Evening star., 1925-07-12
Capital Sidelights


development of our country and its
commerce is preserved in the vaults
of the United States Coast and Geo
detic Survey, on Capitol Hill, hard
by the habitat of Congress.
Col. e. Lester Jones, director of
this service, points out that this his
tory Is unusual for the reason that
each of its pages is an engraved
copper plate, sometimes three or four
feet square. on which each step Of
the development is shown graphical.
ly. These are the plates used by the
survey for printing the nautical
charts that it publishes for the guid.
ance of navigators along our coasts.
The first of these plates were en-
graved in the early 1S40s. From
time to time the changes along our
coasts necessitate extensive altera-
tions in the charts of the particular
locality affected. To make these cor
rections the unchanged part of the
plate is copied by electro-chemical
methods and the new work is en-
graved, thus providing a new and
up-to-date chart plate The old plate
is then placed in the vaults to show
for all time the condition of the coun-
try along our coasts at the time the
plate was retired. BY comparison
with prior and subsequent plates the
VARIOUS stages OF ueVelOpment are
clearly illustrated.
ton OF plates numbers more than
$500, giving as a rough average a
picture of each small section of our
1900 miles of coast covered by a
chart at intervals of 10 years.
A comparison of the prints from
the various series OF plates is most
interesting. At one point the grad
ual growth Of one of our large sea
ports may be illustrated; at another
the man-made improvements of an
important harbor may be shown. In
many places the startling changes
effected by the force of nature are
evident. We see, for example, that
Rockaway Point, New York, has ex
tended to the west for a distance OF
about miles during the past cen
tury. Again, on what was formerly
nearly straight and unbroken
stretch of Virginia coast, there is
now fine shelter and anchorage for
vessels formed by a curving arm OF
sand. bulwark built up slowly by
the unceasing action of waves and
currents.
Another interesting study is tina,
of the craftsmanship of the genera
tions Of engravers who produced
these plates. On one is seen the work
Of the immortal James Mcneil
Whistler, who served at one time as
an engraver in the survey. In the
early days, before the creation Of
other agencies for this work, the
Coast and Geodetic Survey was re
quired TO execute detailed Topographic
survey along our coasts and on many
of the older plates intricate detail,
of topography are shown with almos
unbelievable fineness and accuracy.
Col. Jones says that, aside from
their historic value, this collection o.
plates has another very practical use
In recent years, as a result of th'
enormous increase in land values
along our coasts. doubtful points
that We're considered of little impor
tance at the time early transfers o
property were made, have become tn
subject of extensive land expensive
| litigation.
Plans of Congress and Presiden
Coolidge for making the White Hous
exterior and interior-truly a Cole
NAL mansion have revived a genera
| interest in the historic regarding tn
Executive Mansion.
The site of the White House wa
| selected by President Washington an
Maj. Peter Charles L'Enfant, whel
| they laid out the Federal City in 1871
The Capitol and the Presidents Hous
were the cardinal features in the com
! position designed by L'Enfant for al
| orderly. dignified and effective loca
| tion of public buildings. The schem
! then published TO the world for TIL
metropolis of the United States is still
being carried out In its main and es
sential features.
The architect of the White Hous
was James Hoban, a native of Dublin
Ireland. whose plans were selected a
the result of a competition whicl
closed on July Is, 1899. Hoban's de
sign called for a central building Will
| wings; but his original drawings hav,
been lost. and only the plans for tn
! main building remain.
Hoban superintended both the ereo
| ton of the White House and its resto
ration after # was burned by tn
British in 1914. When the basemen
| Of the White House was being reno
waited and reconstructed during tn
| incumbency of President Roosevelt /
was found that the fine. groine'
arches of the basement had been Gu
| into in all directions to accommodate
heating and plumbing pipes. Thes
old vaulted ceilings are of brick an
stone. In many places. where tn
plaster was removed, evidences OF tn
| fire of 1914 were plainly visible. Ais
| cut into the stonework were foun
many names. evidently of workmel
employed on the construction.
The corner stone of the Whit
House was laid October IS, 1872
Funds for the original construction
of the building came from the sale o
| lots in the Federal City and from tn
moneys furnished by Maryland an
! Virginia for the construction of Gov
ernment buildings.
The White House was first occu
pied by President and Mrs. job
| Adams in November, 1900. The flrs
appropriation from the Treasury TO
| the White House was one of $4,000
made April "a, 1900, to provide fun
niture, and the first appropriate
for repairs was one of like amount
made on March 8, 1907.
The south portico was finished sui
sequent to 1923, at a cost of $4,000
the east room, scene of so many nots
! BILE events, was finished and furnishe
| by virtue of an appropriation o
! $25, 900, made in 1926, and three year
| later the north portico was added, i
accordance with the original plan, a
an expense of s24,769.25.
The White House was first lighte
by gas in 1S4S and a system of heal
| ing and ventillating was installed i
1853. Four years later stables an
conservatory east of the Whit
House were removed to make roor
for the extension of the Treasur
Building, which shut off the view @
| the Capitol from the Executive Mar
sion.
| Refurnishing of the White Hous
after the War of 1912 was complete
| in 1918 at an expense of $780, 900, an
the average annual expense for fui
nishing during the first 10 years Q
the occupancy of the official home @
our Presidents was $4,000.