The Washington times., 1894-07-06
TAKING A FEARFUL RISK
Criminal Neglect in Not Providing a
New Printing Office.
CONGRESS ONLY RESPONSIBLE
Prominent Citizens Agree That Every Con-
sideration Of Humanity Demands That No
Time Be Lost in Housing the Governments
sservants in Safe Building.

1t seems to be generally understood that
Congress will not decide at this session upon
site for nor take other action looking to
the erection of a new building for the use o.
the Government Printing Office. The law
making statesmen admit that'a transfer oi
the Office from the old white barn it now oc-
cupies is necessary. From information be-
fore Congress, furnished through Investigate
ing committees, in the reports made by sue
cessive cniefs of the bureau, and otherwise,
it has become apparent to that body that the
lives OF the employees are in jeopardy as long
as they remain within the walls OF the old
structure and no satisfactory reasons can 'be
given for the protracted delay in settling
upon a new location. If lives should be lost
there, and limbs broken, and great financial
loss incurred, there will be no trouble In
placing the responsibility where it belongs:
Here are some opinions upon the subject
expressed by representative citizens:
A. A. BIRNEy, United States District Attor-
ney: 1T has been apparent for number oil
years that the building in which the office is
located is unsafe. Those oid-style structures
were never intended to support the great
weight I0dL NOW upon tue Ntlls anu
floors of the Government Printing Office.
That bureau requires a building constructed
according to modern methods. with plenty OF
strength. as well as space and light. A new
building should be provided at the earliest
possible date"
HUMAN LIFE MUST BE PROTECTED.
Il. SHERWOOD, City Postmaster: ''There
are two buildings badly needed in Washing
,.h oh Ia, l.J, ,.ifh f,ut
delay. These are District building and n
Government Printing Office. OF the two, the
printing office is needed first, by all means,
and if 10th cannot be had Immediately let
the printers be supplied. II is question of
protect NJ human life. l think the matter
should suffer no delay whatever"
CAMPBELL CARRISGToS. attorney-at-law No.
sos d street northwest: 1T perhaps requires
very little to satisfy the average Congress-
man. but. considering the danger incur red. to
say nothing of the impure air from bad ven,i-
lation, think If Congress had TO pass but a
single Summer in the building occupied by
the Government Printing Office it would in
sure new quarters in short order. The
present building is disgrace TO the city and
to the government, and equally disgrace to
Congress for permitting the office to re-
main there"
F. H. Padgett, secretary of Typographical
Union. No. l01; 1T is a matter of actual
necessity that new quarters be at once pro-
vided for the Government Printing Office.
1t is well known that those men are heried
together down there in a building that is
totally unfit for the purpose, and they are
liable at any time to have disaster that will
be as bad possibly great deal worse, than
the Ford's theater collapse. There should be
no further delay in selecting a site, nor In
beginning the construction of new build
ing"
INACTIVITY WORSE THAN CRIMINAL.
c. F. ScoTr, ex-Assistant Attorney General,
corner Four-and-a-half and d streets north
west: Every consideration of humanity and
safety to the lives of the employees demands
the most speedy action possible, in view OF
recent local disasters from insecure build
ings."
F. L. s1DDoSs. of Ralston & siddons, attor-
neys-at-law, No. 1888 F street northwest:
Congressional inactivity in this matter is
nothing short Of criminal
W. C. DUyALL, dealer in real estate. No.
925 L street northwest: Unless Congress has
positive proof that the reports Of the inse-
curity OF the Government Printing Office
building are entirely Il o lndless it is a crime
i'll my opinion. TO keep men at work there,
to danger, for single day. A gov
ernment like this ought not, indeed, to ex-
pose any mans life for an instant
A. LIsNER. proprietor of the Palais ROYAL,
corner Of Eleventh and G streets northwest:
1.-The Ford's theater disaster should be
waIning to Congress. and immediate steps
should be taken to avoid a similar one"
Francis HUFTY. real estate dealer corner of
Thirteenth and + streets northwest: II can
only say that think it ought to be given i'm
mediate attention and a new building pro-
vided as soon as possible
GEORGE W. RICH proprietor warren Shoe
House." No. 9l9 I street northwest: ~ think
it ought TO be settled at once. Ii could
would see that Congress gives the matter im-
mediate attention.
L. r. PEAK secretary Corcoran Fire Insur-
ance Company. No. 60i Eleventh street north
west: Il think new Office is very much
needed. The building in which it is now To-
Gated is regular rat trap and liable to col
lapse"
FEELS SAFER OUT THAN N.
JOHN MILLER, dealer in coal and wood,
corner OF Tenth and f streets northwest: II
have been in the Government Printing Office
on business at times, and have seen the pre-
cautions taken 10 avoid collapse of the
building. have felt at such times that IL
was much safer to be out of it than in. 1t
is a shame that the office has been left there
with the building in that condition as long as
it has
T. II. WILSON. dealer in boots and shoes,
No. 929 i street northwest: If the reports
that have been published about the insecurity
OF the building the Office at present occupies
are correct. it is but matter of jus tice that
there be another provided as quickly as pos
siblc"
]. R. BUcKELEw, manager Remington Type
writer Company. corner of Eighth ana
streets northwest: There seems TO be a diff
Guilty upon the part OF Congress to decide be-
tween the competing real estate dealers as to
a site, but that does not release the peoples
OF their responsibility. The
matter should be decided ut once"
W. B. GURLEY. OF Gurley d Barross, dealer
in real estate, No. 1885 f street northwest:
The Ford's theater disaster. should teach
Congress IL lesson. The resolution intro
tuced IN the Senate by Mr.. Manderson to give
: 1900 to each OF the families that suffered
the loss OF their bread winners in that crash
IS very commendabe. bat the very introduce
ton OF such a resolution should evidence the
Tact that 1t is cheaper to say nothing OF other
important considerations-to provide a suita-
bic building for the office than to run the risk
oi Considering other such resolutions in the
Iuture. The Congress should act at once"
j. NALDNAN. president OF the Washington
Saengerbund. No. 6l3 Seventh street north