Evening star., 1895-11-01
What Officials Think of Its Condem-
nation.
The STRUCTURE MAY Be VACATED
Ultimate Consolidation of All Gov
eminent Publishing Buildings.
SOME EXPERT VIEWS

ing the government printing Office was in
part surprise to the officials in the build
ing. For many years they. have regarded
the building as not entirely safe, and the
grand jury had on at least two previous oc-
casons examined the building and given
warning of it's condition. But that the H
street wing should be wholly condemned
was not expected.
Public Printer Benedict left the city We'd
nesday for his home in New York, where he
will remain until after the election; so that
it was not possible today to learn what he
had to say of the acton taken by the grand
jury. 1t is well known, however that Mr.
Benedict as far back the first year of his
incumbency under the first Cleveland ad-
ministration took every precaution against
the weakness and infiammability of the H
street wing. He and his brother. Gilbert
Benedict, tn chief clerk of the office, during
his first term, introduced what was known
us fire drill among the employees, by means
of which at given signals the clerks and
employees were to form in line and marcil
out Of the building by the nearest exits, the
entire force being divided up into sections
according to their proximity to each of the
several fire escapes.
Often Overloaded.
1t is known that several times the build
ing was overstrained hy loading it too
heavily with paper in the upper stories,
and at one time, according to expert
gineers, it was on the verge of catas-
trophe. Mr.. Edward Clark the arc chitect
of the Capitol at this time interfered
with'a vigorous protest against overlooking
the building, and considerable work
dcne toward strengthening it. large part
of the excessive weight at the same time
being removed.
Mr.. Baker, Mr.. Bened.cts private secre-
tary, who is quite conveIsant with the pub
lie printers opinion of the situation, said
this morning to a Star reporter: 1T would
be hard to say what ought to be done. If
the grand jury has the power to force the
government to act, some temporary place
will have to be provided for our presses.
1t is certain that the press work could not
be successfully done in any building dis
tant from this office, and l do not see how
the ground floor space in the new wing.
which Is being constructed on the west
side OF the H street wing, would acc ON
nlodate our machines. That floor space Is
2S feet wide by 16S deep. Twenty-eight
feet is not room enough in which to put
the presses. Unquestionably the situation
Is one which demands prompt action, and
delays are ineXcusable. What ought to be
done. taking long look into the future, is
to acquire that portion of the square south
Of jackson alley and put up a building
which will accommodate the work of this
office. No scheme of building which would
interrupt the work Of the printing office
would do. That must be kept UP right
Danger of Fire.
Lieut.. Sewall OF the engineer corps, who
is in charge of the new wing now being
constructed. was also seen by a Star re-
porter, and he said: 'In my judgment the
H street wing is not in so much danger
from collapse as from fire. The beams are
all of pine, very old and dry, and in case
of lire, would burn with great rapidity. 1t
| If in 1r
would save a catastrophe but the presence
of mind on the part of one or TWO en-
ployes. and If they lost their heads for the
space of two minutes, in all probabiiit
nothing could save the structure. While
the building is a very old one and should
be replaced by one of modern construction,
as nearly fire proof as possible. it is not
| in danger of entire collapse. There are of
course, weak points in it, which, if over
loaded, would result in partial collapse,
just as happened at the Fords Theater
building When 1 say this, do not wish
to be understood as implying that the
building cannot be used. certain degree
of risk must always be accepted in every
building. No building can be absolutely
fire proof
New Building Suggested.
For what reason was the roof of the
new wing constructed as it is--suggesting
| the possibility of building on to the east
| of it?"
Il do not know as to that" said Lieut..
Sewall. My orders were to construct the
| roof in that form, and l designed it III COM
pliance with instructions. The new build
| Ing is creditable one. Its elevation shows
an agreeable style Of architecture, which
would, If extended along H street on a
large, new building, make fire public
structure. The new building, with its sew
| en- floors, contains 35,OUO square feet OF
| floor space. The four stories of the H
street wing of the printing office contain
GET
| it were decided 10 build a new wing on II
| street, it could be done in sections withou,
| very great expense or Inconvenience. The
| new seven-story wing would accommodate
| ever half the machinery and employees in
\ the H street wing. We are building this
| wing in some respects little better than
| 1t was at first intended. The appropria-
| ton, $12O,UOO, did not admit of any very
| great ornamentation, but prices were sc
| low on the steel work that we saved abou;
| 5000, and are putting that into better
| class of brickwork, SO that the building
| will be a very creditable one."
| Solution of the Difficulty.
The expectation is that Congress ulti.
| mately will consolidate in the printing Of
| fec square all it's document work, and that
| an adequate building will be erected to ac.
ccmmodate the gigantic business of dis
! tributing the vast amount of printing mat
ter authorized by Congress. A consolida
| ton OF all this work under one neau WOulC
| accomplish large saving of money an6
! make possible a thoroughly systematizeG
! and organized general bureau of publca
ton. For such a bureau the entire square
would be required. This would obviate al
| further trouble in Congress over proposed
Printing Office sites, and expedite the solu
ton of the whole present difficulty.
| Col. Wilson Declines to Talk.
Col ]. NJ. Wilson, commissioner of public
buildings and grounds, who is special.
charged with the enlargement and repair o
the government printing office under reeen
acts of Congress, told Star reporter thi
afternoon that he had no comment to max
On the report of the grand jury in regard t
the bad condition of the printing office H
added that because of peculiar relaSon t.
the matter he felt that it would be imprope
for him to do so.
A friend of his subsequently informed tn
reporter that Col. Wilson did not consider tn
condition of the H street building as at al
suitable for the purpose for which it is used
but that his duty and responsibility in tn
premises began and ended with the faithfu
execution of the specific work authorized b
Congress, namely, the construction of tn
fve-story building in the southwest section
| the construction Of a six-Story building O.