The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-18

'Catacombs of the National Capitol Where
Records Are FIisd

Records Are Fitted
Washington Critic.
IL II not generally known that every bill,
every report, every executive communica
tion, IN short, everything that comes be-
fore Congress- preserved In the original.
Bot such is the fact.
There lie place devoted to the preservs-
ton OF these relics, and a man specially
charged with preserving them. The room Is
q succession of iron corridors, one above the
other, lined with receptscles for holding
large volumes.
Commencing on TIE roof OF the house,
the records run downward In chronological
order The books are OF all sizes down TO
shout forty years ago, when they assume
uniformity. They are all leather covered
and strongly bound. Inside OF them are
fhiek leaves upon which bills, reports and
other Congressional documents are pasted In
the original. Every kind OF paper Is there.
The history of the improvement In paper
manufacture can be traced in these volumes
from the first session OF the Continental
Congress down TO the present day.
II Is noted, too, In delving among these
old tones that the later ones are better pre-
pared than those preceding them. For in
stance, there Is evident slovenliness In the
volumes OF the first Congress. Improve
msnt goes on "a the dates become more re-.
cent. But very little Is missed In this vast
collection. The first and second Congresses
are not complete, and there Is somewhat
bad break in the continuity OF the records
| the years just before the British burned
the Capitol.
The break vas caused by fire and by the
British taking away some OF the volumes.
There srs n number OF volumes on hand
which show the effects OF British depreda.
lions. They are charred, and their con,c ats
smoked and covered with dirt. Bat not q
word il there In them that can not be read.
Thus from the date OF the first meeting OF
Congress there ls an almost unbroken colec
ton In the original OF almost oil matters
that came before that body. La later years q
great deal OF ingenuity has been shown In
making the edges OF the contents OF the
leather. backed volumes "a smooth as those oil
any first.class publication.
The ingenuity 10 the more apparent when
II Is remembered that all sizes aud kinds oil
paper are used In preparing bills for intro
duction, and In writing reports and other
matters pertaining 10 Congressional buei-
ness- The originals. when ordered to be
fee, but strict care 10 always taken that they
are returned. The printers marks are 10 be
seen on many OF the papers.
For the past thirty years these volumes
have been prepared by an Old gentleman
who Is now nearly seventy years OF age. lie
las room In tho basement OF the Capitol
SIT apart for his own There he locks
himself up and gives a receipt for the docu
menis which are sent TO him. He then ar
ranges them I'm his books in regular order
When be has finished volume he turns \,
over to the proper official aud gets receipt
The volume then goes to the place set apsrt
for such records.
One would not think there would be much
inquiry for what Is contained In the dus,
covered old books. but there Is. There I.
hardly day but that somebody wants TO ge
copy Of an original document OF years ant
wears ago. They are always accommodated
The old gentleman who prepares the Original
matter Tor preservation IL but seldom seen
'Opeof the gentlemen in charge Of the iron
corridors tays that he does not see the ole
nan more thar two or three times year
when be appears to hand over the vol ume.
that he has prepared.