The Washington times., 1916-02-02
Desires to Present Arguments
Against Building and Pro-
posed Site.
FEAR FOR VIEW DOWN RIVER
Opinion of National Fine Arts
Commission on Plans Is De-
sired.

stems toward urging Congress to de-
Law tbe erection of the Government
central heating. lighting. and power
plant at Fourteenth and Water streets
until the plans can he submitted to the
National Fine Arts Commission were
taken Yesterday afternoon by the Com
mittee of One Hundred on the Future
development OF Washington.
The action was taken following the
statement from the Commission on Fine
Arts that the building. as planned.
would obtrude itself objectionably at
the point named. The plan calls for
building eighty to ninety feet high.
with four smokestacks, each sixteen
feet in diameter, rising 1& feet above
the water level. This. 1t Is argued.
would destroy the view down the river
from the White House grounds and
would impair the beauty Of the WASH
ington Monument. the Lincoln Me-
mortal, and Arlington National Gene
tcry.
Those At Meeting.
Glenn Brown. chairman of the execu-
tive committee. presided, and others at
tending the meeting were W. f. Shan
non. vice chairman; John L. Weaver,
Worthington, DR.. Mitchell Carroll. DR..
James Dudley Morgan. and, by invita-
ton, Richard B. Watrous, Major Ray
mond w. Pullman, and Edward F. Col
Iaday.
Today the American Institute of
Architects office in the Octagon build
ing Is sending telegrams to members
in all of it's forty branches for aid in
the fight against the measure.
~; Of
ciety Of Fine Arts will send to the
Chamber Of Commerce series or reso,
lutions which that body will be asked
to pass urging Congress to hold up me me
appropriation or pass 1t subject TO the
approval of a site by the Fine Arts
Commission.
The present aim Of the organizations
is to hold up the appropriation for be.
ginning work, which will start March !
if the money IS appropriated. Repre-.
sentatives Of the American Institute OF
Architects, the organization that sue
ceeded in having the plans call for
on Senators Martin and Newlands yes
terday and laid the case before them.
Fear Effects of Smoke.
They may be given a chance to speak
before the Joint committee when 1t
meets tomorrow. and they wish all the
support Of civic organizations they can
get whsn they go before the committee.
The resolutions drawn up by the
Washington Society of Fine Arts to be
presented to the Chamber Of Commerce
describes the building as 80 to ~ feet
high, with four smokestacks. l6 feet in
diameter. rising 1876 feet above the water
level" and objections registered against
it are that IT will be "obtrusively visible
from the Capitol, will destroy the
charming view from the White House
down the river-the vital reason for
placing the White House on its present
iocation-wil obtrude itself objection
ably upon patriotic visitors to the Wash
ington Monument. the Lincoln Memorial
and Arlington National Cemetery. and
which will. therefore. conflict with and
detract from the grandeur and dignity
Lincoln Memorial when viewed from
tho river. the Capitol. and the hills OF
Maryland"
Il is further stated that "as the pre-
vailinr winds In the sprin gand summer
are from the south and southeast. the
gases from this plant will tend to affect
or DESTROY the foliage of the trees In
the beautiful new parks being laid out
by Congress-"
Say Need Is Not Pressing.
Officers Of the American Institute OF
Architects who have visited members
of Congress. state that these members
believe the opposition to the central
plant Is fostered bv the companies now
furnishing heating, lighting and power
TO the department buildings. The archi.
tects point out that they do not oppose
the erection of the power plant, but
merely urge that 1t be not built on the
proposed site.
The statement from the Society OF
Fine Arts also states that the need fol
a central power plant is not pressing
The Capitol and several departments
already are supplied with such a plant
These smoke stacks" the statement
continues, would Immediately upor
erection. become the dominant note ir
every broad View OF Washington. They
would interfere with some of the fines
vistAs, they would intrude upon tn,
magnificent park which Is taking form
The building by which they would b'
surmounted stands between the Ttds
Basin and the Washington channel anC
would become the most conspicuous
building in the city. bar none"