Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-11
His Annual Report Submitted to
Congress Today.
CONDITION OF TEE PRESENT BUILDING
imperative Need Of Action to Avert
Loss of Life.
AN ANNEX SUGGES TED

The annual report Of the public printer,
Mr.. III E. Benedict, was submitted to the
Senate at noon today. The report contains
considerable matter of general interest,
but especially important is what he has to
say OF the condition OF the present build
ing used as the government printing Office
and Of the pressing need for a new and
suitable building.
Accompanying the report are statistical
tables giving a detailed statement Of the
transactions OF the office for the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1894.
Condition of the Building.
It also contains a report made by Col.
John M. Wilson on the results Of an eX-
animation made by him into the condition
of the building. This report has already
been printed in The Star.
In it Col. Wilson says:
THE original building appears to have
been we'll designed and well constructed
throughout, except that the walls are too
light for such large structure, even with
out the vibrations transmitted to them
from the machinery, and wooden lintels
were used over all the windows The
shrinkage of these lintels probably caused
the numerous cracks which appear over
the windows.
1.-THE original structure was taxed far
beyond a safe and reasonable limit, both
as to space and weight.
I'm it's present condition it is still greatly
overcrowded and overWeighted.
1T will not be possible to render 1t per-
fectly safe without airing it down and re-
tically secure against collapse, and some
what safer for the occupants in case of
fire."
In conclusion. Public Printer Benedict
says:
Immediate Action Asked.
report respecting the safety Of portions of
the structure now composing the govern
ment printing Office are such as to justify
me in asking that Congress take imme-
date steps to prevent the imminent danger
to life and public property SO clearly indi-
Gated. The facts regarding the insecurity
of the H street wing of the office are not
new, but they are now presented for the
first time by such eminent scientific engi-
neering authority as to leave no reasonable
doubt as to their accuracy or the pressing
nature Of the crisis to be met. The convic-
ton that this wing Is unsafe has been
growing for long time. The watchful
eyes of experienced subordinates in the
office detected many faults years ago. and
the most curscry examination into the his
tory of it's cor struction and use and into
it's present overcrowded condition would
lead inevitably to the conclusion that it
is no longer fit for the uses of the govern
ment.
1t is but Just that I should here recall
that the attention of Congress has been
invited to this subject in the most earn
est manner by two Of my predecessors.
by myself during previous term of Of
flee, and again by me in the month Of June
last.
Danger of n Collapse.
am fully convinced that the H street
wing has been more than once in danger
of collapse during the past from over
weighing and that no human foresight
or anxiety can wholly prevent the recur-
renee of such danger under present con-
ditions. IL my Judgment. the time has ar
rived for taking up the work Of recon-
structing this office, and failure on my
part to report fully to Congress the seri-
Gus aspect of the matter would, in my
opinion, be a serious, If not criminal, ne
glect of duty.
1 will frankly say that, after reading
Col. Wilson's report confirming the worst
fears as to the stability Of the H street
wing 1 would have abandoned that por-
ton Of the building and removed the di-
visions located there to more secure quar-
tiers had the means and additional work.
ing space been at my disposal have
used every precaution In my power to re-
ing from weight and stress and to render
them as safe as possible, and l am unable
to do more without the authority OF Con-
gress. I appeal earnestly for such legisia-
ton as will permit the removal of the
danger at the earliest possible day and re-
lieve the apprehensions of the many hun
dreds of employees Of the office who, though
fully appreciating their peril, still remain
at their posts Of public duty.
An Annex Needed.
In addition to the question of humanity
involved, an immediate enlargement, both
of working and storage space, is required
to secure the economical and prompt exc
t{,,cr
mand can best be met by the erection,
adjoining this Office, of an annex building,
with sufficient space to relieve the over
crowded and dangerous floors OF the pres
ent building.
The government in the past has lost
much more than the cost of a new print
ing office in the delay and increased eX-
pense Of the public printing because OF
the cramped and insufficient accommoda-
tons. The growth of the public printing
has been constant, while the facilities of
the office have kept pace neither with that
growth nor with the peculiar necessities OF
the GO !ernment. 1t must be remembered,
too that this Office is always liable to
sudden and imperative demands for work
which tax to the utmost its capacity and
the ability of those charged with It's exc
cution. The now printing bill passed by
Congress at it's present session creates, II
it becomes a law, conditions which will
add largely to the work of the office ana
make necessary a very large addltlon 10
it's present working and storage space
which can only be met for some time by
the rental of inconvenient buildings and
floors in the city. For several years past
the execution of the most necessary work
of the government has been carried for
ward by process Of selection imposed
upon the public printer by conditions he
could not escape, and leading to frequent
complaints from the various departments
of the government regarding delayed work:
This condition has reached point at last
when it must be said that the office can
not with any degree of promptltude meet
the largely increased demands created by
Congress without a radical step being taken
in the direction of increasing its accom-
modations.
The Additions Now Being Made.
am much gratified to recognize the eff
fcrts of the joint committee On printing to
relieve, in a degree, the endorsements
under which the Office 1abors,, by providing
for the erection of a fifth story on the
southwest wing of the office and the build
ing of floors upon the area between the
southwest and south center wings. lhese
additions, now being constructed under d.
rection of the chief engineer OF ire
army. will, when completed give consid-
cradle additional space to the office, and
will be Immediately Utilized IN relieving