The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-30
WAITING FOR THE VERDICT.
VAST AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTARY TRASH AND
SOME USEFUL AND VALUABLE RECORDS.

VAST AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTARY TRASH AND
SOME USEFUL AND VALUABLE RECORDS
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 1877.
1t Is estimated that there are 200, 900 cubic
feet OF public records In manuscript and $50 900
printed books stored away in the Executive depart
monts and their various bureaus branches occu-
plying thirtythrco buildings all less exposed
TO destruction or damage by fire. OF these buildings
only ten are owned by tho United States-viz., the
new State Department, tho old War and Navy depart.
mens, the Treasury, Interior Post Ofcc and Agricu!-
tural departments; the Army Medical Museum, tho
Naval Observatory and wnder's Building corner
Seventeenth aud streets Tho others are rented at
AN annual OF 800 600 Tho buildings claimed to
be- nreproot the State, treasury and Post Once
departments and Windcr's Building; also the building
South Capitol street, rc:ted for the Coast Survey,
and the 'Shcphord Building" rented Tor the Pension
Office and Bureau OF Education.
With regard to the Treasury and Post ONCE depart.
ments 1t may be said that tho former would doubt
DO much nrepro0f any other public building II It
were not full OF combustibc materials, and that as
the latter has not been burned down II has SO fur
answered all the purposes of completely ircprooi
adjustment. No building, however, where papers
handled be considered secure against damage by
fire long as tho smoking OF pipes and cigars per-
mittcd. Smoking in the Treasury Department was
never been resended but since the present Secretary
walked into the building morning with a cigar IN
his mouth II has not been regarded ~ any great ex
tent
THE TREASURY RECORDS.
The most extensive, US well AS the most valuable
records OF the government those vi tue treasury
possibly be duplicated The Treasury archives con-
tam all tho vouchers and other documents
relating to the fiscal transactions Of Tho
United States, amounting III tue aggregate to
$3l, 100 100000 In The iowor part OF the building
arc Kept tho nlcs Of the Register oil the Treasury aud
tho Fourth aud Fiith auditors, embracing tue
counts Of the Treasurer OF tho United states, tue
sistant treasurers and designated dcpositarics all
counts connected with the customs SERVICE the
General Land Onicc, tho Judiciary Dep,r mont Of
Agriculture, Internal Revenue Bureau, Department OF
STATE Patent Office and the Navy Department, Tho
extensive and closely packed lies vi inc Third Audit
ors Office in the top story least ront ana consist
OF the accounts which accrued during tue war OF 1872
the accounts OF tho Quarernaster's Depaytncnt, Sub
sis,euce Department, signal Corps Engineer Corps,
army PENSIONS state CLAIMS for Of
penscs ncdrred during the rebellion, claims Tor horses
lost IN battle, &c me Second Auditor OF the Treas
ury for whom there ~ no room In the Treasury Build
ing has the three upper stories Of Winder Building,
ono Of which is led up with millions OF VOUCHERS aud
accounts rendered since lSlI by army paymasters,
Indan agents, recruiting ohiccrs upd officers VI the
Ordnance Medical ana AuJuant Gcherais depart
ments.
WAR DEPARTMENT. ARCHIVES
The War Department Is cnokcd up with records.
The muster rolls oi three there, with Ill the
orders, counter orders, rcproos commentators
ommendatIons, respectful references and correspond
encc generally that have emanated from 'hcsc head.
auartersr suco the Lme OF Henry DsarbornreI tape,
routine and Iuss aud feathers brooding over ALI
The records In tho War Department, however, arc
merely fraction OF the departmental archives.
The AdJutant General has hall score Of rented
buildings In which arc kept the papers OF tho
late Fir, edman's Bureau, the returns accounts and
correspondence Of the Provost Marshal Generals
Bureau all matters relating to the collecting, dnii
ing and organizing Of volunteers, aud other I'M
portant miscellaneous documents for which there Is
no space III the War Department The Offices aud rec.
ords OF the Quartcrnastor General Commissary Gen.
eru al IN inf
Signal officer are also IN separate rented building,
und the Judge Advocate General, Chief vi Engineers
and Chicf oil Ordnance, with thew clerks papers
occupy the first and second stories o: windcr's
Building.