Evening star., 1928-06-17
LACK OF SIGNS ON BUILDINGS
HANDICAPS WASHINGTON TOURS
Marking of Historic Spots, Provided by
Legislation, Has Failed to Extend to
Some Big Structures.

Undesignated public buildings In
this city OF magnificent distances" are
a problem to millions of inquiring tour
lists. Why, in the Nations Capital
where all good Americans are supposed
to come and learn all about their own
Government. they ask, are some Of the
most important buildings absolutely de-
void of any kind OF sign or name to
indicate what building is, or what
is housed inside?
Extensive inquiry on the question,
including check on virtually every
/ important building In the city. has
failed TO solve the mystery 1t still
remains an. unsolved riddle confusing
to the public. a nuisance To thousands
Of Washingtonians and to guards who
have to answer useless questions be-
cause of lack of simple signs.
Strangely, too. Congress for years
has been appropriating $500 an
nually for the direct purpose of mark
ing points Of historic interest in the
District of Columbia This fund is ex-
pended by the District Commissioners
nisa eoss .nToush e., specially P,a stso ap
Building, through which this fund
flows for marking historic sites here.
| Is as blank as stone wall. without
| the vestige OF name or nameplate
from which the inquiring sightseer
may find out what the magnificent
| structure Is
The Treasury Department, which Ia
now In the midst Of plans for building,
in Washington and throughout the
| country. Federal structures to cost at
least $500. 900 900, on every one of
/ which 1t Is understood win be placed
an artistic name, Is housed in one Of
the most monumental buildings in
Washington. building at Fifteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue.
blind" without name.
Little Signs.
There Is a peculiar little sign near
the Fifteenth street entrance 10 the
Treasury building, where another Fed
eral department housed inside has put
up for the benefit Of the public this
information. Post Once. Treasury
Station" The words Treasury Sta
ton" were added later on protest, be-
cause visitors were gaining the false
impression that the whole building was
the post ONCE. At the south front OF
the Treasury Building which was orig
inally intended for the real front, are
two signs which read: Use Entrance
on Fifteenth Street, This Entrance
Among other outstanding structures
In Washington which still are blind"
Ia the monumental building at Seven
tenth Etreet and Pennsylvania avenue
Building Tt now houses only the Sec
YetAry Of State and Secretary OF War.
the third cabinet member OF this tri-
umviratA having moved 10 the huge
cement structure along 3 street In the
Mall Over the door OF the Navy Sec~
retAry's new home are the words Navy
Departrnert." The War Department
also occupies, along with some other
activities. the twin of the Navy Build
ing II Ia known sf Munitions Build
ing and has such . sign on its facade.
The creates: building Of all in the
city has no name on Its outsice-~the
United states Capitol. Neither has the
White House any designation, In
bronze or stone. although 1t is known
as 1900 Pennsylvania avenue II was
said In some quarters that these two
outstanding structures perhaps need
not have been named, as they were
well known 70 the American public.
Neither Of the two cosirtholses on
judiciary Square has any sign on the
| exterior.
Action by Some Agencies.
Several important Government agen-
cies have discovered from time to time
that 1t was OF value 70 place their names
on the outside OF the buildings they
oecupy. although the structures were
not labeled in the first place.
| The latest agency 10 take this step,
only yesterday, was the General Ac-
counting once, under Controller Cen
erai j. r. McCsn. which occupies the
old Pension Building. Although the
Pension Office for years was located
/ in this ornamental structure. which
has frescoes of military Significance
running around the outside, there was
> no sign " ssy IL was the Pension
: Ofscs Yesterday aaa order was issued
at the General Accounting Office fof
the preparation and erection Of a sign
over the soeith door reading General
Accounting once"
/ A. least three other monumental
. buildings l1sye been labeled long ate,
their erection, These include the Cits
: f'0st Once, nEzt 10 Union Station
/ ! which for a long time had no sign
Wsahs1 the present postmaster, william
b / NJ Mooney. was chief clerk of The pos
b once he vas instrumental in hsvinf
o an ornamental sign placed on the cas-
!. front, facing Union Station, 10 inform
q millions ~ arrivals In the Nation
. Capital that tpe adjacent building VA
b CITY Post once
TIE ornamental building at Eleventh
street and Pennsylvania avenue r..
NAMED for many years the hon1s Of th.
Post Of1ee Department, without I
q name until the advent NJ VIII u
!. Hays a. Postmaster General III
4 caused " he placed on one 0f tn
b classic STONE archways the mans II
v bronze: Post Ofiica Department"
o Only last year we're Two GffaaUlsntA
= siGns placed on ths nliee factory know
q ~ the "isuresu ~ KnGfsviDE and Print
y ing" One sign IL over THE dD0F fHetHi
q vest the real front ~ the building
q while another Less prefentiosN sign hs
4 beAfi placed on the east front, gefef
q ally used w employees and the public
II Tns Department ~ Commerce h II
n rented structure st Nineteenth stree
H. and Pennsylvania avenue wtlaef9 hear
.s the sign The Commerce Building"
If Other agencies which srs properl
"A ilstA1 for the benefit NJ tkls public tne
~ whe RUM a1s sssI.' INCLUDE. Dc