the same meeting the commission decided to place the statue in the center of the west side of Franklin Park.

At a meeting held on February 25, 1909, the commission approved the report of a committee of three experts appointed by it, selecting three of the models as the most meritorious, and awarded prizes to the authors. Later the commission requested the author of the model awarded first prize to submit a new design, from which the architectural features of the model were to be omitted or made less prominent. This the artist consented to do, and his second model was received in this city in June, 1909.

After careful consideration the commission rejected this model as unsatisfactory, and invited Mr. John J. Boyle, of New York, to submit a model for the statue, a contract for the erection of the work to be awarded to him if the model proved satisfactory. His model was submitted in May, 1910, and viewed by a committee of experts, who recommended certain changes in the design of the monument. In the meantime, a permanent National Commission of Fine Arts having been created by Congress, the Barry Commission decided to refer the matter to them for advice. This was done and at a meeting held December 8 the Statue Commission decided to award the contract to Mr. Boyle on condition that he modify his model in accordance with the suggestions of the Commission of Fine Arts. Mr. Boyle accepted this condition and on April 27 sent his new model to Washington for consideration. This was examined and approved by the Commission of Fine Arts on May 19, but the sculptor was asked to make some changes in the proposed setting for the monument. He is now engaged in altering the design of the setting in accordance with the suggestions of the commission.

The amount expended on account of this statue to June 30, 1911, was $2,986.40.

17. STATUE OF JOHN PAUL JONES.

Congress by act approved June 8, 1906, appropriated the sum of $50,000 for the erection in the city of Washington of a statue to the memory of John Paul Jones and for the preparation of a site, and created a commission composed of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the chairman of the Committee on the Library of the Senate, and the chairman of the Committee on the Library of the House of Representatives, to direct the expenditure and to select a site for the statue on ground belonging to the Government other than the grounds of the Capitol or Library of Congress.

The commission in June, 1908, selected a sculptor, Mr. Charles H. Niehaus, and on December 16, 1908, a contract was entered into with him for the execution of the work. In April, 1909, the commission selected a site for the statue at the foot of Seventeenth Street NW., on the shore at the northeast corner of the tidal basin.

On June 5, 1909, the sculptor submitted for consideration by the commission a model of the statue and pedestal, and at a meeting held on June 9 the commission approved the general design of the statue, but decided to ask the sculptor to restudy a portion of the pedestal. The revised model was approved, but a question having arisen in July as to the advisability of changing the adopted site, work upon the erection of the monument was delayed pending action on the matter

by the Statue Commission. On December 8 the commission decided to adhere to the site originally adopted, and also authorized an extension of the time limit under the contract with the sculptor sufficient to make good any delay to which he was put by reason of stoppage of work on the foundations pending the commission's decision as to the site. A supplemental contract covering this extension of time to December 16, 1911, was signed by the contracting parties on January 18. The full-size plaster model of the statue was completed by the sculptor early in February, and was approved and accepted by the Statue Commission on March 16. New plans for the architectural setting of the monument were examined and approved by the commission on March 5. The full-size model of the bas-relief for the pedestal was completed by the sculptor in May and accepted by the commission. It is expected that work for constructing the foundation will commence in August.

The amount expended on account of this statue to June 30, 1911, was $6,065.14.

18. MEMORIAL TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

By act approved March 4, 1907, Congress appropriated the sum of $100,000 for the erection in this city of a suitable memorial to Christopher Columbus, and created a commission consisting of the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Library of the Fifty-ninth Congress, the chairman of the Committee on the Library of the House of Representatives of the Fifty-ninth Congress, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, and the supreme knight of the Order of the Knights of Columbus, with authority to select a site and a suitable design and to contract for and superintend the construction of the memorial.

At a meeting held by the commission on May 18, 1907, the Secretary of War was elected chairman of the commission, and the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds its executive and disbursing officer.

On February 4, 1908, the commission selected as a site for the memorial the plaza in front of the new Union Railroad Station. On March 19, 1908, the commission accepted a design submitted by D. H. Burnham & Co., the architects of the Union Station, for the architectural treatment of the memorial, and on November 16, 1908, entered into contract with that firm for professional services in connection with the erection of the memorial. The commission directed its executive and disbursing officer to prepare a program of competition for the sculpture proposed for the memorial. This was done, the program printed, and copies were sent to all artists applying for it.

