Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-07
NEW HOUSE OFFICE
BILL INTRODUCED
Measure Asks Funds for
Land Purchase and Build
ing-TWo Plans Offered.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

afford Representatives about the same
sort of office suites that Senators
have is provided for in bill Intro
duced late yesterday by Representa-,
tive r. Walton Moore, Democrat, OF
Virginia.
This measure would authorize an
appropriatic of $500 900 for pur-
chasing land in addition To that al
ready owned by the Government in
the square bounded by New Jersey
avenue. + street, South Capitol street
and street, or in both that square
and the adjacent square bounded by
South Capitol street, B street, Della
ware avenue and G street. 1t is hoped
that both squares, which are directly
south of the Capitol and west OF the
present House Office Building, will be
secured The decision under the
Moore bill is left to the House Office
Building Commission, of which Speak
er Longworth is chairman and the
other members are Representative
Isaac R Bacharach of New Jersey.
Minority Leader Garrett and David
Lynn, architect of the Capitol.
Appropriation for Building.
1t would also authorize an appro-
priation of 81 500 900 for construction
on the site selected of a fireproof Of
flee building or buildings for the House
Of Representatives to include neceS-
Sary office rooms for members, fold
ing rooms, storage space and other
essential accommodations.
The bill requires a decision by the
Huues Office Building commission
within 80 days after the measure is
approved. 1t was introduced by Mr..
Moore to give the House an oppOrtun-
fly to act upon the report made on
the opesning day of the present Con.
greSS by the architect of the Capitol
pursuant TO an act in the SiXty-eighth
Congress directing him to make a sur.
vey, and have plans made with eSti
mates of cost for an addition or ex.
tension of the House Office Building
1t was on motion of Mr.. Moore that a
small appropriation was made for the
preparation of plans, and in this work
the architect of the Capitol had the
cooperation of the allied architects OF
Washington. Mr.. Moore, together
with the Speaker of the House and
the floor leader, Representative Dick
1nSon of Iowa, who is in charge of the
appropriation bill which would pro-
vide the funds. Representative Bach
aracr and many other prominent mem
berS of the House. has long been in.
terested in securing more adequate
quarters for House members.
Need of More Room.
The business transacted In the office
OF each individual member has in
creased greatly. AS a result of this
each member needs workroom
where clerical work can be performed
and private office for conferences,
as well as a stock or supply room
The House Office Building Commits
sion for some years has been unable
TO give most Of the members any
thing like that much office room.
Alternative schemes for the new
building are proposed. One calls for
a new building on the entire square
between New Jersey avenue and
South Capitol street, B and c streets,
tust west Of the present Office build.
ing. This site is now occupied BY
the old granite building occupied by
the Public Health Service, a group
Of rambling structures housing the
Coast and Geodetic Survey and the
Congress Hall and Potomac Hotels.
The other calls for a double building
on the northern half Of the two
squares on either side of South Capt.
tol street, between New Jersey and
Delaware avenues, facing B street.
The reason for the double building is
to preserve the vista down South
Capitol street to the Potomac River
from the Capitol. South Capitol
street between B and c streets would
be blocked to vehicular traffic and
would be terraced between the twin
buildings with a subway connecting
them.
Comparison Of Plans.
The advantages and disadvantages
of these alternative plans and the de-
tails of arrangement of the proposed
buildings is given as follows:
Scheme A--on the site between
New Jersey avenue and South Capt.
toll street, 3 and c streets:
Advantages.
I. Proximity to the present House
Office Building, with main entrance
from New Jersey avenue and street
at the upper level
2. The occupancy of an entire
square avoiding cotenancy with pri
waite buildings, the necessity of set
backs and possible future compiled
tons.
8. A building which in itself would
cost less than the alternative scheme
which saving, however, would be off
set to a considerable extent by the
cost of acquiring the Congress Hall
Hotel property.
T. The preservation of South Cap
ftol street, both for traffic and for
view, thus leaving open the possible
change in character of the district ly
ing to the south of the Capitol. and
recognizing the Importance of an un
INSTRUCTED vista from that section.
Disadvantages.
l. The financial disadvantages
Necessity OF acquiring Congress Hal
Hotel property. which might be offSe
by the fact that it will undoubtedl!
have to be acquired some day TO
Government purposes, and any sub
Sequent purchase price would un
guestionably be much higher than a
the present time.
.. Disadvantage of limitation: TIL
difficulty of obtaining any additiona
expansion of this scheme, beyond
possible Is suites in a roof setback
The plans provide suites for about s.
additional members over the preSen
House membership, with an allowance
for the conversion of so private of
fees in the present building to com
mittee rooms.
3. Disadvantage of appearances
The unbalanced effect of this build
ing, occupying only one of the tw,
squares Immediately south of tn
Capitol, with no certainty that a cor
responding building will eventual.
be built upon the other square; ais,
the certainty that if a building il
erected upon the western square
will present great difficulties in de
sign TO harmonic it with the build
ing on the eastern square, owing t,
the fact that the northern cor
ner of the latter is some SO fee
higher than the southwestern corne
of the former; also a narraw B stree
frontage, accentuated by having n,
similar balancing frontage on tn
other square.
Details of Arrangement.