Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-10
THE BUILDING CONDEMNED.

a Report That Was Made 10 Congress Year,
Ago.
This building was condemned q unsafe a. long
ago a. 1866 and the resr wall was strengthened
by the construction Of supports within.
Serious objections to the occupation Of the
bailding for government Office purposes have
been made and often repeated in public reports
and on the floors Of both houses OF Congress.
As long ago as 1883 o report was made to the
House Of Representative by Mr. Shausnberger,
frou the committee on public buildings and
grounds, upon that portion Of President Ar
thurs message transmitting recommendation
BY the Secretary Of War for an appropriation
for the purchase Of . site and the erection of .
nre-proof building thereon. to contain the REQ
ords, library and museum OF tho surgeon gem
erals office. then in the Ford's Theatsr build
following passages. showing that she committee
fully appreciated the insecurity Of the building
In which the disaster Of yesterday occurred:
THAT the necessity for . suitable fre-proof
building 10 contain and preserve these important
collections seems clearly demonstrated
The building in which the greater part Of
these collections are stored IL an old theater
that was built in about nine months, known as
'Ford's Iheater,' on 10th street II is at present
In avery shay condition. The back wall Is far
ont OF plumb, and probably, il It had not been
relieved by iron columns, the whole building
would have fallen The north vail IL also in .
bad condition. The roof Is not frs-proof
Buildings In the immediate vicinity are frame;
some OF them shantieA The danger from fire.
therefore, Il really very great, and fires have
already broken out, not IN the building itself,
but in its immediate vicinity. and the govern
ment watehman in charge Of this building dis
covered the hres and succeeded In putting them
out before they spread. The lower door IL at
present occupied by clerks Of the record and
pension division. Il 10 very dark, necessitating
tho use Of galight very freely, and has posi-
lively no ventilation. Col Jones. inspector
general Of the War Department, was sent by
the Secretary OF War several years ago to ex-
anime 1t, and made q strong report against the
building, stating that not more than one-third
Of the number Of clerks employed in it should
be allowed to remain
In the judgment Of your committee 1t IL
dangerous to the life Of any person at all pre-
disposed to lung troubles to be employed in
the lower part Of the building for seven or
eight hours a day."
Surgeon General Barnes in his annual report
In December, 1881, called especial attention '.to
the overcrowded and unsafe condition Of the
building Noa 500 and Sill 10th street." and he
remarked that
1.-The sad experience of the Smithsonian
Institution in 1855, and Of the patent once in
1877, has demonstrated that the perils to which
collections preserved In such building are
exposed in case Of fire are not materially d.
minished BY the fireproof floors beneath: but
In both the cases referred to the extent Of the
damage was limited to the upper story by the
substantial character Of the walls and floors
The walls Of the 10th street building are not
only weak, but much out OF plumb. so that Il il
to be feared that destruction by hre Of the roof
would not only involve the whole museum COL
lection in the third story, but, by the fall of at
least portion Of the walls, the destruction Of
the contents OF the lower stories, including
the library and the records would result
This outlay cannot be advautaseously made
merely for the alteration or enlargement Of the
present building. No ground adjoins it be-
longing to the United States on which an ex-
tension latterly can be made. and the walls are
too thin and crooked 10 bear Q further in
crease of height"