In accordance with the program 21 models were submitted by 20 competitors on or before December 1, 1908, and were viewed by the commission on January 8, 1909, but no choice was then made. At its next meeting, held on February 25, the commission selected the model of Mr. Lorado Taft, and also awarded prizes to the authors of the two models placed second and third in order of merit. On March 4, 1910, a contract was entered into with Mr. Taft to furnish models for the sculptural work, exercise supervision over its execution in stone, and superintend its erection. The 1-inch scale model was finished in June, 1910, but its acceptance was postponed to enable

some minor changes to be made. These were completed in July, the model was accepted by the commission on December 8, and the sculptor paid the amount due therefor under the terms of the contract. On March 16, 1911, the architects submitted a draft of the detailed specifications under which proposals for the erection of the memorial are to be invited. These were subsequently modified, and on June 26 bids for the erection of the memorial were invited, to be opened July 26. On June 24 the sculptor submitted for the consideration of the commission his full-size models of the crowning motive of the globe and eagles and the lateral sculptural motives forming a part of the center shaft.

The amount expended on acount of this statue to June 30, 1911, was $8,884.17.

19. MONUMENT TO GEN. HUGH MERCER AT FREDERICKSBURG, VA.

This monument was erected in 1905-6 under authority contained in an act of Congress approved June 28, 1902, which appropriated the sum of $25,000 for the purpose. The act provided that the funds should be expended under the direction of the Secretary of War, the city of Fredericksburg to furnish the site. The sculptor is Mr. Edward V. Valentine, of Richmond, Va., who was selected by the Secretary of War to design and erect the monument. The work was done by Mr. Valentine under contract. The site for the monument was conveyed to the United States by the city of Fredericksburg in July, 1905. The erection of the monument was commenced in September, 1905, and completed in February, 1906. The grounds around the monument were improved by this office between April and June, 1906. The improvements consist of a grassed mound, inclosed with a granite coping, around the base of the pedestal, cement walks bordered by cement coping, grassed lawns, and a granite coping and an iron post and chain fence around the four sides of the site. Water pipe was also laid for use in watering the lawns.

20. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ARMORY COMMISSION.

Section 17 of the public buildings act approved May 30, 1908, created a commission consisting of the Assistant Secretary of War, the general commanding the militia of the District of Columbia, the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds at Washington, D. C., and the Superintendent of the United States Capitol Building and Grounds, "Which shall cause plans and estimates to be prepared for a suitable armory for the National Guard of the District of Columbia and report the estimated cost thereof to the Congress." The act provided that the plans and estimates be prepared under the supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury and appropriated $2,500 for the expenses of the commission.

The commission selected the firm of Tracy, Swartwout & Litchfield, of New York, to prepare the plans and estimates. These were approved by the Supervising Architect of the Treasury, who was designated by the Secretary of the Treasury to supervise their preparation, as required by the act, and were then submitted by the commission, with its report, to Congress on April 13, 1910.

21. COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS.

By act approved May 17, 1910, Congress created a permanent Commission of Fine Arts, the constitution and duties of which were defined by the act which reads as follows:

That a permanent Commission of Fine Arts is hereby created to be composed of seven well-qualified judges of the fine arts, who shall be appointed by the President, and shall serve for a period of four years each, and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The President shall have authority to fill all vacancies. It shall be the duty of such commission to advise upon the location of statues, fountains, and monuments in the public squares, streets, and parks in the District of Columbia, and upon the selection of models for statues, fountains, and monuments erected under the authority of the United States and upon the selection of artists for the execution of the same. It shall be the duty of the officers charged by law to determine such questions in each case to call for such advice. The foregoing provisions of this act shall not apply to the Capitol Building of the United States and the building of the Library of Congress. The commission shall also advise generally upon questions of art when required to do so by the President, or by any committee of either House of Congress. Said commission shall have a secretary and such other assistance as the commission may authorize, and the members of the commission shall each be paid actual expenses in going to and returning from Washington to attend the meetings of said commission and while attending the same.

