The Washington times., 1894-10-21
In Addition 1t Is Badly Ventilated
and Poorly Divided.
WHAT THOSE WHO USE 1T SAY
They Are Looking Forward Expectantly
to the Promised New Quarters-sOme
Priceless Treasures Stored in the Old
Building George Washington's Will.

and-a-half. 1t was planned eighty years ago,
and the improvements on the original design
have not at all remedied the defects incident
to the condition OF physical and sanitary sci
ence at that day.
The foundation of the original building was
laid in 1920, so far as can now be learned. A
structure was erected for the accommodation
OF the courts of that time which served its
purpose reasonably well. Very little more was
done till 1852, when the building which did
service with very little change for tAtrty years
was erected.
This was what most who have kaown any
thing OF the place for the last ten years have
called the "old courthouse" In 1881, upon
strong representations showing the crsmped
and unsatisfactory conditions under which
the business of the courts was conducted,
Congress was induced to make an appropria-
ton for an extension OF the building, and the
new part Of the structure was put up in the
year 1882
The original appropriation for the additio n
was Sill, ,0OO The plans were made for the
construction OF a flre-proof building. When
the walls had gone up one story it was found
that the appropriation was altogether insult
| ficleDt to complete the work as planned and
| that ii would not be possible 10 make the
! place hre-proof under any plans deVisable, as
continuation upon the foundation laid and
at the same time 10 make any provision for
the transaction of public business.
| Application was made to the Secretary OF
| the Interior for leave to go on with the build
ing as originally planned and create def
| cheney, relying upon the next Congress TO
make it good, but his permission was denied
| and hampered by the niggardliness which, as
| q complement for reckless extravaganza has
! spoiled its full half OF bad government work,
the addition was completed as it stands to-
! day. The first story is solid and good, fire.
proof il it stood alone, but entirely at the
mercy of the flames as connected with the
rest OF the structure.
AS a whole, up to date the edilce Is about
as unsatisfactory as it could be. So far as
architectural effect is concerned it is not so
! bad. but when the visitor comes close enough
/ 10 see its shoddy make-up;he is disillusioniZed.
| If not disEusted. The majestic stone columns
i are found to be crumbling at the base. And
/ the entire building except Il small part Of the
! addition OF 1882 is found to be made Of brick
| covered with stucco. The old part has a
| damp, close, dark basement. in which the gas
must be kept constantly lighted in order TO be
! able TO get about.
One portion OF it is used for repair shops.
| and another part for the confinement Of pris-
| oners who are Immediately on trial. Other
| parts are used for engine rooms and still
! others. and these are the best lighted and
ventilated, are used for the offices Of the re-
! corder Of deeds, the register OF wills. and for
I the storage Of papers belonging to the su-
/ preme 5 clerks office. which are not likely to
/ be Immediately wanted. 1t is fondly hoped
that these valuable documents will in case
/ of fire escape destruction: but competent
] pTlt hrlil Dr a1l fra
I proof is not at all flreproot; and while these
/ rooms were begun under plans for freproof
/ structure the fire which would burn the
upper floors would destroy chairs, tables,
desks, shelves, and, OF course, the papers
upon the shelves.
The gravity of the menace to the public
good involved in this condition is better ap-
preciated when it is stated that in addition to
the will of President Washington and other
/ papers priceless as relics the records of trans
fers of real estate and the wills upon which
! possession Of many millions of property de-
( peuds are stored here
The building is occupied by eight courts.
with their clerks Offices, by the United States
marshal and his deputies. by the United
States District attorney and his assistants, by
the auditor offhe supreme court. the surveyor
. with his records (and il may be mentioned
that he has all his valuable books and maps
1 IL the old and wholly non-tireproof part) by
the register Of wills and the recorder OF deeds.
There is not an elevator in the building. 1t
f. has not a decent layatory or closet accessible
to the lawyers who regularly practice there.
| The plumbing throughout is of a kind now
wholly out OF date.
PLANS ALREADY DRAWN.
Under this state Of affairs it is not singular
that the judges, clerks, lawyers. and citizens
! who have business at the courthouse unite
with the Commissioners of the District and
! their corps Of assistants in the desire that a
new municipal building shall be erected at as
early date as possible The matter was put
before the District committee of the House
/ last session, and the plans Tor a new building
have been drawn ana widely discussed
The latest drawings are those of Mr.. A. o.
Won Herbulisr an architect and civil engineer
in the Office of the superintendent of sewers
AT the District building. These plans have
been approved by the District Commissioners
and informally by the judges of the supreme
court. The site is TO be Just back of and in
Guiding the new part Of the present court
house. II will face D street al Four-and-a-
half. as the present structure does. and Will
have the courts and clerks offices at the east
end and the Commissioners and their aduncts
1T the west end. 1t will be entirely lireproof,
and the estimated cost is 81, 500 000 This
sum is moderate as compared with the cost OF
similar buildings in cities of the same and
smaller size throughout the country.
4 TINES reporter has talked with number
of those interested. Chief Justice Bingham.
of the supreme court, said: Il am rather in
favor OF Il separate building for the courts
and their clerks and affiliated offices. |
think that would be better than 10 put US in
the same building with the District Commits
sioners.
Judge Cole said: "It is of great Importance
that part Of any new building should be fin
ished before we are called upon to move from
here. We are all agreed upon that in our dis
cussions of the subject. Anything else, any
attempt to rent a building outside and move
into it. would be destructive would interfere
very materially, and render the proper trans
action OF the business of the courts almost
impossible We like the plans sent down
from the Commissioners for two buildings, one
for the courts and one for the Commissioners,
with connecting part where this building
stands. That would not disturb US here till
the new house was ready for US
N. j. Colbert of the law firm of Hamilton
" Colbert, said: "a new building is certainly
very much needed. The main part especially
Is old and i'll adapted to its uses. The offices
in the basement are not fit 10 do business in.
Yet they have down there l 500 TO 800 valu-
able land records. If they should be de-
strOyed it would be an irreparable loss. You
remember the Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed
their records, ana now it costs about $500 to
have title examined. The recorders Office,
too, came near catching fire about month
ago. Then there's the Office of the register
of wills, on the same floor which is i'll
adapted TO its purpose, and the documents
Qrn arNf1x in, dan F-oun A,.n