The Washington times., 1901-09-23
NEED OF A NEW CITY HALL
Erection of a Building for Tie
Municipal Offices Advocated.
The Present Structure Crowded TO
Orernowing-A Big Rent Bill Paid
Annually - Citizens Associations
Rather Lukeyyarm in the Matter.

The annual reports submitted this year
from the several departments of the Dis
trict government have accentuated the
need long felt for a new municipal build
ing In several instances the heads Of
departments making these reports have
referred to the fact that they are cramped
for room. Nearly all of them have asked
for additional help, which, with desk
room. Will further corrplicate matters in
providing facilities with which to employ
the new clerks. The fact is made plain
in these references to the matter that
there is Hardly an office in the District
Building which is not confined to narrow
quarters and more or less hanIpered in
its operations on that account.
Several times within the past three
years the Commissioners have been
obliged to provide room for certain
ofsiees -i.. DuIIuInl. FOR tnlS pur-
pose they have utilized the Harper Build
ing standing just back of the District
Building and accessible thereto through
an alley separating the two. The Police
Department. the first bureau to be re-
moved, took possession OF the basement
of the Harper Building over two years
ago the former quarters of this depart
ment have been enlarged somewhat since
the removal and now all of the office
space on the first floor and some of thai
on the second floor is occupied. Some of
the minor Offices of the Engineer Depart
ment were next moved into the Harper
Building to afford greater space in the
District Building Then this year the
Headquarters OF the Fire Department were
moved over there TO make room for the
newly established offices of the Board of
Charities. Thus each year the crowded
condition Of the District Building is be-
ing relieved, as necessity ccmpels, by oc-
cupancy of the quarters in the other
building. Nearly two floors are now oc-
cupied in the overflow structure, and as
time goes on it will probably be grad
ually filled with other municipal Offices.
The District now pays rental for Of
flee room of about $4,000 year. and this
item is Increasing rapidly. Aside from
the expense attending the renting of
buildings the principle is regarded by the
Commissioners a bad one. 1t is held
to be Inconsistent with the size impor-
tance, and dignity of the District Govern
ment, to be housed in rented quarters ill
suited to the purpose and unsafe as 4
depository of the valuable records stored
therein The buildings now used as mu-
nicipal offices are of the ordinary kind
They are long structures and compara-
lively narrow. They have six floors each,
built largely of wood inside and easily
connected by the stairways and elevator
shafts. They are poorly lighted, many Of
the inside Offices requiring the use of
electric light throughout the brightest
days The several offices are Obliged to
conform to the conditions existing and
not one Of them is arranged so as to make
the transaction Of business easy There
are long corridors for messengers 10
traverse many times day for the most
common books Of reference and papers
Sometimes journey is required from
the top of the building to the bottom for
one part of an office to communicate with
another part. The Health Department Is
in the top floor and the office Tor the
ception OF complaints, the death certifi-
Gates, and other notices is in the base
ment. The same is true of the offices of
the Board OF Charities. The Engineer
Department. while classified into divi-
sions, occupies parts OF four floprs Of the
District Building. The Assessors Office is
on three floors. The office for the ac-
counting Of the water rents is separated
by two floors from the main Office of the
Water Department and from the Col
lectur's Office by some distance on the
game floor. The Offices of the Commits
sioneIs and their secretary are on the
fifth floor. but a considerable journey is
required FOR persons to pass from the Of
flee Of the President of the Board to those
of his associates at the other end of the
building In other words. the building is
ill-arrangcd for the business done therein.
Inc ualStF ltOfn IRE Is ever present IN
these buildings. While they are con-
strUcted of brick and stone. and while
there are concrete ceilings, stiil the floors.
doors and window casings are Of wood,
and q fire once started would burn with
great rapidity. This endangers the valu-
able records which have accumulated in
the course OF business for many years,
and Which could not be- replaced. These
documents OF the District are not more
Bafely housed than the ordinary belong
lngs OF family. They are insured, but
the insurance would be but a small COM
pensa.ion for their loss.
The Commissioners in their annual re-
ports for the past ten years have urged
upon Congress the matter of the acqui-
sition of a suitable site and the erection
OF municipal building or city hall The
need OF such a structure has been set
forth time and again. All the facts have
been embodied In reports and the case
has been stated verbally by the Commis-
tioners 10 the committees of both Houses
There has been no show OF indifference
On the part Of Congress to set about pro-