The Washington herald., 1919-07-06
u. S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
TO BUILD HEADQUARTERS HERE
Site to Be on Land Once Registered in the
Name of and Occupied by Daniel
Webster

The United States Chamber of
Commerce, it was announced today.
has secured an option on the his
toric residence of W. W. Corcoran,
Connecticut avenue and II street, to
be the site of builing for the cham
ber's national headquarters The
property is now owned by Villa m
Corcoran Eustis, grandson of W. w.
Corcoran.
The property takes in e7.3S5 feet
and the option puts the price at
s2l.91 a foot. The chamber expects
to close the deal before September
l, and will begin work on the build
ing as soon thereafter as possible.
|, Cass Gilbert. well known New
York architect. who designed the
new Treasury Annex at Pennsylva-
mia avenue and Madison place. has
been employed by the chamber to
draw plans for the building.
The chamber did not decide to
build merely to provide needed Of
fice space. In addressing the con-
vention Of the national organization
in St. Louis April 90. Harry A.
Wheeler. of Chicago. retiring presi-
posed building:
This building, therefore, should
be constructed in commemoration of
the part of American business in the
war. and should stand as a monu-
ment to American industry and its
helpfulness in carrying out the war
program and in making possible the
splendid achievements of our mill
tary and naval forces"
Seek Ample Room.
Efforts are being made, with
promise OF success, to secure the ad-
joining property on H street. In
seeking this additional ground the
chambers purpose is to give the
architect ample room in which ia
design a building appropriate to the
location on Lafayette Park and also
to furnish the Office space which the
chambers growth now requires.
The site was selected by John Joy
Edison. acting for a committee OF
six. The others on the committed
are L. S. Gillett. of Minneapolis;
Harry A. Wheeler, of Chicago: Ho-
mer L. Ferguson. of Newport News;
w. l. Clause. of Pittsburgh. and
Charles NageI. of st. Louis. who was
Secretary of Commerce and Labor
in President Taft's Cabinet.
The task of recommending sites
was left to MIR. Edison because of
his knowledge, of Washington real
estate. He spent two months study
ing and comparing the several sites
which he recommended to the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Edison was represented in the
deal by n. L. Sansbury and H. Roz-
ier Dulany. acted as agent for Mr..
Eustis.
Cost Obtained by Subscription.
The entire cost of the site and
building will be obtained by popu-
lar subscriptions from representa-
tive business men in every State
of the Union who are aff1liated with
the chamber.
The chambers announcement of
its building plans called attention
anew to the rapid growth which
the organization has enjoyed since
its foundation here in 1912.
, The chamber already is cramped
for space in the Riggs Building. and.
with the proposed division of the
membership into departments rep
resenting various lines of industry,
the new headquarters will be a
necessity.
At the convention in ST. Louis it
was suggested that $4,000. 600 be
specified as the amount to be raised
for the site and the building, 1t
was said at the chambers head :
qquarters today. however, that the
exact amount to be expended on
the building has not been decided.
Some idea Of the growth of the