SEC. 2. That to meet the expenses made necessary by this act an expenditure of not exceeding ten thousand dollars a year is hereby authorized.

Pursuant to the authority conveyed by the act the President, on June 15, 1910, appointed the following-named gentlemen to be members of the commission:

D. H. Burnham, Chicago, Ill.

Frederick Law Olmsted, jr., Brookline, Mass.

Thomas Hastings, New York City.

Daniel C. French, New York City.

Francis D. Millet, Washington, D. C.

Cass Gilbert, New York City.

Charles Moore, Detroit, Mich.,

and on June 17, 1910, appointed Col. Spencer Cosby, the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, secretary of the commission. Subsequently, in sundry civil act approved June 25, 1910, Congress provided as follows:

To meet the expenses made necessary by the act approved May 17, 1910, entitled "An act establishing a Commission of Fine Arts," to be disbursed by the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, on vouchers approved by the commission, who shall be the secretary and shall act as the executive officer of said commission, ten thousand dollars.

A report of its operations during the year will be submitted independently by the commission.

EXTENSION OF BUILDINGS BEYOND THE BUILDING LINES IN THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.

The act of Congress approved March 3, 1891, as amended by the act approved June 21, 1906, requires the approval of the Secretary of War on applications for extensions upon buildings that are to be erected on lands adjoining United States public reservations.

By direction of the Secretary of War this office is charged with the duty of investigating and reporting upon these cases. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, there were no applications of that character referred to this office by the War Department.

OCCUPATION OF PUBLIC GROUNDS BY PRIVATE PARTIES.
[See map in Annual Report for 1894.]

The following reservation, the property of the United States, is now occupied, it is believed, without authority of law:

Reservation No. 186, by the Bethany Chapel of the New York Avenue Presbyterian congregation.

The occupancy of reservation 186 is now under investigation by this office and will be reported upon when completed.

The occupation by private parties of reservation 137 ceased during the past year and its care was assumed by this office.

Reservations Nos. 61, 65, 67, 139, 141, 142, 152, and 164 are occupied under permits granted the owners of the adjacent property by the Chief of Engineers, under authority of the act of Congress approved July 1, 1898. Of these the permits for Nos. 65, 67, 139, 152, and 164 were issued during the fiscal year 1911, after investigation and recommendation by this office.

In addition to the foregoing, there is a valuable piece of United States ground, known as reservation No. 94a, lying between Rock Creek and Twenty-eighth street west, between I and K streets north, of which certain persons are now in unlawful occupation. This office has for several years been making efforts to secure possession of the property, which have so far proved unsuccessful. In December, 1909, this matter was again brought to the attention of the United States attorney for the District of Columbia, and from information received from the Department of Justice it is believed that it will soon be decided in the courts.

The following leases and licenses granting the use of portions of the public grounds to private parties were executed by the Chief of Engineers during the year:

March 1, 1911.-Lease to Columbus Hunting Club of a portion of square south of square 1140, Washington, D. C., with the right to erect and maintain thereon a shooting trap for practicing shooting at inanimate objects. Consideration, $5 per annum, payable in advance.

May 22, 1911.-License to S. Howison for the use, as a truck garden, of United States reservation 244, at Potomac Avenue, Half and R Streets SW., Washington, D. C. Consideration, $10 per annum, payable semiannually in advance.

May 22, 1911.-License to George A. Norris for the use, as a truck garden, of United States reservation 243, at Potomac Avenue, Second, and R Streets SW., Washington, D. C. Consideration, $10 per annum, payable semiannually in advance.

June 9, 1911.-Lease to vestry of Washington Parish for the use for storage purposes of a portion of square 1152, Washington, D. C. Consideration, $20 per annum, payable in advance.

June 17, 1911.-License to Thos. W. Smith for the use, as a roadway and for storage purposes, of a portion of United States reservation 248, at Potomac Avenue, First and O Streets SE. Consideration, $80 per annum, payable quarterly in advance.

DISTRIBUTION OF EXPENDITURES.

The following summary shows in tabulated form the various expenditures and liabilities incurred during the fiscal year for each separate work under the charge of this office: