The Washington herald., 1917-12-17
WANT SUNDAY
BUILDING FOR
USE ASHOUSB
Government officials Cor.
slider Tabernacle as SoIu-
ton Of Room Problem.
By ARTHUR JOYCE.

Government officials representing va
rious departments have been 30 i'm
pressed with the remarkable construc-
tion OF the Billy Sunday Tabernacle.
now nearing completion on the plaza
opposite Union Station, that they are
literally failing over themselves
trying to arrange to get hold Of the
big wooden building at the close Of
the Sunday campaign. =
Department heads declare It to be
the last word in wood-construction. 1t
represents one of the largest build
ings of its sort ever put Up In Wash
ington. From the standpoint of COM
fort and modern facilities, 1t can't
be beaten.
Officials Want Tabernacle. :.
Scarcity of vacant buildings In
Washington has kept government Off
cials on edge for some time for in
creased housing facilities for various
branches Of their departments. The
Sunday Tabernacle Is looked upon as
the real "oasis'' and virtually every
one Of the big government depart
ments Is represented in the line-up of
applicants awaiting the final word OF
the committee in charge of the cam
paign as to the disposition Of the build
ing following the revival.
Joe Speice built the tabernacle and
1t Is modelled after the usual Billy
Sunday Tabernacle in every city in
which the noted evangelist conducts
his campaigns. Speice Is the official
70 ola k,,t a rt.oS he Anaar.ff
know about those wooden, buildings
Isn't worth knowing. 1t cost about
5000 to put up the tabernacle. The
building will house approximately a.
900 persons, more than 1e,000 of whom
can be comfortably seated. It has
thirty-two doors for tquick entrance
and exit. The whole building Is con-
structed of Georgia pine.
There are all sorts of special
rooms in the building-a hospital, q
postoffice. rooms for ushers and
doormen. minister's and personal
workers; secretaries and singers
The choir loft will seat approx
mately $500 singers and on the
platform are reservations for min
listers and special guests. 1t will
take about 400 ushers to handle the
Billy's pulpit is in the center Of
an elevated platform. Alongside it
is the pit" Into the pit" Billy
goes at the close of the services to
shake the hands of the trail hit
ters," who march down the saw
dust-covered aisles. Above Biliy's
pulpit is an augaphone. an invention
OF Joe Speice. which throws Billy's
voice into every part of the build
ing. From the standpoint OF acous-
tics. the building represents the
highest type auditorium. You can't
go anywhere in the Tabernacle that
you won't hear Billy's voice, even
though he speak in a whisper.
BiIIy's Private Room.
Billy has a private room at the
Tabernacle where he takes his show
er and is given q rub" after
his evening sermons. There is an
official Tabernacle cutodian, in the
person of Al Peterson, who sleeps
in the building and sees to it that
It's always well-heated and COM
Portable. There are nineteen large
stoves in the Tabernacle.
The entire floor of the building
is covered with several inches Of
sawdust, placed on top of the dirt
floor. Near the Tabernacle is a rest
room and cafeteria. which will be
directed by the Y. w. c. A.
The big building will be finished
about December 20. and will be for
mally dedicated at a watch night"
service New Years eve.