Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-07
A GENERAL CLEANING OUT.
Tons OF Useless Files In the Treasury
Finally Got Rid OF

Tons or Useless Files In the Treasury
Finally Got Rid OF
The Treasury Department has today about
concluded with . gigantic piece OF house,
cleaning that has been In progress for over
three months past IL 10 said. In domestic
vernacular, that three moves are equal 20 q
hre, but in the case Of the Treasury there have
been neither moves nor fires for 20 many year,
that there has gradually accumulated q vest
mass OF useless papers that have monopolissd
the available space 10 such an extent that Q
thorough sitting and destruction became abso-
lusely necessary.
A little lees than o year ago Secretary VIM
dom wrote to Congress about the accumulation
OF useless hies in the Treasury building. ana
IN order that some sction might be taken that
would relieve the pressure he submitted q
scneonie OF all the vAlueless papers storeA
away In the hooks and corners Of the buildins.
Ihn vas IN accordance with an act approved
February l6, 1889.
sEikcrrNo rskIkss PkpyRA
committee had previously been appointed
representing the various bureaus Of the depart.
ment to select the papers that might safely be
destroyed At once. and the report submitted
was made the basis OF future action An an
preparation Of 1000 was made 90 defrny DE
expenses OF handling the material, which Vas
tage possible.
Advertisements were issued setting forth tns
character OF the papers, and asking for bida, .
Few OF which were received later from ysrioua
sources, principally paper manufacturer
Inc highest bids were accepted. and early
last August the work of carting away the sc-
cumuiations was begun. Several men we're en-
gaged 70 handle the papers, under the direc-
non OF mr. Lem Barber, the well-knovn Wheel
man, and for three months heavy bar, az
papers and stub-books have been dropping dovn
the stairway well IN the southwest corner
OF the building from the fourth Hoor 70 shs
basement This well il over eighty feet d>ev
ana aln the work required the use Of a rope sbout
SVo iees long pulley taking three lines. A
wlndlass and drum were rugged in the corridor
OF the fourth floor and two brawny negroes
manipulated the handles and the brakes.
OVER 500 TONS OF PAPER
and pasteboard have thus gone droppins
through the air, and then have been csrted
away TO be made into new material. For this
mass OF material the government has besa
PAID about $4,000, which has been turned into
the treasury under the head of ''miscellane-
Gus receipts" Some of the paper has gone 70
mill in Hagerstown. Md; all OF the internal
revenue stamp stub books-of which there
were tons upon tons-to a Philadelphla firm
and the special tax stamps to a certain anti
quarian, who makes special study OF such
articles.
The files thus DESTROYED have given place 40
very large amount OF room that will be used
with newer, later flies that have heretofore been
crowded out Several thousand cubic feet of
space is thus cleared, being mostly along the
walls OF ME rooms and in cases lining the cor
ridors The material destroyed was In q vast
variety of forms. mostly in the bureau OF in
ternal revenue stamp stubs, returns from col
iectors and gaugers and all sorts OF blanks.
Hereafter q regular schedule is to be adopted
whereby such useless papers will be destroyed
n fnln Al ~
render doubly sure the chances OF their never
again being Of value