Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
PRESIDENT SIGNS
+ COURT HOUSE BILL
Supreme Tribunal to Have
: Own Building for First
Time In 100 Years.
by WILL p. KENNEDY.

FTeSfdenG hoover yesterday signed the
bill authorizing the expenditure of
Court building on a site already ac-
Quired, at q cost of approximately
Sl,76O, 900. just north of the Library of
Congress, between First and Second ana
East Capitol streets and Maryland
avenue northeast, which had been
rushed through both houses Of Con-
grese.
new buildings in the Capitol group 1t
will, for the first time in its history of
nearly 100 years, dignity the most SOL
EMMY deliberative body in the world
the Supreme Court Of the United States,
one Of the three coordinate branches
Of Government, oftenttmeS called "the
balance wheel of Government''-with a
permanent home of its own.
For the last 1913 years Of its existence
the Supreme Court has occupied por-
ton Of the Capitol Building. The court
followed the removal to Washington of
the legislative and executive branches
of the Government. The attempt to
furnish accommodation for the Supreme
Court In the Capitol Building, Of which
only the Senate wing had been erected,
resulted in the selection of room on
the east side Of the main floor, pre-
viouSly occupied by the Senate clerk,
Of the Supreme Court. The court first
convened there on February 4, 1901,
John Marshall of Virginia being admin
3stered the oath as Chief Justice. At
that time the city of Washington had
100 brick and 263 frame houses. The
population was about 5000, whereas
now It is well above 100000. There
were but 12S members of the House,
whereas today there are 435. A year
after the coming of the Supreme Court
there we're but i26 Federal employees In
the city.
Senate Chambef Divided.
The Senate had been meeting in a
room on the basement floor which was
two stories high. Latrobe, then archi-
tect Of the Capitol, divided this space
into two rooms, one above the other.
The lower room is now occupied by the
law library Of the Supreme Court. The
upper room was occupied as the Senate
Chamber until the present chamber was
ready for occupancy.
FOR . time, while the remodeling work
%6s IN progress, the court met In what
d now the ONCE of the clerk of the
room which is now the law library was
ready.
When the Capitol was burned by the
British, on August "a, 1914, 1t was nee
eSSdfy to ind other quarters for the
Congress, which held its frst SUISSE
duent session In Blodgett's Hotel, on e
street between Seventh and Eighth
streets northwest.
Upon comnletion of the present Sen
ate wing Of the Capitol and the removal
Of the Senate to its present chamber,
the Supreme Court took possession, in
1860, Of the more comfortable quarters
vacated by the Senate. This has been
the permanent court room since that
date, and in only one instance have
the sittfngs Of the court been disturbed.
That was due to the explosion and fire
on November 6, 1898, when q gas ex-
plosion occurred in that portion of the
Capitol, resulting in such damage to the
court room that the sessions of the
court were held In the Senate commit
tee room Of the District Of Columbia,
aSid ID the Senats committee room Of
~s4!~S hSh bean completed.
Seven Chief Justices.
During the 12s years Of the occu-
paney Of the court In the Capitoi there
have been seven Chief Justices presid-
Tag = John Marshall. Roger Brooke
fancy, Salmon Portland Chase, Morri-
son n, Waite. Melville W. Fuller, Ed
ward Douglas White and william How
ard Taft.
The site TO be occupied by the new
Supreme Court Building Is also his
toric.
Following the burning Of the Capitol
on August "a, 1914, building was
erected on the corner Of First street and
Maryland avenue northeast, in which
the f7fst session Of the Fourteenth Con-
greSS was held. This building was
erected for the use of the Congress and
Its occupancy by Congress continued
llritn the Capitol had been restored, in
1873, the first meeting of the Congress
in the restored building being on De-
cember s, 1919, the first session of the
Sixteenth Congress.
Following the departure of Congress
from its temporary home, the building,
known as the brick Capitol" seems to
have been used as boarding and room
ing house until the period Of the Civil
War, when 1t was again taken under
Government control and used as mill
tary prison for the temporary conflne-
nent Of those whose political actions
seemed hostile to the Government. Dur
ing this period 1t was known as the Old
Capftol Prison. After the Civil War
the building reverted TO private occu-
pafiey, and at one time was occupied
as residence by people Of distinction,
the occupant of one Of the dwellings
being q justice Of the Supreme Court.
For many years this historic building
has been owned and occupied as the
headquarters Of the National Woman's
Party.
win Face Capitol.
e The Supreme Court Building is to
face the Capitol. It Is to be 385 feet
east and west by 304 feet north and
south A terrace will surround the
building and make q setting for 1t.
The exterior design is Of the classic
type, Corinthian style, in harmony
with the Capitol and well suited to
the character Of the new structure.
The central section Of the building,
In which will be located the Supreme
Court and the main corridor leading
TO 1t will rise to a considerable height
shove those parts to which are assigned
the ofices and lesser functions of the
structure, thus symbolizing the relative
importance of its several parts.
The central portion is to be four
stories high above the terrace on the
east front three stories on the west
front. The east stories are to be lover
in height so that the floor line will be
continuous.
The plan naturally divides into four
main requirements, each closely related
to the other. viz: The court room, the
justices rooms, the Offices and the
library. In addition to these there are
70 be conference rooms, rooms for law
yers and rooms for general uses.
The main floor of the building is to
be one story above the terrace. The
easterly section of the building on the
main floor is assigned to the Supreme
Court room, the conference room, the
robing room and the chambers of the
Chief Justice and of the associate JUS
tees. The westerly section of the
main floor Is assigned to the rooms
for the Attorney General, the Solicitor
General the clerk of the Supreme
Court, the marshal and for the use
IL L. Snir h,nc rrriAI a.