Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-07
Treasury to Open Bids for
Clearing Ground
Tuesday.
OLD CAPITOL AMONG
70 BUILDINGS ON GROUND
Chamber of Court to Dominate
Structure, With Auxiliary Rooms
in Wings.

Interior arrangement of the imposing
$9,740,0 900 Supreme Court Building, to
be erected at the northwest corner of
First and East Capitol streets, is re-
vealed in description of the edifice
made public today by Cass Gilbert,
architect.
Dominating the whole structure will
be the main lofty chamber of the high
court, while in the rooms grouped
around the elmer sanctum" will be To-
Gated libraries robing rooms, Offices and
even dining rooms.
The first step in actual construction
of the building will be taken Tuesday,
when Treasury officials will open bids
for clearing the two blocks chosen as
the site. Among the old buildings to
be torn down will be the old brick Cap
itol, where sessions of Congress were
held after the burning of the Capitol in
the War of 1872 SeVenty-eight build
ings are to be raZed.
1.-THE building is designed to last for
all time Mr.. Gilbert stated. Because
of that fact, the work should not and
cannot be carried forward as rapidly
as is possible in the case of modern
Skyscrapers. Three years or more prob
ably will be required for its erection. To
insure truly monumental work, every
detail of its construction will be CO.
ordinated to the highest possible degree,
in harmony with the architectural style
of the Capitol and numerous ether
public buildings planned around it."
Court Chambers in Center.
The classic style of architecture was
chosen, with the building forming virGu-
ally a quadrangle. Stately Corinthian
columns of the main entrance will face
the Senate wing of the Capitol. The
west front will cover 304 feet and the
greatest east-to-weSt dimension will be
1886 feet.
The court chamber will be located in
the central section, which will rise four
stories above the terrace on the east
front. The main floor will be one story
above the east terrace.
The Supreme Court room will form
the main axis of the plan. Conference
and robing rooms and chambers of the
justices will be located in the main
section.
The court room will be of impress
siye proportions. 1t will be about "a
feet square and the ceiling will be
80 feet above the floor. The floor
space will be approximately go per
cent larger than the present court ROOM
The rooms for the justices and court
officials will be grouped around four
courtyards, the latter being "a feet
square and carefully handicapped.
Library on Second Floor.
On the second floor will be a library
stack room capable of accommodating
100000 volumes. and two open shelf
rooms for $4,000 additional books,
librarians quarters, document storage
rooms, reporters rooms and 16 rooms
for the use of lawyers. The third floor
will include stack rooms for law Ii
braries, accommodating about 100000
volumes, and a large reading room.
Ample space for expansion of library
facilities is contemplated.
There has been no intention of
finishing the interior of the building
with elaborate and expensive marble
work and excessive decoration" Mr..
Gilbert pointed out, "the design rather
relying upon fine proportions and SIM
plicity for the monumental effect de-
sired.
THE material will harmonic with
that of the neighboring buildings and
the size of the structure will assist
in giving it the dignity and Importance
desirable for the permanent home of
the Supreme Court of the United
States.
I'VE have attempted to plan a build
ing in keeping with Jeffersons ideals
for preserving and extending the clas-
sic beauty of Washington's official
structures, and an enduring symbol
of American justice"