Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15

~
M article in The Star he pur-
posely omitted reference to the
brass lady erected in the south
west part of the reservation to the memory of
that distinguished Washington lawyer, j. j.
Darlington, and to the statue of Gen. Jose de
San Martin in the northern part of the square.
At that time he also had reasons for barely
mentioning the Pension Office Building, be-
cause he felt this structure was well deserving
of special treatment.
There is nothing particularly old about this
building, and the walls in particular are as
solid today as when erected in the early S0s
but much history can be written around II;
history personally recalled by many who even
today might be justified in considering them
selves only of middle age for, after all, it mas
been but a little short of As years since it was
completed and occupied. Its size at that time
was considered enormous. and 1t was referred
to as we today speak of the Department OF
Commerce Building, now the largest Govern
ment office structure in washington, and one
of the largest in the world.
The work of erecting the old Pension Office
Building was begun in the Autumn OF 1884,
when ground was first broken, and by March,
1888, nearly all of the foundations were In
and the brickaying begun. Because Congress
had urged haste in erecting the building In
order to save rent, Gen Montgomery c. Megs,
the supervising architect, speeded up the WORK
considerably and TO such an extent that the
inaugural ball of Cleveland and Hendricks was
held there on the evening of March 4, 1885,
and the clerks began to move in on June 10,
following.
OF all the public buildings in this city, this
~ particular one has suffered the most ad-
verse criticism; few people have ever had good
word to say for it Gen. Meigs got his arcnl-
tectural idea from the FaineSe Palace, at Flor
ence Italy the lines of which, however, he did
not strictly follow, introducing some new ideas
inconsistent with the old. Perhaps the most
reasonable part of the criticism against THIS
building it its exterior appearance, for we are
forced to admit it really does have barnllke
appearance but Gen. Meigs was very thoughttul
of the use it was to be put to- and quite con-
siderate for the health and comfort OF the
clerks and constructed the building that they
might have abundance of fresh air and light.
While the building was in course Of con-
strlction account gave the cost OF the
structure, as provided by Congress, as $4,000,
and also included the following description:
1.-THE building is located in the northern part
of judiciary Square just to the southwest OF
the site of the old District jail 1t occupies
the square bounded by F and G and Fourth
and Fifth streets The south front, 400 feet
long, is on the building line of F street running
east and west. The depth of the building is
200 feet and the height of the main cornice
is rs feet The material prescribed by the law
is brick and metal, consequently fireproof, roof
and all
'"There is a large central hall, surrounded by
three stories of lofty rooms, the standard size
OF which is 37x26 feet. The building is pro-
Vded with four stairways, one for each front.
The windows are large and decorated with
pilasters cornices and pediments in the two
upper stories. In the lower story horizontal
cornce alone supported by consoles, crowns
the windows The pilasters, cornices, consoles
and other ornaments of the windows are OF
pressed and nodded brick and terra Gotta.
deep cornice crowns the outer wall, most OF 1t
also executed in nodded brick and terra Gotta,
but with a crowning member of metal The
string courses, of nodded brick and terra Gotta
separate and mark the stories. One, that above
the first base, is decorated with terra Gotta
sculpture.
6"THE galleries surrounding the central hall
are of brick masonry, resting on brick
arches, supported by cast iron columns of the
Doric and Ionic orders The roof is of iron and
fireproof that of the middle third Of the build
ing, as seen from the north and south, is one
story higher than that over the two ends.
The foundation is of concrete, resting on the
natural ground. Cellars and vaults for boilers,
coal ETC., have been excavated in the line Of
the valley which formerly crossed the site, and
which had been filled up. The general principles
Of construction are those which were presented
in Gen Meigs' original project for the National
Museum, and the building is throughout light
and thoroughly ventilated. The great cortile
which we have mentioned is to be rooted and
converted into a great hail. covered from sun
and rain and giving light and air to the
apartments which surround it.
"The building has 10000 square feet of
flooring and will provide space for $500 clerks.
The flooring is of brick, with some non-con-
ductor covering warm to the feet. All parts
will be freproof The endeavor has been made
to execute literally the law, which three years
ago appropriated $25O,0O0 to begin the con-
struction of a brick and metal fireproof build