National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-03
In CASE OF FIRE
WHAT WOULD BECOME OF THEM ,
The Files Of the Goverpmen.-whero They Are
Packed-Crlminal Neglect or Congress to D..
Provide for tho Security OF
Lifo and Property.

Very few people have any idea about the man
ner in which the valuable records and archives OF
the government are kept. glance at public
building gives the impression that II Is invul-
ncrabe 10 attacks Of man the sortie' Of the elc-
elements This thought would be sweotly dissi-
pate1 IL person would takea rnmble through any
ofthe buildings. THE REPUBLICAN reporter yester-
day visited several OF the Departments for the pur
pose ofexamining the manner in which the files Of
the government are kept. The Treasury Depart
ment was first visited. Going in at the southeast
lower door the reporter acccs.ed n sinlwart mes
senger with "Can you tell me where the file
rooms are ?" "Theres the Registers ONCE fo-
room," answered the MESSENGER and the scribe
made his way to room 10. Inquiry evolved tho
information that the long line Of closets, built
upon tho sides, and in the center of tho room,
were made of iron and
WERE THOROUGHLY F1RE.PRooF.
Mr. Walker, genial gentleman, was requested
by THE REPUBLICAN, TO tel him something about
the Treasury fle-rooms. "Tlis room is the only
w po%d TSgoa tho So Rs Il hS SS%dnS O
manner we are compelled to keep the papers
coming under the Registers jurisdiction" Across
&c t S En' sn yy an naF0 70 IS0m e pF0S @Sy
in which were erected lines of pine
shelving. Upon the shelves were all sorts Of mar
shals vouchers, Treasury accounts, such rs the
pay rolls of custom houses, minis, and branches q
s bs T TCncbay in IN general
Abstracts '"i In huge yonme, of tRe im.
ports received at the various ports since the be-
ginning Of the government, and piles uron piles
Of other papers which could never be replac d II
lost, and which arc rbsolutely necessary TO tho
workings of the Department. "WhHt would you
% ,v in ca. case of fire 2" gueted the reporter.
'All these pap rs and the shelves are as dry as
finder, and IL fire once started here by any
means there would be absolutely no way I'm which
TO save single account. The business Of the
Registers 0fice has grown to such an extent that
the fire. proof closets you have Just seen
ARE TOTALLY INADEQUATE.
The rooms you have have examined contain but
small part Of our records. I'll show you tho
other rooms" The twain skipped over the mar
BILE, corridor, around to the west wing of the
building, and entered room AZ. This room is 1G
ect long by 80 wide and isfanked by an immense
room which runs under the western portico and
by smaller room which runs northward. In all
Of these rooms were built the same hame.invit-
ing pine shelves with little narrow passage ways
between them, scarcely wide enough TO admit
full OF valuable records and accounts Row
after row of hooks containing the enrollments Of
bursers aud receivers of public lands; mscella-
neous pay warrants, vouchers of the assistant and
sub-treasuters; all the Adams Express Company
accounts for the transportation of bullion and
ether valunbles the vouchers of the diplomatic
service: miscellaneous internal revenue accounts;
stamp books, and wolld of other kinds of re-
ceipts and vouchers, all of which would vanish
into smoke should II match be dropped upon any
of the papers piled upon the floor In q remote
corner were snelNeu the DOCKS containing the aC-
counts Of the old loans Of the government, being
in themselves n concise history of the financial
workings of the United States from its infancy.
Near the door were all the assessors' and survey
Ors' accounts.
"Now WE'LL co UP STAIRS"
said Mr.. Walker. Up the pair went to the top floor,
TO the rooms which were once occupied by tho
Bureau of Eng avlng and Printing: In the south
west corner were Two rooms in length together
about 23O feet and % feet wide. The same shelving
that decorated the rooms down stairs were here
nlyO and pOunliy full of records. Mr. i II
who has charge of this portion of the Registers
file-rooms, took Mr.. Walker and the. reporter
internal revenue, including those of the
rst quarter OF the present year, are here stored.
In thecorner are kept in little pap r boxes the cou-
ons that were redeemed in gold of the 730 bonds
issued IN 1862 and 1864. Here also are the can
celcd bonds themselves representing what was
and hundreds of valuable old books are also
stored In this room; the accounts of the wars Of
the Revolution and 1872 also the direct tax records
during the war. Mr.. Graves agreed with MIR.
Walker in
HIS OPINION ABOUT FIRE,
as did, in fact, every person with whom the re-
porter conversGd. Leaving the two gentlemen, the
| Investigator relraced his steps and entered the
| large tile-room of the Secreary's office ON the
| of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The
hail. which is about $50 feet long by so feet wide,
is furnished with the approved pine shelving.
| Office which are brought into requisltion
each day for reference and Information. Then
| the immense file-rooms of the Third Auditors
once was visited, also on the top door, in the
eastern wing. The files of this office, which were
| being searched by numerous clerks, occupy sew
other GO feet by &c. and two smaller rooms that are
filed to their greatest capacity. There is also an
other room-llO feet by % feet-which is partly
filed.
Tfm SAME WOODEN SHELVING
| prevails here, and contain all the vouchers Of
| army pensioners from 1918, all Quartermaser and
10 -
| mans Bureau accounts. miscellaneous claims set
tied, property returns of quartermasters and com
misSaries, aud other records, which are absolutely
| necessary 10 the proper working Of the Third
Auditors Office. THEREPuBLICAN left The Treasury
building filled with surprise aud Indignation at the
careless manner in which the iecordS OF the most
| important department of the government are kept
| II fire should break out anywhere on the
top floor there would be abs0aely no meanl
that necessary 10 the proper transaction of the
nations business. Then, again, the intiamma.
bilty of the materials would cause fire to spread
with lightning rapidity, and the loss OF life in such
Il case would be most appalling, With all these
things running through his head, THE REpuBLI'
CANS rciormer made his way to
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
The file rooms of the Patent Office occupy the en-
tire west wing of the Patent. ONCE building. The
old model room, in which the disastrous fire ir
| 1877 began, has been entirely changed in its form
On either side are two galleries, upon which ar,
ranged long lines Of pine shelves dry as finder
1885 to the present day, are there kept. On thu
west side Of the hall are all the application
and accompanying papers filed by inventors
| who were dGsirOus of securing governmental pro-
lection for their work, and the east side the
drawings and specifications Of all the patents
The papers filed away are in constant demand
and necessitate the presence of large force o.
lady clerks. These persons lives are In constant
danger. visit to the Capital disclosed the SAINT
state of affairs. Above the clerks Office Of thu
Supreme Court is the Senate library where vol
umes upon volumes of old books arr
silent invitations to the devouring element
The file-rooms and lstorage-r rooms o
all the other departments are in tn
same condition, and no false ideas of economy o
parsimonious policy should prevent the immedi
ate reconstruction of the file rooms where the req
history of the government is laid away. TIL
Patent once fire was an apt illustration of how
magnifcently fiery departmental records may be
come upon one SpP.oaGhi 0r maiGn ma me gpx
allowing the Departments TO remain in such
condition that the world may be Mortified by rad
ing OF a holocaust at any time.
A Story About Pie.