New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-11
PERHAPS MORE DEATH-TRAPS.
OTHER PUBLIC BUILDINGS OvERWEl"iilfp
AND OvERCROWDED.

ALARMING CONDITION or MANY GOVERNMENT
orFIcEs-APPEALs FOR APPRoPH ,TIoNs
IGNORED BY CONGRESS.
| Washington, June lO.-This frightinl accf''ht
has called the attention OF officials 10 'he coh'"-
| ton Of other public buildings which are SAID 10
be more or less unsafe. An officer OF the lr'a>Hry
| DEPARTMENT. whose duties require him TO spch'
much Of his time in the Dc2ar meat oil JuS'r;'' SAN
this afternoon that the weight resting upon u'e
floors Of that building was alarming to man OF
nerves The building was constructed for
ordinary business purposes, ana WAS lor SOHO
time used by the oil Frccdmcns Bank without
having been strengthened in any way, 1t WIS
transferred 10 its present use, ana gradually aii
its floors have been stored with III" w'lght oi
accumulated books and records. The top noor
was used as a storcroom, and is packed with an
enormous weight Of books
The Winder building, opposite the State De-
partmcnt, now occupied by the War Department
and Second Auditor Of the Treasury, has IRE
ouenty been criticised, and the clerks who work
there assert that il is none too safe The binding
is an old one. of brick, all cracked and scanned.
and is six stories high, with a basement. The
rooms, small AZ the outset have been divided,
and the whole interior looks like a Chinese den
small balconies nave been erected, and in every
conceivable way the area has been increased
In every nook and corner books and records have
been piled away. a collapse in this building,
which fairly swarms with clerks, would he
attended with frghtful loss of life
The Busch Building. which forms an annex Of
the Postonice Department, is another Of those
structures about which there clings an unsavory
reputation for safety and substantially. Like
other places Of a similar character, it is filled
with clerks, and the combined weight OF furni-
turc and postal records stored has made it Il con-
slant menace TO the occupants. IL was III this
Iuildin- about year ago, during storm, that
stampede of panic-strlcicn clerks was narrowly
avcrtcd Several attempts TO brace ii up have
been made.
The Patent Office. Il massive stone structure,
is not exempt from the general criticism The
northwest corner of the Patent Office is crowded.
and packed with voluminoGs and enormously
heavy records that the Heavy walls have cracked
Until great gaps appear For months the clerks have
laEolcd here with the daily fear of danger hang
ing over them. Two years ago Secretary Nobl"
called the attention of Congress 10 this danger
in message IN which he said lie would not. and
could not. under the existing state of affairs, be
responsible for the lives of TN" people who
worked there or the records of the Government
Secretary Noble made an urgent appeal for an
appropriation that would remedy the evil, but
the appeal ignored. and nothing was done
Senator Call. of Florida said this morning
that this ACCIDENT ought to suggest the immediate
need of rigid Inspection of other public build
ings, and especially those not built Originally
for the uses 70 which they were now put. Ia"
Senator said he was III favor OF new t'oV"rn-
mcnt Printing Onice. and he believed the ma
orty of CONGRESS was. bu; The experience OF
the past" said he. shows that IA" proposition
10 build a new printing office has been mad"
the vehicle for real estate deals.
Il believe the Government should be held
lust as accountable for rs acts a private IN
dividual" SAID Senator Dolph, hnt am unhhl"
10 crticsr this affair until | know where the
blame belongs II j. tho duty of In" GoN"Inm"n'
10 provide good substantial and thoroughly sai"
buildings for those who do its work and Tor IN"
preservation of its records. These huIdlhss
should he frequently inspected. and II unsafe,
should not he occupied. II the General 6pN"Tn-
M n, is ~ blame in this matter hdv" no DOUBT
/, will make reparaiIon The matter. II II cones
before Congress- will probably come ia the shal"
Of bill for relief. II may be-. however, that
the blame is due 10 negligent contractors; stlI
tho question Of ncgligcnc" is one that - exceed
inclv difficult Of just solution In cas'h OF ac'i
dcnt In shipbndng and other GovcInmcntrl
matters relief has been afforded, mn ~ has nch
in the shape of a donation. To do II In any other
way would be 20 establish DANGEROUS precedent
This horrible affair WILL no doubt. b" iuHy IA,
ycsticatcd and IN" Government can be d"p'nn'd
upon 10 do It's full duty.