Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12

fees: on the west are the rooms of the Secre-
tary of War-Patrick j. Hurley-and Gen.
John J. Pershng on the south We find the
Secretary OF State Henry T. Stimson.
When the President was driven from his
offices by the fire on Christmas eve it seemed
the most natural thing in the world to turn
to his White House neighbor for shelter The
State, War and Navy Building has long pro-
vided heat light and ice for the White House,
but never before has it sheltered the Chief
Executive. The most convenient and suitable
quarters for the President seemed to be the
room built for and until the World War, occu-
pied by. the Secretary of the Navy, and since
then occupied by Gen. John j. Pershing, who
is in charge of the Battle Monuments Commits
sion. So the general surrendered this sumptu-
Gus suite to his Commander in-chef The
outside entrance is only few yards from the
charred walls of the White House office
THE long. beautiful room which the President
now occupies has open fireplace at each
end but it has recently been partitioned into
two rooms. The parquetry floor and the highly
ornamented ceiling are entirely in keeping
with the spirit of the architectural exterior of
the building. When Gen. Pershing occupied
the room it contained his private library and
an oil painting of each of the American gen.
erals-Washington, Sherman, Grant Sheridan
and Pershing. 1t contained also many scuve-
Mrs and gifts of honor bestowed upon the dis
tinguished World War general. One of Gen.
Pershings young admirers was allowed to peep
into this room. He said Gee its just like
fairyland, filled with medals and books pic
lures of generals and great men, and a base
ball autographed by Babe Ruth"
Just SIS years ago the State Department
moved into the south wing of the State, War
and Navy Buildng-13 years before it was COM
pleted. Hamilton Fish, who was at that time
the Secretary of State, moved his Office equip
ment and his clerks from the old orphan
asylum into their permanent home on July 1,
1875. Mr.. Fish took great pride in the fact
that he was the very first person to move in
this amazing building, which was at that time
the largest Office building in the world 1t is
said that he was greatly excited over the event
Among the articles which he brought with him
from his old quarters was marble clock called
the "old clock on the stairs
He personally carried this lovely old clock to
the new building and hung it in the hall in
front OF his new office room This curious old
marble clock still hangs in that exact spot It
Is still ticking away and keeping perfect time
for the present Secretary.
The history of the State. War and NAVY
Building reminds one of Topsy-it grew" It
grew in sections, or wings The south wing
was built first. It was started June 81 1871
and completed July l. 1875. The Secretary of
State was in charge of construction until Nav g.
1875 On this date the work was turned over
to the Secretary of War. who remained in
charge until the entire edifce was completed.
The east wing was started July IA 1872 and
completed seven years later. On April 49, 1879
the War and Navy Departments moved into the
east wing. The Navy occupied the southern
half and the War the northern half
Then on May %, 1879 the old War Depart
ment House was demolished and on that spot
work was begun on the north wing This sec
building etad
three years. Then the War Department moved
INTO It's own wing on December g. 1882
The west and center wings were the last to
De constructed They were erected simultane-
ouSly on the site of the old Navy Department
Building. The work on these wings started
March 81, 1888, and was completed Januarv
81, 1888, approximately II year: after the
building was commenced. But for long time
after that each wing was separated bv a solid
wall AT length however the obstrllctinp mar
titions were knocked out and the grand old
structure became it appears today-a uni
fled whole
The architect was Alfred B MulIett tho
supervising architect of the Treasury Building
He was a Government employe and received
only stipulated salary for designing these tu,o
buildings. 1t is said that the vast amount of
detail and work on the State War and NAVY
Building so harassed and worried Mr. MuIett
that MS life was shortened. 1t was originally
planned to make this sister building to the
treasury. But in the end only the interior
conformed to the original plans and the ex-
terror under the influence of the French re-
haiSsa nce became composite of all the differ
ent types OF architecture known to man.
But with all its gingerbready idicsyncrasies
the old building is dearly beloved by those who
know it best. AS an engineer once put it:
Shes plumb, and she's square, and, boys. she's
purity
HE State, War and Navy Building was con-
Structed with the idea that II would bo,sa