Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-04

ing a structure SO high and built upon
modern methods, with steel framework, It
was not feasible to have the floors of the
new wing line with those Of the old build
ing. The first floor Of the new building
which will be devoted to presses and ac-
commodate about fifteen placed crosswise
OF the moor; VIII be on level with the
will be a little lower than the correspond
Ing hoor In the old wing, and the third and
fourth q little above the corresponding
noors In the old building. The fifth, sixth
and seventh floors of the new building are
above the roof level of the old wing. Pow
erfui elevators will be used to carry to
these upper floors the paper and printing
material that will be used there.
Suggestion of an Extension,
The new building is constructed in the
very best modern manner, and meets every
requirement Of a large manufacturing bus
mess, 30 far AS is possible in a narrow
building. The roof has been finished with
steel trusses, arranged in lean-to fashion,
suggesting the construction Of eimilar
seven-story extension on the H street side
Notwithstanding this evident forecast of
what may possibly he done, the entire east
ern wall Of the new building is provided
with ample window spaces, and with the
abundant light from the west, the upper
noors furnish ideal working rooms for COM
positors. binders and electrotype-s The
electrotyping and stereotyping foundries.
which do the vast amount OF work required
IN the government printing Office. now
located fp fifth floor, which was built last
year. on the south side of the building
along jackson alley. The job room also is
on that additional floor.
The new building has no entrance at tie
street level, and communication with il is
had entirely through the old building Nee
essarily, the two lower floors must be light
ed with artificial ii2tt, ard of course the
new building has deprived the old Of
ha vrrst 9 sI-&
until Congress decides the puzzling ques-
ton as to where the government printing
Office shall be located or whether the pres
ent structure shall be rebuilt and utilized,
there will be a continual and serious dis
advantage in the use of both the old and
new buildings at the west end OF these first
two floors.
1t Will Save Rent.
The new building will undoubtedly pro-
duce a saving in the item of leased stora ,e
room. Under the direction CT the joint COM
m!ttee on printing. the public printer last
year leased 1924 square feet of floor space
for office uses and for stabling. About aa,-
600 square feet Of floor space in addition 10
this was already under rental, and the ag-
gregate amount OF rent paid by the office
annually Low amounts to S24,320.
The prcflem OF housing the great print
shop OF the government has for many
years been question seriously debated by
the advocates OF more than one site, and
nj merous projects have been considered
for relieving the present tension and crush
of work in that bureau. Public Printer
Benedict is inclined to believe that the
wisest course to be pursued would he to
acquire ell the ground IN the square partly
occupied by the government printing Office
and then build gradually, but upon a large.
well-thorght-out scheme, the great office
which should be built to meet the con-
stantiy increa sing demands made upon this
inI ortant bureau.
m in ffaa-
rot quite cne-fourth The square is $50
feet wide by al4 feet long, making a total
area Of 210.gW square feet, including al
leys. The government owns, in addition to
the n street wing and the space occupied
by the new building. a lot south of Jackson
alley, sixteen feet wide and 175 feet long.
so lat its holdings altogether in that
square amount to - 5SS which is quite
a nucleus and nest-egg toward the acauis-
ton of land enough on which to build a
printing office adequate to all possible
future needs. Mr.. Benedict says that il the
government owned the square, or indeed,
the eastern half of ii, the twenty-foot al
ley running south from Jackson alley to
q street alongside the. storehouse lot ought
to be vacated and used for building pur-
poses.
Some Problems.
OF course, 1T is uncertain what Congress
will do. and it would be impracticable to
attempt to build upon the ground now
owned by the government an Office large
enough to accommodate the machinery and
employees necessary to keep up with the
government work. Furthermore, the at
tempt to put up the III street wing in sec
tions corresponding to the new seven-story
building would seriously interfere with the
work of the office.
In the first place, the office now occu-
pies every last foot of floor space availa-
BILE for presses, and any Encouragement of
the presses would be impossible. But if it