Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-06
Work 10 Start
On CapitoI's
East Front
Engineer Studies on
Extension to Be
Launched Soon
BY HAROLD b. ROGERS

Architect of the Capitol j.
George Stewart today announced
that preliminary engineering
studies will begin soon as the
first step toward the big task Of
extending the east front Of the
Capitol. under a bill signed yes
terday by President Eisenhower.
The legislation, carrying s92
million for operation of the leg
islative branch of Government,
not only appropriated IS million
to start the preliminary work.
but authorized appropriation Of
as much additional money as the
newly constituted commission in
charge decides win be required.
This clears the way for a long
delayed engineering project
which becomes the third major
construction job on Capitol Hill
Already underway is a second
Senate Office Building for which
the legislative bill carries s8.5
million to continue construction.
Authorized and provided with
preliminary money is a third
House Once Building with pro-
vision for extension of the Capt.
toll grounds on the south side Of
Independence avenue next to the
present Office buildings.
Flexible Time Table
The timetable for completion
iof the new east front of the
Capitol has not been specifically
set up, Mr.. Stewart emphasized.
How long it will take to tear
down the old central front of the
structure. whose sandstone is
rapidly disintegrating, and re-
build in similar design a marble
front about 40 feet further east
ward, will have to be decided on
the basis of later developments.
In any event, Mr.. Stewart said
the reconstruction project will
not prevent Inauguration of the
next President Of the United
States in 1857, in the same his
tbric east front.
Among the big questions fac
ing the new Commission for Ex-
tension of the United States
Capitol and Mr.. Stewart is the
need for transportation between
the Capitol and the two new
buildings ordered by Congress
this past session.
The present tunnels connect
ing the Capitol with the Senate
Office Building and the two. pres
ent House Office Buildings will
need either replacement or ex-
tension. and many plans are
already under study.
Mr.. Stewart said there is no
doubt but that Congress will
want an adequate, efficient
transportation system under
ground. But what it will be is
still unsettled.
One of the ideas, 1t waSs
learned, is a more elaborate
tunnel, maybe In the form of a
loop connecting the Capitol with
the House Office Buildings, the
Library of Congress, the SUI
preme Court, the two Senate
Office Buildings and back to the
Capitol.
The bill signed yesterday by
the President gives ample au-
thority to the new commission
and the architect to go as far
as the commission decides. The
law calls for reconstruction Of
the central portion in substan-
tial accordance with Scheme B
of an architectural plan sub
mitted to Congress in 1905 by
an architectural consulting firm
Iof New York.
Door Open to Changes
But, the law further says the
plan may be expanded with
such notifications and additions,
including provisions for restau-
rant facilities and such other
facilities in the Capitol grounds,
together with utilities, equip
ment, approaches and other
pertinent or necessary items. as
may be approved by the COM
mission.
This authority could even in
clude underground parking for
automobiles, 1t was learned.
Faced with the possibility that
the three big construction prof.
ects to be carried on in the big
Hill area might complicate the
parking problem for members of
Congress. their employees and
visitors, officials in charge of the
program, Mr.. Stewart explained,
plan to study timetable and
program of construction to help