Evening star., 1937-06-08
MELLON GALLERY
WORK WILL BEGIN
HERE TOMORROW
Closing of Sixth Street at
Constitution Signals
Beginning.
MATERIALS ARE MOVED
TO SITE OF BUILDING
Excavation to Start Within Few
Days-Donor of Art Collec.
tion Names Aides.


Sixth street will be closed at Con-
stitution avenue at $50 am tomor-
row to launch actual construction
work on the 100000 National Gal
lery Of Art, gift of former Secretary
Of the Treasury Andrew w. Mellon.
Across the Constitution avenue en-
trance to Sixth street will be erected
huge wooden gate to be swung on
rollers, closing that traffic artery for
ever under an act OF Congress. An
other gate is to be swung across
Sixth street at the south side of the
gallery site. near Madison Drive
which is the northernmost driveway
in the mall
These gates will close the street for
the site where the main entrance to
the gallery is to be located on the
exact line OF the street. The build
ing is to rise between Fourth and
Seventh streets. Constitution avenue
and Madison Drive.
Meanwhile the gallery site today
was a beehive Of activity Workmen
were moving materials from District Of
Columbia w. p A. activities on the
site, and tearing down many old build
ings. The Bureau OF the Census Is to
move from large building on the
area.
Offices Are Set Up.
Carpenters were putting up an ONCE
for the general contractor, Marc Ed
litz & Son. on the northwest corner OF
the site, where other Offices will be
added later.
Philip Healy. Inc, the firm which
has completed most of the borings and
test pits over the rest of the site, was
preparing equipment to move into the
Sixth street area itself, where borings
will be sunk down through the pave
ment, to determine the character OF
the suhsoil, for foundation purposes.
Power shovels were being prepared
by Potts e. Callahan, excavation con-
tractors, who expect to begin excava.
ton within few days The first dig
ging probably will begin on the west
sector, in that area from which the
District Of Columbia woodward is now
moving out. On this part of the gal
lery site are the huge reinforced con-
crete foundations Of the George Wash
ington Memorial, which have lain un.
completed since shortly after the
World War. They will offer a tough
job for the excavator. Blasting may
be resorted to in efforts to demolish
them. Power shovels will undermine
the old foundations, which never were
used Tor the purpose originally In
tended. Agreement for their demoli-
ton was reached with the owners Ions
before the proposal for the Mellon
Gallery went to Congress for ap.
proval
Mellon Aides Here.
Arrangements have been completed
for the supervision and construction
OF the National Gallery of Art, which
Mellon specifically designated not te
carry his name The Mellon Educa.
tlonal and Charitable Trust, which is
the organization officially offering the
gilt to the Nation, is represented here
by Donald B. Shepard and David Ed.
ward Finley, personal representatives
OF Mellon. A technical consultant
has been appointed representing the
trust. He is James L. Stuart of Pitts
burgh, who will have associated witt,
him his partner, Alexander r. Reed.
John Russell Pope, architect, ha.
placed in charge Of his interests here
Irwin D. Matthew, resident archi.
tect, and the contractor, Marc Ed.
lltz Il Son of New York, has sent
Joseph Murray to be superintendent
on the job.
Offices of the w. P. A. are beins
moved to the old Havenner Bakery
building at 470 c street, which ha.
been reconditioned for the job TIL.
wood yard is being shifted to a site
at West Virginia avenue and Mount
Olivet road northeast.
w. P. A. officials said nothing had
been decided as to new site for the
reproduction plant, which does a wide
variety of printing. The sewing room
has been moved to the old Metropolis
tan Memorial Church building on Johr
Marshall place.
Although the gallery is to be Of
monumental character, requiring great
care in construction, it probably will
be finished within three years, accord.
ing to Matthews. No specific date has
been fixed for the contract completion
he said. Raw materials and thet,
fabrication have not yet been ordered
pending completion Of detailed work.
ing plans.