Evening star., 1939-03-26
Federal Buildings Held
Model for World
By Frederic J. Hasktn.

center Of attraction to thousands who
come to Washington every spring. This
5000, 900 900 project stands as convinc-
ing and representative monument to the
Nation.
Arising from the concrete beginning Of
nine years ago, the Federal triangle pre-
sents what architects believe to be tho
most imposing unified architectural COM
position In the world-monumentally
memoralizing the wealth. power, dignity
and artistic taste Of the Nation.
In this celebrated triangle stand the
new headquarters for the chief agencies
OF the United States Government, the
most marvellous site Of public building
construction in the world, where the pub
lie has opportunity to inspect the opera
tion Of the departments of the National
Government.
From an airplane the project looks like
huge stone triangle. Its base is formed
by the Department OF Commerce. tho
first unit to be built. Looking from the
Capitol, the triangle may be viewed from
Its apex, where the appropriately named
Apex Building stands-the last of the
structures built and the home of the Fed
eral Trade Commission.
The Federal building triangle has units
representing work done by the most
famous sculptors and painters In the
world. Here are found the most elabor.
ate suite of Government offices in the
country. eight-story lighting fixtures the
most modern cafeterias in the United
States and one of the largest heating
plants in operation.
The Department of Commerce Building
is the second largest Government build.
Ing IN the world-the new Interior De.
partment Building being the largest.
Ihls $4,000 900 structure, opened in 1882
during the Hoover administration, is con-
Structed OF raw materials from II States
and the District of Columbia. A cafe
terra with seating capacity of 2,40O peo-
pie, the $4,000 bronze doors and the 30
bronze elevators are among the many
features Of this building inscribed as the
temple OF truth, dedicated to enlarginp
the science as well as the practice of
business"
AAAS ASPoA eilClG VI LdDOT, interstate
Commerce Commission and connecting
wing buildings compose $12 1000, 900 unit.
Each building in this impressive group
Vles with the other in architectural
grandeur and attraction. In the con-
Meeting wing building is located the larg-
est and most beautiful Government
auoltorlum. Six tall columns on each
side OF the auditorium reach three stories
to ceiling Of robins egg blue. An tntri-
cate design in gold leaf borders the high
walls and decorates the hand-carved
lions heads on immense doors of solid
walnut. More than 1000 movable seats
I'LL the auditorium.
The new building of the Post Office
Department has the finest postal station
IN the world. The building also provides
palatlal .two-story suite for the POST
master General Magnificent allegorical
sculpture symbolic of the branches of
work embodied in the Post Ofice: nickel
lighting fixtures eight stories high. and
terrazzo floor design unexcelled anv.
where are other features in this edifice
that have never before been seen In 4
Government building.
herein Is located the BENJAMIN Frank
I'm postal station, the most serviceable
monument ever erected to the memory
OF the first Postmaster General whose
name 1t bears. 1t is at the entrance to
this station that the largest terrazzo
design OF its kind in the world is worked
into the floor, depicting the map of the
world
In the Post Once Departments new
building Is one Of the most pretentious
suites OF Offices ever built for a Govern
ment Official in this country, not ex-
cludlng the Presidents. Here the Post
master General holds forth in his two
story headquarters Of paneled Ameri-
can walnut. His reception room, 100
feet long, Is furnished in dull leather
furniture 50 as not to mar the effect
created by large crystal chandeliers, the
nne parqueted floors and the immense
black marble fireplace. Draperies of
gold brocade hang at the tall, wioe
windows. Three chandeliers in the re-
ception room are the outstanding deco
rative note. Weighing several hundred
pounds each and made of small tubular
glass pieces, hand-cut crystal and tiny
golden eaglets, they look like radiant
jewels In the dark walnut setting of the
room.
However, the crowning achievement
OF lighting fixtures in the entire tri-
angle can be found at each end Of the
building, hanging seven floors down the
length Of the marble circular stairways.
Said to be the longest fixtures In the
world, they weigh 2,700 pounds apiece.
In size and arrangement for service,
the Internal Revenue Building Is q
model. Designed to occupy an entire
block this is the only one of the triangle
group that has not been completed. Be-
cause Of the great demand for space for
Government offices the old building that
once housed the Post Office Depart
ment still stands and occupies space
on which the Revenue Building is to
be extended along Pennsylvania avenue
and Twelfth street. When the building
is completed its semi-circle, with that
Of the Post Once Building, will COM
plete one Of the largest and most beau.
tiful circles in the triangle.
1t is not only the Bureau Of Inves-
tigation - Americas Scotland Yard