The Washington times., 1925-07-20

Building to Cost $3,25o,o 900
Proposed for Museum
Group on Mall


rum of the most approved type
for the National Capital, to be
administered by the commissioner
of fisheries, is a project which
will be considered by the public
buildings commission and Congress
this winter.
Tentative Plans Made.
Plans have been tentatively com
pleted, 1t was announced today, for
q massive building, of monumental
type similar to that adopted for
the New National Museum and
Freer Gallery, to be erected as a
part Of the museum group in the
Mall. The new building will stand
on the site of the present Fish
Commission building, on the south
side of the Mall between Sixth and
Seventh streets northwest.
Present plans contemplate a
building which would have the
aquarium, library, clerical force
and administrative force of the
Bureau of Fisheries, as well as
the necessary laboratories and re.
search rooms. Thirty thousand
square feet Of space will be as.
signed for the aquarium and IS 900
square feet for the laboratory and
tive work. Such a
building, it is estimated, would cost
about $3,250,0O0.
New Building Needed.
The present building is not fire
proof and is utterly untitled for
the work now being carried on
there, it Is stated. The present
aquarium, though very small, is
one of the showplaces OF the
National Capital and attracts many
| thousands of visitors annually.
The bureau now occupies a build
ing which was constructed in 1856.
| five years before the outbreak of
the civil war, as an armory and
drih hall.
The structure was rebuilt in 1883
for the use OF the bureau of fish
cries, which was established in
1871. The building is of brick and
wood. During the past year it was
further refitted by construction of
new entrance stairway, and the
lower floor was remodeled by tear
ing out an old machine shop.
Fishery Exhibit.
The space thus gained has been
used for exhibition purposes, the
installation of a small fishery ex-
hibit. showing implements and
machinery used in catching and
preparing fish, types of nets and
travis, the use of shark and other
fish leather for commercial pur-
poses, the uses of mother -of.pearl
and other shell-fish products and
examples of shell fishing tongs,
dredges and boats.
The bureau is planning to In
crease this exhibit If additional
space can be secured. The aquarium
space also is badly cramped and
the specimens exhibits necessarily
are very limited.
All of the activities of the bureau
in Washington are centered in the
present building. 20,779 square feet
of floor space being used for this
purpose. Seventy-twO employees work
there. They are charged with work
in maintaining and developing the
marine and fresh water food sup
ply of the nation, and their work is
regarded as being of vital impor-
lance TO the welfare Oh the 0aLlOn.
While the present aquarium is
merely a secondary feature of the
bureau, it is regarded as an i'm
portant institution for the entertain
ment and instruction of the public
and for the carrying on of scientific
work.
The present building is three
story and attic type of structure,
with a total floor space of %, 1913
square feet. The attic is used for
storage space.
Fresh Water Fish.
In the aquarium the bureau now
has specimens of the smaller Ameri-
can fresh water game and food fish
and turtles. No salt water tanks
have been provided, because of lack
Of space and lack Of funds.
Several years ago practically the
! entire stock of fish was killed by
chlorine in the city water supply,
which Is used to feed the tanks.
The work of replacing the speci.
mems lost then is now nearing
completion. Steps have been taken
to safeguard the fish against future
I chlorine poisoning and not a single
, specimen has been lost since
| Chlorine is used in the city water
! only periodically when the water is
unusually contaminated. The
bureau Is always notified before
' the colonization takes place so thai
IA