Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/156

 ventilating of all parts of the building in conformity with the best scientific knowledge of the day.

The plan of the building has been adapted to the site selected by act of the legislature: the narrow tract owned by the state between State and Court streets in the City of Salem where the territorial capitol stood which was destroyed by fire in 1854, and where the state capitol stood, which was erected in 1873–1876. Through the gift of the City of Salem and with the consent of the heirs of Dr. and Mrs. William H. Willson, the eastern portion of Willson Park, contiguous on the west with the capitol grounds, has been added to the state's property. This will permit the placing of the capitol farther to the west than the old building, so its approach axis will be up Summer Street, with its longitudinal axis running the long way of the tract of the state grounds and the park.

The site plan submitted by the successful architects contemplates the acquisition ultimately of the four blocks fronting Summer Street, between Court and Center streets, developing an esplanade as approach to the main entrance of the capitol, with driveways on each side of the parkway, and with future buildings of the capitol group erected at the center of each of the four blocks. This would make provision for a state library, an office building, a state museum, and an additional unit. Legislative action will be required to adopt the plan for the state and to authorize any additional buildings.

The dimensions of the new capitol are: Length 396 feet; width, 160 feet in the center, 96 feet in the wings; height overall, from base to top of statue, 164 feet; of the main building, 60 feet. The old capitol had a height of 187 feet to the top of the dome and of 75 feet for the building proper. The length of the old building was 286 feet and its width 146 feet. Its wings were 92 feet wide.

Funds in the amount of $2,500,000 have been provided for the new capitol, but the limit set by the capitol reconstruction commission for the cost of the building proper is $2,200,000, at a unit cost of 80 cents per cubic foot. The architects will receive six percent of the construction costs as their fee. Under the conditions of the competition an Oregon firm of architects has been appointed as supervising architects, the men selected