Evening star., 1925-04-12
NEW HOUSE OFFICE
BUILDING To COST
S8,OlO,o]D FAVORED
Architect Lynn Submits Plan
With Alternate of 375-
Room Addition.
NEW MUSIC AUDITORIUM
CONTRACT TO BE LET
Work on Concert Building, Wom-
ans Gift, viii Be Started
This Week.
ny Will p. KENNEDY.

1Hlo w Gth.
ny WILL p. KENNEDY.
Contract will be let tomorrow by
David Lynn. architect Of the Capitol.
for erection of an auditorium for
chamber music concerts within the
northwest court Of the Library of
Congress, at a cost Of s1&,635. and
work on the one-story structure will
begin this week, according 70 the
contract which is TO be given to
Arthur L. Smith & Co.
On the first day that the 69th Con
gress meets, next December, alter
native plans will be submitted with
recommendations by Architect Lynn
for providing increased office space
for members Of Congress. Plans are
now before the House membership for
, erection of an annex within the court
of the present House office building
and a partial extra story on the pres
ent building, at a cost Of about So
( 100000, which would provide 375 adj
ditional rooms.
New Home for the House.
Mr. Lynn viii submit proposals 10
I
owned by the Government south OF
the Capitol and At present occupied
by the Coast and Geodetic Survey and
the Public Health Service. He Will
also show the probable cost of aC-
, quiring the entire two city squares
/ between street, New Jersey and
Delaware avenues and { street. and
the erection thereon on new House
Office building. the entire project TO
cost inward of IS 600 600
Plans and specifications, which
were approved by the House Office
/ Building Commission on Friday, will
be put into shape during the COM
ing week, so that bids can be called
for on renovation of the Capitol
power plant at cost of approx
mately S250.0oo, so that increased ef-
! ficiency in operation may achieve
! saving of $4,000 TO $4,000 q year.
! These are three of many important
! improvements in the Capitol plant
J that are now under way. The ma
jority of the members of Congress
think that when they leave town all
/ the clocks in the Capitol are stopped
and all the employees take long holt-
day till Congress returns. As a mat
ter of fact now is the really busiest
season for the experts in many lines
who comprise the very efficient staff
in charge of operation, repairs and
III III w Cilitlll VI TIC "a ~ -bAs
Is Gift of Woman.
The new auditorium for chamber
music, 10 be built in connection with
the worlds finest collection of this
particular highest grade class Of
music in the music division of the
Library of Congress, is the gift of
Mrs Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge of
Pittsfield, Mass, founder of the
L. i
annually in the Berkshires Mrs.
Coolidge originally offered the Presi-
dent and Congress $4,000 for this
building and a fund for maintenance,
the income from which will eventual
Iy amount TO $4,000 a year. She has
now increased her endowment, so
that there will actually be in hand
for this work 100000 before the be
ginning of the new fiscal year
July 1.
The new auditorium will be a fit
ting part of the beautiful Library of
Congress building. The plans were
drawn by no less an authority and
expert than Charles Platt. the archl-
tect of the Frear Gallery OF Art In
the Smithsonian group and who has
also drawn plans for the proposed
National Art Museum. The plans have
been approved by the Fine Arts
Commission, which is thoroughly
satisfied that they will not only not
detract from the esthetic beauty of
the Library building, but will be
real embellishments and fill long
felt need. The construction work
will be supervised by David Lynn,
architect of the Capitol, who has the
closest cooperation of Herbert Put
nam, librarian of Congress, who is
giving every detail his personal at
tention.
Will Give Best in Music.
Thsi auditorium viii seat 511 per-
sons. 1t will be equipped with an
organ and it is expected that the first
chamber music concert Will be broad
cast in October. Only the very best
of artists will be sought. The Lii
brary of Congress has one of the
three or four largest collections of
music in the world, and much of its
very best music lies idle and unheard
upon the shelves. 1t was to correct
such a condition that Mrs. Coolidge
made her munificent gift.
The auditorium will be used also by
the library for lectures and for meet
ings of the staff. 1t will enable the
library TO carry on its work much
more efficiently.
In the closing days of the Sixty
eighth Congress the architect of the
Capitol was allowed an appropriation
of s2.500, with which to make a sur
vey and prepare and submit to the
next Congress on the first day it
meets recommendations for providing
an addition or extension of the House
Office Building sufficient to provide
at least two office rooms for each
member. He was also called upon
for a report on the desirability of
acquiring an additional site for an
additional office building.
Rejects Site Proposed.
Architect Lynn is having this sur
vey made The square south of the pres
ent Office building, and the square
east of the present office building,
and south Of the Library of Congress,
which have previously been urged
for use in providing increased Office
space for members of Congress, will
not be recommended by Architect
Lynn, because that would mean plac-
ing the Offices of many members at
such distance from the House
chamber that it would greatly delay
the legislative procedure.
The Cove rnment now owns m0ea at
the square south of the CaSitof
grounds where the Coast and qeodetic
Survey Buildings and the old Butler
Building now stand. 1t owns as far
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