The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-29
A new PRINTING OFFICE
The Splendid Building Being Erect
ed by the Government.
The Structure TO BE the Best Appoint
ed i'm the World for the Class of
printion of S2.OoC.ooO by Congress
Over Nine Acres of Floor Space.

For twenty nine years the Government
Printing Office has stood in its present
modest quarters, annually producing mil
: lions of documents. But the old quar-
tiers are about TO be replaced by new ones,
now under construction The plans have
been drawn by James G. Hill. after con-
sultation with Lieut.. John s. Sewell, of the
Corps of Engineers; Walter Tapley, the
electrical engineer: Homer X. Collins. the
steam engineer, and Mr.. Palmer. the Pub
lie Printer. Lieutenant Sewell has the di-
rect supervision over all the construction
contracts, expenditures, etc.
The new building is to be beside the old
one. in North Capitol and H Streets, and is
TO be seven stories, an attic, and loft.
The average height of the eornice will be
12S feet above the sidewalk 1t is to be of
red brick, with sandstone, which, how
ever, Will be only TO incase the building,
for a steel frame will support il.
Some idea of the size of the building
may be gained from the fact that the
amount Of floor space will be over nine
acres: 1i,000.o00 pounds of steel and iron
will form its bones and sinews % or 30
miles Of steam pipes will heat it, $50 win
dows Will let in the sunlight. while at
night 1000 electric lights will prove good
substitutes.
1t will be entirely ireproof. the floor
arches, Of brick and masonry will be COW
cred with hard maple. the interior walls
will be furnished with dados of glazed
brick seven feet high. the window and door
frames will be Of iron, and the only wood
used will be in the floors window frames
and few doors. The steps are to be made
OF concrete, finished with slate which viii
never become slippery and Will always be
clean and neat.
Inside there will be a court. twenty-n nine
feet wide, TO ;.hich will lead a driveway
built under the main building. The rooms
are 10 have two means of ventilation, one
through the twelve huge shafts that run
up through the centres and are equipped
with electric fans al the top, and the other
by means of air let in through the win
dows. passed over a steam coil and heated
before IL is detected into the rooms.
There are 10 be twelve electric elevators.
whose shafts are 10 be lined with glazed
bricks; four stairways and $50 doors as
means OF exit, and is estimated that in
case OF an emergency the building could be
emptied in three minutes. All the presses
are. TO be run by electricity, those OF any
size having their own motors. The present
power houses will be increased in size TO
100 feet by liz feet: the dynamos, engines,
etc. will have q. 000 horse power. To carry
the numerous currents there will be about
100 miles OF cables Of from three to four
inches in diameter. run from the power
house TO the main building.
Three hundred pounds are allowed to the
square inch and In the huge building there
could be stored about 100000 pounds
without the slightest danger, while its
total weight would be l6S. 600 600 pounds.
There is no printing Office in the world
that will be so well appointed. or have 80
many comforts and conveniences for its
employees as this one will have. Much
thought has been expended on this ques-
tion and much ingenuity exercised 10 carry
out the plans. One particularly attractive
arrangement is the management of the
water supply. All the Potomac water that
is pumped into the building will first be
filtered, then passed through refrigerat-
Ing apparatus, whence II energies clear
ee2d. free from typhoid germs, and thus
Nyay with the extra labor. expense.
>Rrai untidiness Of ice coolers and
bling is all OF the most modern
nG2rries out all the require
test methods of sanitary
also in the building a
burn the refuse, shay
hi cannot be sold. The
ed helps to warm the
bindery. so that nothing
force allowed TO remain
Inc is the system Of pneu-
telephones that connect
apartments.
roof are represented
pches Of the printers
pbbing is done; illus
lished; some OF the