied by Congress and ex,
perts it has been persistently opposed
! by the local company which has beer
supplying electricity to the Fedora
| buildings and the city OF Washington.
| The erection Of the central heating
| lighting and power plant by the Gov,
ernment will mean a net saving to the
| Government of more than 100000 a yeaI
! IN the cost Of heat. light and power foI
the various Government BUILDINGS.
From these facts the public may
draw its own conclusions
| Following statements made by
| prominent artists and architects he
! fore Senate committee that the
stacks of the proposed plant would
! mar the Vista of the Washing ton
| Monument and would mar the view
| from tle " bite House and other nuh-
| Ii" stru"tures Treasury of7Ctals Is hav.
| worked out survey, by triangula
| LiOn to ShCw that not only the p0w"!
| rlant. nut tho stacks VIII b" invisible
| from the White FUuse ard fror
| tvcry other Government building in
| Washington, with the exception 0i
the Bureau building. a factory build
! ing located near il, and The top oi