Evening star., 1941-04-20

40 q AioA hC1 III COllllcCGlUll Will ouI
veying in the District.
IN 1914 United States soldiers
camped on this hill, hence the name
Camp Hill" From here they
marched toward Bladensburg irI
defense of the city of Washing
ton against attacks of Gen. Ross
and Admiral Cockburn. AS far back
as 1896 George Washington pro-
posed that this hill be made "the site
of an institution" President Adams
in 1925 suggested building All observ-
atory on this hill and in Maj.
LEwfants plan for the city this
same site was mentioned as desirable
for buildings devoted to scientific
and educational purposes.
President Tyler designated the hill
for the site of the Naval Observa-
tory in 1842, where it was erected
and remained until 1898, when it was
removed to Georgetown Heights.
The old Observatory Building was
transferred to the Bureau of Medi-
cine and Surgery of the Navy in
1894 and served as a Museum of Hy-
giene until 1902. Later it was used
as the Naval Medical School and
thus, according to LEnfants orig
inal plan, for almost century has
served as a building devoted to edu-
cational and scientific purposes. In
1903 the remaining acres were set
aside for the buildings of the Naval
Hospital.
Never Suitable.
While the physical conditions of
the area where the Naval Hospital
now stands have somewhat improved
down the years, the location can
never be made suitable for an inSti-
tutor to care for and treat sick
persons. Naval authorities concur
that a new Naval Medical Center
should not only be constructed along
the most approved lines, but should
be erected on new site with ample
| acreage so that in the event of war
the hospital facilities may be ex-
| tended.
The best minds of the medical
corps attacked the problem of work.
ing out plans for the new building,
| and corps of architects and engi-
neers experienced in hospital needs
commenced the study for this new
hospital project.
Capt. Charles o. w Bunker visited
one medical school and hospital
after another, making observations,
taking notes on how modern hos
pitfalls are equipped and worked. The
motto of the United States Navy is
'thoroughneSS." 1t is concerned
with facts-au the facts. Capt.
Bunker's report was studied, anal
yzed, criticized and revised. A final
report was submitted to Admiral
Parsons, then chief of the Bureau of
Yards and Docks, Navy Department,
and whose province it is to design
the plans and build for the Navy.
Here there are some of the most
skilled men in the country; some Of
them architects and some engineers
all imbued with the Navy spirit.
Preliminary sketches, one after
another, were made showing pro-
posed layoutS of this new Medical
Center. The Allied Architects of
Washington were called in to give
the project further study. Members
of this association submitted designs
in competition for the Center. Three
of the best plans were selected and
sent to the Navy Department and
from them one design was chosen.
Rejected by Board.
At this point the Fine Arts Com
mission, whose function it is to ap-
prove the design and construction
of proposed new buildings in the
Nations Capital, refused permission
for the Medical Center as planned
to be built on the proposed site.
These plans had been drawn for a
building to fit this site. The matter
was referred to the Public Buildings
Commission, composed of members
of Congress, of which Senator Smoot
was chairman, and it was decided
that the Fine Arts Commission was
in error and permission granted to
build on the site.
The Fine Arts Commission again
studied the plans and the site, and
suggested notifications which re-
quired redesigning the entire prof.
ect. 1t was agreed that these new
plans, which were to be Early Fed
eral' in design, were to tie in with
the Government building program.
Approval of this scheme of design
was finally granted on January 10,
1892.
But the germ of discomfort against
| the site had been planted and had
| taken root and conflict developed
and grew. Persons interested en-
listed the aid of the President, and
Mr.. Roosevelt, on March 16, 1897
addressed communication to the
Senate, transmitting a supplemental
estimate of appropriations for the
Navy Department in amount oi
$1,5O0,000 for the acquisition of land
and to commence construction of a
Naval Hospital in Washington, D. c.
or vicinity"
In August, 1887, it was announced
Washington new $4,80O,000 Naval
Hospital will be located on a 1885,
acre tract on Massachusetts avenue
extended, behind the American Uni
versity.''
Finally, all disputes having beer
settled, in May of last year, the Navy
Department decided to construct the
proposed Medical Center at Bethes.
da. The approved plans show
a building with soaring centra
tower, which may reach a height oi
$50 feet, and which will be one o1
the most artistic and beautiful hos
pital structures in the country. Ir
the general hospital are incorpo-
rated ideas that no other hospital ir
the Nation has. There will be
silence rooms, air = conditioning
and heating plants. consultation
rooms, surgical operating rooms
solariums-all built around the Spe.
cial needs of the Navy.
World Need.
Difficult cases which have resisted
cure at other places will come tt