Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-03
RECLAIMING OLD RECORDS
A WORK OF IMPORTANCE AT THE
CAPITOL.
and Neglected Docume t.
Being Arranged, CatalOEued and
Put on Shelves.

Probably one Of the most important works
now going on in Washington is the exam
nation and disposition of documents, which
IS being conducted by Representative Rob-
erts of the seventh Massachusetts district.
who is chairman of select committee ap-
pointed by Speaker Henderson for this
task.
In a word, this labor consists of cata-
loguing and placing in order all the docu-
ments in the House end of the Capitol
which the government has issued since It's
foundation. The Capitol is full Of rooms
and Railways in the basement where these
books have been carelessly and promiscu-
ously dumped for years. No semblance Of
order or even decency has evidently pre-
vailed, for books of a very valuable nature
are found thrown on the floor and are COW
cred with dust and refuse of every kind.
Some of the files are broken, and records
which are now invaluable are lost beyond
recall. Some Of the rooms were so packed
full of books that the doors could hardly
be pushed open. The greatest confusion
prevailed, and it looked when the job was
undertaken that lack of system and want
of energy had raised havoc with the books
for reference.
Mr. Roberts introduced a resolution into
the House appropriating a sum Of money
for proper examination and disposition Of
labor has been going on now since last
June. The documents have been placed on
sheiVes, useless ones destroyed. and some
order out of chaos is rapidly appearing.
ions or waste paper and general dirt the
accumulation of years, have been consigned
to the fiery furnaces in the basement of the
Capitol. and thousands Of books cleaned
catalogued and made accessible.
Formerly a Hospital.
Rooms long since forgotten have been un-
earthed, full Of dusty musty, dirty vol
umes. Not long since a little square in
closure was found bursting with books, Just
back of Statuary Hall. The air in 1t was
sitting. On the dilapidated old gas fixture
was blue coat, full of moth holes and
ready to drop to pieces. An old stove was
attached to the chimney, and over in one
corner was some cleft wood heaped IN The
window. looking out on the east front. was
SO dirty that scarcely anything could he
seen through 1t. Dirt on the floor was
without exaggeration, an inch thick Books
giving verbatim accounts Of the first SEES
sion OF the First Congress. held in New
YORK city, were found open on the floor
their covers torn of and their contents
marred discolored, and in some cases dis
gracefully torn 0
An Investigation was Immediately made
OF this room to reveal it's identity. No one
seemed to know anything about it, what it
was ever used for, or what there was I'm n
FINALLY an old negro in the basement said
l hC hheW It's HiStOTy. his story verb
ned. without going into details suffice IT
to say that the room was used for q hos
pital room during the civil war One or
two Union soldiers are said to have died
there The coat was left by Union SOL
died. who, becoming convalescent. went
away without It, The stove was used to
| keep the men warm. The wood had not
| been disturbed for thirty years.
Indexed and Arranged.
These books were all Strengthened out
and indexed. so that now 1t Is known ON
Just which shelf and in which section any
book is
Several similar instances could be ro-
| corded, but one answers Representative
1 Roberts has a crew at work all over the
house wing Of the building superintendent
by q Massachusetts, man, James w. Swift
| ger Of Lynn. and matters are going on In q
! systematic fashion. Many compliments