Viewing page 151 of 175

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-149-

"In 1847 the building was described as 'of white marble of the richest workmanship in the Corinthian style, the court with a beautiful specimen of light granite... the main entrance is from E Street by a flight of marble steps into a recessed vestibule; to the right and left are spacious corridors leading to marble staircases conducting to the different stories.... The whole is made thoroughly fireproof and is heated by furnaces in the basement story.'

"The building still has almost all of its original architectural features and decorations, well preserved and maintained. The marble floors in the corridors are still handsome. The huge third floor room with dome and Doric columns is intact. In general, the interior has suffered far less than [did] the Fine Arts and Portrait Galleries Building across the street. 

"The large courtyard would make an ideal exhibit space for outdoor architectural material (there is a monumental arched separate entrance to it from 8th Street.) The building has entrance doors on all four sides, so it would lend itself well to separately zoned interior areas, approached by separate portals (exhibit areas, office areas, study and research areas, etc.)."

The Tariff Commission, renamed the U. S. International Trade Commission, is now using other rental space for about 50 staff that