Evening journal., 1900-07-27
PENNSYLVAN ANIA'S
RECORD ROOM
HreprOOf Cavern in Which
Documents Are Stored
ArchWay Under Elevated Railroad
Keeps COmpany'S Papers Saiega
From Destruction by Fire

When the fine dwellings were torn
down on the south side Of Filbert street,
above Fifteenth, Philadelphia, and the
elevated railroad structure. over which
the Pennsylvania Railroad brings its
trains to Broad Street Station, was put
in their place, there was much wonder
ment as to what uses the arched rooms
under the road would be put. They are
all occupied now. and the wonder is
where the company will go next for
room.
One Of these archways, beween Fif-
teenth and Sixteenth streets, has been
fitted up for the systematic filing Of the
records of the various general offices
of the company, and has recently been
put into service. The space occupied is
large room 277 feet long and 33 feet
wide, with a minimum height permit
ting the use of steel shelving twelve
feet high. There are 10000 feet of this
shelving. 1t is perfectly fireproof, as
the walls and ceiling are of bricks, the
floor of concrete and the cases Of steel.
The cases are all open, and have
double fronts. They are lettered and
numbered in sections. like a great IL
brary The space is divided up among
/ the different departments of the general
office, and the books or packages sent
there for file are numbered by the de-
partment sending them, and filed in
accordance Herewith. Reference to a
| book or paper can only be had on an
order signed by the chief of the de-
partment sending It there. With such
an order it can be procured within three
minutes. The high shelves are reached
/ by rolling ladders. which travel along
the front of the cases at the Will OF
the attendant.
AS might be supposed, there are
countless tons of these records. install
ments are received from most of the
departments every month, and were
there not some line drawn, the accumu-
llations would soon be too great for any
scheme Of filing them. Some records
by their nature. must be kept indeii-
nltely; some, like damage claims, musi
be kept until they are oulawed by time
Title papers would not be destroyed
nor would papers Of great historical in
terest. Among the last named class the
papers relating to the Johnstown flood
are kept by themselves.
There are files of the annual reports
of the company from 1S47 down to the
year 1900, several copies of each. The
first is a modest pamphlet of twenty
two pages. with one page of figures
showing the cost of construction, in
which the hope is expressed that the
I line can be completed to Pittsbura
! within two years more. The last is &
! thick quarto, covering the operations
IN 10000 miles of track. Into this
lrecord roOm come the railroad tickets
taken up on the trains after they have
passed through the hands of the audi.
tor Of passenger receipts. They are
run through a machine, which cut!
them into small pieces fit only forpapei
pulp Nothing is destroyed excep
under orders.
The new arrangement Is a great re
: lief from the old system, where eacl
department had its own store room, ant
records of years gone by could only b.
! got at with difficulty. The supply de
; partment has been arranged in a simi
lar manner, but not so elaborately, re
sulting in increased convenience in dis
tributing office supplies.