Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-17

Tile Washington Bar Association in
charge of the ceremonies proposed to
mark the reopening of the courthouse
HAD hoped to be in possession Of their
old rooms about the middle Of October
and to arrange the celebration soon
after that date. But the superfntend-
ent of construction, August Eccard, a
member Of Elliott Woods staff, has
experienced more than the ordinary
share Of setbacks. But recently he
has been able to got the privileges
accorded war measures, and this be-
cause the Emory building, where the
District courts and Offices are now
housed, has been taken over by the
War Department and to finish the
courthouse now becomes a pressing
war necessity. Justin Morrill, Cham
berlin, president of the bar associa-
ton, is now making tentative plans
for the exercises early in the new
year. when the legal profession Of
this and adjacent cities will make q
gala day of the regeneration of this
venerable landmark. AS the corner
stone was laid in 1919. the reopening
will be, in q manner. centennial
celebration.
The courthouse is regarded by
architects as one Of the purest ex-
amples Of the Ionic style to be found
In this country. The designer, George
Hadfield, a Londoner who came to the
new American capital at the sugges--
ton Of BENJAMIN West. then president
of the Royal Academy Of Fine Arts,
is like L'Enfant, founder of the plan
on which the city is built, receiving
moro honor now than he enjoyed dur
ing his lifetime or for three quarters
OF a century after his death. Only
recently the Treasury Department
had the building copied minutely with
a view of reproducing 1t in future
federal buildings. Hadheld was at
one time superintendent Of the Capitol
grounds and buildings, and was, there
fore, an early official ancestor of Mr..
Woods, but in this role he was not
successful. Benjamin West consider
ed him the most promising member of
the ffne arts classes In the line of
civil architecture and recommended
him to John Trumbu1l, who DR.. Will
liam Thornton had commissioned to
get successor to Hallet. He planned
the executive offices which were de-
molished to make way for the pres
ent State. War and Navy building, and
his chapel for the Van Ness family,
modelled after the Temple of Vesta,
was for long the most ambitious and
worthy example of mortuary art
found in this city. 1t was for years
in the David Burnes Park near the
present Pan-Amertcan building, but
Is now in Oak Hill cemetery.
The early city fathers of Washing
ton agreed with DR.. Johnson that
words are the daughters of earth.
but things are the sons of heaven"
The first reference to the old city hall
is the act Of July IA, 1926, when the
board of aldermen and the board of
common council Endorsed the petition
of April of the same year that the
mayor Of the city of Washington be
authorized ito ask for plans and speci-
flcations for the building of city hail
not to cost more than 100000, and
Tor the plans and specifications which
may be adopted that the sum of $500
be paid out of the city lottery funds
and for the second best plans and
specifications 500 to be paid the same
way"
Events moved quickly. for on Au-
gust 20, 1920 a distinguished assem-
hlage gathered for the ceremony Of