Evening star., 1902-01-09
Joint Commission Proposed to Con-
slider the Subject.
70 INCLUDE EIGHT CoNGRESSMEN
Concurrent Resolution introduced
by Senator Fairbanks.
REPORT DUE BY MARCH 1

"A SoatuiTeHt resolution was introduced
in the Senate today by Mr.. Fairbanks of
Indiana, chairman of the Senate committee
on public buildings and grounds. providing
ior the appointment of joint committee
OF the House and Senate to consider the
subject OF providing, a hall of records in
this city. for the use of the government de-
partments. The resolution provides that
three members Of this joint committee shall
be senators and five shall be representa-
tives, and that they shall investigate and
consider the question Of site for hall Of
records to be erected in the District of
Columbia
Ihey are to report their conclusions before
March 1, or as soon thereafter as may be
possiole. Ihey are to report also as to
the most feasible location of such build
ing and upon the approximate sum that
Will De involved in it's erection.
rms outlines plan which, it is expected.
VIII result in action by Congress during
the present session the important sub
Ject OF providing hall of records that has
so long been discussed
1t is understood that both the Senate
ana House committees on public buildings
ana GROUNDS are favorable to this project,
"nicn mas only been impeded in the past by
Iallure to suggest some project that will
be acceptable to both committees and to
Congress. The chief difficulty has been
arriving at conclusion as to location for
1
joint committee can agree upon a loca ton
and upon the cost of a structure SO that
Identical bills may be reported favorably
to both the Senate and the House there
VIII De no obstruction to their immediate
passage.
Building Deemed a Necessity.
While this resolution authorizes the COM
mittee to investigate the subject there seems
to be no doubt as to the advisability of
M 70 he
views of senators and representatives are
concerned. The committee will have be-
fore it the very strong recommendations
that were made by Secretary Gage for a
hreproof building in which to store val
liable records that have cost the govern
ment men an enormous amount of money and
which are kept on a top floor in the Treas
ury Department building under conditions
that might render their destruction by fire
altogether possible. should confagration
break out in that vicinity.
In fact, nearly all of the government de-
partments have valuable office rooms that
are needed forif the clerical force more or
less filled up bys the storage of documents
referred to very seldom. The committee
may secure from thstvarious departments
of the government some estimate on what
1t now costs to keeps these documents IN
rooms that are, entirely suitable for the
clerical force It is understood that if an
estimate could be arrived at concerning the
value of this storage zroom it. would show
that the government would be a large
cially adapted for fits needs.
Not only would, this, give additional space
in all the department buildings, but it
would allow thsa adoption Of a system in
the storage of documents and in convenient
references to them much more desirable
than the systems now in vogue.
Should BecUentrally Located.
An important matter With the commit
tee will be to secure a~locatioh Which as
far as possible VIII be tn the center of the
government buildings that now contain the
large force of employees, Of the govern
ment here. The hall of records will. of
course. be in telephone communication
with every department of the government.
and in order to get documents quickly it
Is desired that when one is telephoned for
as little time as possible shall be lost in
conveying 1t from the hall Of records to
the department from which the can comes
While the proposed hall of recards Will
doubtless be of imposing architectural ef-
feet on the exterior, It will not be a build
ing that will involve very large expense
for the reason that the interior will be
htted up In very simple style. the chief
point of desirability being to have It en-
tirely freproof, and so arranged as to give
a very large space for storage. There is no
doubt that an entire square will be needed
for this purpose. and with the rapid ac-
Scii iuialioit VI monuments tHat are OF. great
historic value building much larger than
Will be Immediately required will be pro-
vided for.
It is not expected that there will be any
delay in the passage Of this concurrent
resolution, which does not require the sig
nature Of the President, and 1t is believed
that within very short time the joint
committee can get to work. The senators
who will b. on this committee will be ap-
pointed by the President of the Senate,
while the representatives will be appointed
by the Speaker OF the House, but in each
case they will doubtless be members of the
committees on public buildings and grounds.
in the case of the Senate two republicans
and one democrat. and in the case of the
House committee three republicans and two
democrats By bringing in a prompt re-
port 1t is believed It will be possible to Sc
cure this legislation considerable time be-
fore the adjournment of the present ses-
sion.