Evening star., 1947-10-15

appears on the master plan and
who was consulted throughout the
project, said he thought the hall
was build to handle at least $4,000
persons. He said today, II don't
see how such q colossal mistake
could have been made"
Maj. Gen. David McCoach, jr.
Engineer Commissioner at the time
the drill hall was completed, said
he was under the impression the
hall was meant to accommodate
crowds ranging from 5000 to 10000
persons 5000 for events which
would occupy a large area Of floor
space and 10000 for such affairs
as boxing matches and concerts
where little floor space would be
needed. So
Room for $500 In Balconies.
Capt John L. Person, who was as
sistant Engineer Commissioner In
1941, was quoted in The Star of
April 3, 1941 as saying the balconies
along both sides of the hall would
accommodate $500 persons. For box
ing matches, he said $4,000 or more
could be seated in the huge hall.
Nowhere, however, did files of
1910 and 1s41 indicate, officially or
otherwise, exactly how many per-
sons could be packed into the hall
within building regulations. Neither
do Congressional records. The law
governing emergency egress, as Mr..
Davis pointed out today, was exactly
the same then as now.
Mr.. Davis agreed, as did Assistant
Corporation Counsel Chester Gray,
that a building inspection in April,
1941-when the Armory was COM
pleted-would have resulted in the
4,a25 capacity ruling. Neither OFF,
cial would attempt to explain the
oversight.
Now, District taxpayers are
spending 500 900 but are receiving
neither financial return nor any
significant use Of the drill hall. Al
the same time, a bitter row is ir
progress between the Commissioners
and the District National Guarc
over fiscal and custodial control o1
the Armory drill hall.
Sought by Many Groups.
The hall, unused to date except
by the National Guard for its drills
and the Home Builders, is sought
by many groups for use this fal
and winter. Among bidders for it!
use, Gen. Cox said, have been Dis.
trict high schools, Georgetown Uni.
versity and George Washington
University for basket ball games ane
promoters Of an intercollegiate tracl
meet and a horse show.
Gen. Cox said he has promised
high schools they can have the drill
hall for basket ball games every
Friday during January and Feb.
ruary. Such games might draw
5000 fans.
Gen. Cox said Georgetown ane
G. w. U. want to play seven double.
header basket ball games starting
January Z, 1948, and about five
games in December. All these con.
tests might easily draw more thar
4,825 sports enthusiasts. So NIGH
the track meet or the horse show.
Another stumbling block in tn,
path Of immediate use Of the drill
hall by District citizens is the mat.
ter Of seating. Not yet decided, by
either the Commissioners or thl
Guard, is how many or what kline
Of seats should be ordered, or where
they should be placed. In any event
delivery of metal seats could not b.
expected inside years time, Of.
fcials predicted.
FBI Moved Out Last June.
The armory was completed only .
few months before the outbreak o
World War II. It was taken owe
by the Federal Government almos
Immediately after the last bricl
was laid and the Federal Burea,
Of Investigation moved in hug,
rows Of fingerprint files and abou
5000 workers.
When the FBI moved out las
June 8 the National Guard movet
back in. No one questioned tha'
the Guard itself had first right tt
use the hall for drills and training
The appropriation bill creating ths
armory, however, specifics that 4
function Is = place Of public Assem-