Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-25
THE PATENT OFFICE BUILDING.
Its Crowded Condition Referred to In Sen
ate Debate.

There was interesting debate on local public
buildings in the Senate yesterday afternoon.
Senator Carey offered resolution, which was
public buildings and grounds was called upon
to report upon the condition of government
buildings. the necessity for new buildings, the
probable cost Of the latter and the amount
now annually spent for rent by the government
Senator Allison stated the rental expendi-
ture as about Sl40, 600 per annum. He did not
object to the inquiry, but he thought it would
do very little good. Everybody knew that
public buildings we're needed.
Senator Hswley made several pertinent and
forceful remarks as to the structurally dan
gerous and generally unhealthy condition of
the government printing Office.
TIE PATENT OFFICE BUILDING.
Senator Plat talked pointedly' OF the patent
office. Said he ut is now at least eight years
since called the attention of the Senate to this
matter. The difficulty has been increasing
ever since. Although we have been taking bust
ness out OF what il known the Interior De-
partment building. the danger, the overcrowd-
Ing the unhealthiness Of that building have
been increasing all the time notwithstanding
the room that has been made for the patent
Office. l said then, and repeat now, that if
where the employees were obliged to work under
as unfavorable conditions AS to health as the
clerks In the patent office, the proprietors
would be prosecuted and convicted under the
laws Of the state Of Connecticut"
CROWDED CONDITION OF THE ROOMS.
Senator Gray had beeL looking into the mat
ter also. Il had OCCASION" said he, '.as a
member of the committee on patents of this
body to visit the portion of the patent Office
building 10 which are assigned the documents
and records which have made the tremendous
weight that is jeoparding the safety OF that
building. and though I expected to find some
inconveniece there and state OF things which
was very undesirable, was not prepared to see
what was exhibited to me- and l have felt ever
since that there was personal responsibility
resting upon every member of this body and
upon the coordinate body Of Congress as long
as that state Of thing continues. for the lives
as we'll as for the health of those people who
are compelled to labor there for their daily sus-
tenance. found room there In which seventy
or eighty ladies were performing their clerical
duties that was sitting that a half hour
visit to that room made me 80 glad to get in to
the fresh air that should be very unwilling to
go back there again and stay the same length
Of time;
DANCER TO THE EMPLOYEES.
while we are waiting for the fireproof build
ing referred to, there is danger that some of
these people may be asphy xia;ed in the inter
val, and think, among all of the important
questions that are pressing upon the attention
OF Congress, there is none more important and
exigent than attention to this matter which
has been brought up by the Senator from Con
nechcut l do not believe we can afford to
wait single day in giving our attention to
some method OF relief. l understand from the
report made by the Secretary OF the Interior
| that the quantity OF air to each individual il
the part Of the building where these ladie,
worked is about 400 cubic feet, wherea,
DIR. Billings the best authority per
haps in the United States or in the
world on sanitary matters Of this kind
says hathaman life canuOt be BEAUTIFULLY con
| tinued without something like 1000 cubic feet
to the individual. 1 asked the gen tleinan who
has charge Of that room how they managed t.
get along at all, aud he said that at intervals O.
about two hours or an hour and II half the,
had TO ASK all these people to go ont of thu
room-tn winter time, OF courso--so that the,
might raise the windows In order to change
| the air: otherwise they could not get along NJ
| well as they do. That condition OF things il
| shameful AZ well as deplorable, and l thinl
some action ought to be taken at once In tn,
interest Of the human beings who are com
pelied by their necessities TO perform theil
duties under such circumstances