Evening star., 1932-12-04
ALL PHASES SHOWN
IN NEW BUILDING
Agriculture Department Edi-
flee in All Stages of
Construction.

Construction on the new extensible
building of the Department of Agricul-
ture has reached the stage where more
varied operations are under way than
have ever been seen at one time in any
new public building here.
This huge structure, to consist OF
seven wings, running north and south
connected together, from Twelfth to
Fourteenth street, between B and
streets southwest, Is being constructed
in units. Two of these are finished
and occupied. with construction under
way in various processes on the other
five.
The wings are known by the letters
Of the alphabet, beginning with wing
A on Fourteenth street and running
eastward to wing G on Twelfth street
In the middle, wings c and D have
been completed under previous con-
tract and are now fully occupied.
Other Wings in Process.
The other five wings are in widely
different stages in the hands of the
contractor, Arcnberg-Fried Co. New
York City, which has a contract for
everything from the wrecking and exca-
vation to the completed superstructure
Along Fourteenth street wing and
B are in the early stages. At the corner
of B street Workmen are busy on both
day and night shifts, tearing down a
sturdy reinforced concrete building. In
the middle, power shovels are excayat-
ing, while on the south end concrete
foundations are being poured and COM
pleted.
Along Twelfth street, wing G's steel
framework has all been erected, and
the usual derricks used for this pur-
pose are now going ahead with more
steel erection on the connecting struc-
lures which are to connect both the
north and south ends of the wings by
a sort of so-called head house"
Unusual Derricks Used.
The unusual derricks used in steel
construction were resorted to, accord
ing to Norman Ker, vice president of
the contracting company, who is in
charge of operations, because of the
comparatively narrow width of the
wings-50 feet. They were too narrow
to successfully guy regular steel
derrick. So the company has resorted
to a huge derrick mounted on move
able steel tower.
In erecting steel, the first tier, in the
BASEMENT is put in place by a crane
IldNCliIiS Oll q CdtSA PiAAo1 AoSbOlt dilu
this provides a steel base upon which
the larger derrick with its travelling
tower can operate. The boom on the
large derrick is 108 feet in length. and
is able to handle steel for the building
from the first story to the roof.
Huge Garage Provided.
A feature of the extensible building
will be a huge garage underneath vir-
tually the entire structure, for the stor-
ing of automobiles of Government
workers. This is the largest garage
under any public building in the city
and viii take care not only of the
higher officials, but many of the work.
ers in the rank and file.
In the area between completed wing
D and the new Wing G along Twelfth
street several buildings still are stand
ing and occupied along Thirteenth
street, to be left there until wing G
Is completed to furnish the occupants
new quarters. They will move out
when their new quarters are complete
and then the contractors will tear down
the old buildings, excavate and proceed
TO erect, as the last units, wings z
and F.