Evening star., 1924-06-27
CAPITOL REPAIRS
TO COST S325,O(O
Work Required to Put Plant
in Condition for Next Con-
greSs Session.

Something like sS25,ooo is being
spent this summer to put the United
States Capitol plant in condition for
session of hard work when Con
sress returns in December. Inciden-
tally, it is costing the government
more than s1,100, 900 this year for
maintenance and repairs for the
Capitol.
And when Congress gets back on
the loh there will be turned back into
the 'ederal Treasury some $3.50. 900, a
balance left from 1875, 900 appropri-
ated in 1910 for renovation of the
Rouse OF Representatives. the plan
oeins to carry the chamber to the
outer wall for direct ventilation. But
When the Democrats came into con-
troll under the speakership of Champ
clark. this expenditure was stepped
on as part of an economy program.
In the meantime. legislation is
pending which provides for extensive
alteration of both the Senate and
House chambers, principally with a
View to getting better ventilation.
This would require an expenditure Of
at least s1,5o0,000.
l.
When the Senate reasscnbles in
December the president pro tompore
will have before him a report from
the architect of the Capitol David
Lynn, IN response to a resolution by .
Senator Copeland OF New York. pass
ed on the closing day Of the session.
This resolution directed the architect
or the Capitol, under direction OF the
senate rules committee, TO consult
with architects of repute and EXPERTS
IN ventilation and acoustics, with a
Vie" to improving conditions in the
senate chamber. anc instruCting him
10 give attention to rea-rangement
ana reconstruction. including d plan
10 place the chamber in direct CON
tact with outer walls of the building.
architect Lynn has the original
plans for the Capitol, drawn in 1851
by Thomas L. Walter. who built the
Two wings and the dome-and those
provide for carrying out Just such
scheme for both the House and Sen
ate chambers. as is proposed for the
senate by Senator Copeland and a..
fathered in 1910 by House COM
mlttee composed of Mccall (Massa-
chusettsD, Mann ullinois) and How
Elliott " oodS, then architect
Those original plans show that II
was intended to have the legislative
=.
as matter Of fact, the building was
carried up TO the first floor in aC-,
cordance with this plan.
Neigs Recommended Changes
BY direction of President vranklin
Pierce, Jefferson Davis. then Secre-
tary of War, designated Capt. NJ. {
Meigs of the Engineer Corps to tahe
general supervision of the construc-
tion. Capt Meigs after inuuiring
into arrangements for heating ven
for speaking and hearing. recon
mended the changes which. approved
by commission. were carried out.
This made the chambers inside rooms ,
and provided for mechanical ventila
tion.
Architect Lynn will present his
port in response TO the Copeland res
oiution after comforting with the
same New York architects who were
consulted by his predecessor, Elliott
Woods. regarding the similar altera-
tons proposed for the House cham
Der.
At the time that $4,000 was ap
propriated for making the changes
in the House chamber it was con
templated TO reduce the size of the
room from 1l3 by 81 feet to 90 by 80
feet, as at that time il was thought
that the membership of the House
space was saved by removing the Old
desks and benches, replacing them
with individual chairs
New Complication Looms.
The fact that under any reappor-
tionment plan which will probabIy
be acted upon in the next session
there will undoubtedly be a coDsid-
srable Increase in the number Of
House members adds another compli-
caticn. The s56o.o00 fund will b..
turned back into the Treasury be-
cause in any event il would be in
SUFFICIENT because the work now
would cost three times that sum
The Senate chamber is now I11
feet by S3.11. whereas in the original
T." alter plans the seating space was
to have been 50 by o. feet. with the
galleries supported on columns. Civ
ing considerable corridor space out
side the seats.
If under the Copeland resolution
the Senate chamber is pushed out 10
the outside walls il will mean the
destruction OF one of the most beau
tiful parts of the Capitol building
the marble lobby back Of the Senate
chamber. where the senators now I,
confer with special guests. and the :
Presidents and Vice Presidents
rooms. which are one of the show
places visited by tourists.
During the session just closed Il
study was made by public health Of
fcers under the direction Of a sub
committee Of the House rules COM
mittee of the ventilation in the
House, and an extensive report has
been filed with Representative Frank
D. Scott of Michigan, chairman OF
that subcommittee.
Further Discussion in Prospect.
So the question Of whether the SEN
ate and House chambers will be
showed to the outer walls 10 get di-
rect ventilation is still TO be settled. .
done, at least until the matter mas
been thoroughly discussed from all
One of the big jobs being done this
summer to put the Capitol plant in
shape for the new session is the lay
ing of a thirty siX-inch water main
from the power plant TO the Potomacf
river. from which the Capitol gets
it's water direct. For this work sl12-
900 has been made available after
July 1.
The Capitol grounds will also he
starting on July l, TO cost
approximately $4,000.
Work has already been started on
the installation of a complete water
feed boiler treatment plant, to cost
SIS, 900
Rids have also been asked for re
placing the old hydraulic elevators
which have been in service in the
of Congress for about thirty
years and which are in very poor
condition, with electric elevators
There are three passenger elevators
and three BOOKLETS. 1t is expected
that this work will cost $4,000.
Funds Lost BY FiHbuster. ;.
In this years appropriation there