Evening star., 1934-11-18

into the church, the members had worShiped
in building, originally car barn, New
Jersey avenue near D street northeast and in
this connection advertisement in the
National Intellgencer of May IL, 1901, says:
ANY person persons wishing to be
commodated with pew in the New Jersey
Avenue Church, may know the terms by ap-
plying to the Rev. Andrew T. Mccormick. BY
order of the vestry.
JOHN T. FROST, Register"
Thomas Jefferson, after he became President,
March A. 1901, took an interest in locating a
suitable site for the Marine Barracks and upon
one occasion, late in March, spent all the morn
ing riding with Lieut. Col. Burrows looking
over different places and finally deciding upon
Square 927. This square had 80 lots in all,
and in the division made by the Commissioners,
Prout got lots l and 2 and 18 to 30 and the
Government took lots to IT. On May 25 1901
this square 're-dvided' and in June, 1901,
the President authorized the purchase of the
square at the price of $4,000 deed was
accordingly drawn and signed on June 81, and
deposited for recording the following day. The
eventual price is said to have been s6.24718.
THE Federal Government, in line with all
good business people believed in advertis-
ing, and so, anticipating the actual passing Of
we find in the Intelligencer of April 3 this
notice
"A premium of s1Oo will be given to any
person who will exhibit the best plan of bar
racks for the Marines, sufficient to hold 500
men with their officers, and of home for the
commandant. The plan must be so drawn as
to be capable of being hereafter enlarged and
must be so arranged as to suit the dimensions
of the lot, which has an east and west front
of 615 feet, and a north and south front of
$50. The plans must be all lodged at the
Navy Office before 1st May"
Whether plans were received advertised
for, or finally drawn by Government employees,
does not appear, though plans were drawn by
some one, for on May 13, 1901, proposals are
called for through the press as follows:
Proposals
will be received by the subscribed until
Monday the 25th instent, to contract for the
building of the Marine Barracks in the City of
Washington agreeably to plan, which may
be in the Navy office. The proposals may
be made for the whole or for the brick and
joiners work separate"
In June, 1901, according to the records of the
Navy Department. contract was entered into
with sundry persons for building the barracks,
and the commandant requested to superin-
tend the work. In this contract, Charles Nc
Nantz awarded the carpenter work, Law
renee Pearson and Robert Brown the brick
and stone work and David Ogilvie the contract
begun was what became known as the Center
House, and by September, 1901, e-half of
the barracks were up. They were, it is said "a
mass of brick buildings 600 feet in length"
Although the buildings erected at this time
are reported to have been constructed with
great neatness and although the commandant
is said to have carefully supervised the work,
yet when board of three, appointed to inspect
and survey the work made its report it was Of
such nature as to cause the President TO
decide that the buildings should not be re-
ceived from the contractors especial reference
being given to faulty work in the south wing
and Center House, where certain parts were
ordered demolished and rebuilt, while in other
parts repairs were demanded. The north wing
was ordered taken down in the Spring and re-
built with proper brick; all the walls to be
rebuilt, taking for their model the Navy
Arsenal" and the stone foundations to be
demolished and rebuilt.
THE commandments house is said to have been
started about 1902, but if So it was not oc-
cupied at least until subsequent to February
%, 1904 up to which date rent was paid for
quarters elsewhere The name of the architect
of this historic building has seemingly been
lost. The name of Charles Bulfinch. architect
of the Capitol from 1918 to $780, has been sug-
gested the who drew the plans, adver-
tised for April 3, 1901; but this does not seem
likely, since he did not take up his residence
in washington until 1918, when this building
had been occupied for long while by Lieut.
Col Franklin Wharton. An official source
credits Mr.. Bulfnch, with having created the
design for four court houses five churches six
banks, four insurance offices, two school build
ings, the State house at Boston, several other
buildings of public character devoted to mis-
cellaneous purposes, and the work upon the
Capitol but the Marine Barracks are not mem
toned.
During the century and a quarter of its