Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-13
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The Condition and Location Of Many Clerk
to BE Bettered.

The Condition and Location Of Many Clerks
to BE Bettered.
Some sweeping changes in the location and
distribution of the working forces of the In.
terror Department are soon to be made, and
there is to be something like o revolution in
the present system of storage in the depart
ment
1t is very probable that all of the models
Of patents which now incumber the
larger portion Of the third floor Of
the Interior Department will be removed
from the building bodily. The spact
thus gained, amounting to several thousand
accommodation Of the hundreds Of clerks whs
at present occupy crowded and dark quarter
In other portions of the bzilding.
The clerks will be brought up from the close
and unhealthy rooms Of the basement, wher,
sunlight and pure air are q scarcity, and givsI
commodious and well-ventilated desk room in
the upper story. The basement floor viii ther
be used for the storage OF documents.
1t Is not unlikely that the working force Of the
Indian bureau, at present located in the Atlantic
building on + street, may be brought from
that building and accommodated elsewhere
Az 4uAESctb AZ ledet uOTc Ioons Suo
better suited for the purpose. Similar changes
in the location Of other bureaus Of the Interior
Department occupying quarters outside Of the
main building may be expected.
About two weeks ago, nearly ten DAYS before
the wreck of the Ford's Theater building, Sec
Rotary Hoke Smith decided TO take mp the
question Of the crowded condition Of the
Interior Department and act upon it.
He appointed committee composed
of chiefs of the several bureaus, with AssistAn,
Secretary Sims as chairman, 70 handle the
matter. Assistant Secretary Sims went
into the question thoroughly and sys-
tematically. giving his personal attention
HIM long to grasp the situation. and then arose
the question Of how to remedy it. The frs;
action was to relieve the overcrowded condition
of the northwest wing Of the building
occupied by the patent Office and used
for the storage of tons upon tons Of documents.
Three days before the disaster at Ford's Thea
ter occurred the work of distributing The
weight of the documents commenced and it j,
| still proceeding. The documents are being
scattered along the corridors, thus equalizinf
the weight upon the supports OF the third
story.
OUTSIDE QUARTERS FOR STORAGE.
Realizing that outside space must be OBJ
tanned FOR the better accommodation and il
fact the safety. Of the department
Assistant Secretary Sims looked about 70,
suitable quarters. He was offered Ii,
four upper floors of the Unior
building. now in part occupied by the city pos
Office. and 1t il very likely that this spact
will be accepted. Mr.. Sims thought Il
would be . good plan to store the patent
Office models and exhibits in q portion Of
this building and thus relieve the mair
building OF their presence. These old model
are OF no daily practical use and they Nigh
as well be exhibited in one place as another
He did not care to make this change. however
without consulting the wishes Of the paten
Office officials and the matter was laid befor,
them. 1t IL now under advisement and as sooi
as a decision is reached Mr.. Sims will act
Assistant Secretary Sims is still continuing
his Investigations, and il is proposed to d,
everything possible to contribute to the com
fort and secure the safety of the clerks in tn
main building OF the Interior Department anc
in the annex quarters occupied by differen
bureaus.
Assistant Secretary Sims has an ide,
winch will probably be communicate,
in a recommendation to Congress. He sug
gests that glass and iron structure Nigh
be erected in the court of the Interior Depart
ment building for the accommodation
and display of the models and exhibits Of tn
patent Office. Such building could be erectet
without interfering with the light or ventila
ton Of the contiguous rooms. as an area o.
fifteen or twenty feet could be left outside tn
structure.
Ii need not be an expensive structure AND
would pay for itself in a very short time in tn
saving OF rents which the department vii
otherwise have to pay.