Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-17
FLOOR SPACE WANTED
Engineer Department Sub
mits It's Estimate
IN THE NEW CITY HALL
SEVERAL BUREAUS WILL RE-
QUIRE 32,3e1 SQUARE FEET.
Surveyor LOCKER Writes Commissioners
He Wants an Office in New
Building.
IN THE NEW CITY HALL

Building.
Capt. Chester Harding, acting for the
Engineer Commissioners, has submitted to
his associates Of the District board an esti-
mate Of the amount of space that will be
required by the engineer department in the
new District building. The engineer de-
partment embraces many of the most i'm
portant bureaus of the District govern
ment, including the building department
water department, the surveyors office the
sewer division, street or surface division,
plumbing office. &c. Mr.. George s. Wilson,
secretary of the board Of charities, has
submitted the estimate of space desired by
that board.
summary prepared under the direc-
ton of Capt. Harding shows the engineer
department desires a floor space aggregat-
ing 32,361 square feet. For the Office Of
| the Engineer Commissioner, two rooms
with a total Of 1 100 square feet are sug-
gested For the two army officers acting
as assistants to the Engineer Commits
sioner, 1t is suggested that there shall be
two offices for each, both sets Of offices
containing $50 square feet. The summary
further gives the present space occupied by
the various divisions of the engineer de-
in the new structure follows:
Record office (chief clerk, at present :
rooms, 2,779 square feet; estimated for
rooms, 3,10 square feet. Surface division,
at present occupying rooms, 2,700 square
feet, desires rooms aggregating 3,1S0
square feet. Sewer division, at present
cupying rooms, or 2,63S square feet, de-
stres rooms, aggregating 3,405 feet.
The superintendent of the water depart
ment, at present occupying two rooms, with
1,404 square feet, desires 3 rooms, aggre-
eating 2,S25 square feet. The water regis
trar, at present occupying / room Of 1, lbs
square feet, desires 2 rooms, aggregating
. 500 square feet The inspector Of plumb
ing, occupying l room of 1000 square feet,
desires room containing 1880 feet.
The inspector of building asks for y
rooms aggregating 1851 square feet. lit
tie more than twice the amount of space
now occupied. The superintendent of prop
erty, at present occupying rooms which
aggregate 1000 square feet, asks for the
same number of rooms. aggregating 1900
feet of floor space, however. The surveyor,
occupying at present, $50 square feet,
asks for rooms aggregating 5000 square
feet.
Averse to Being Left Out.
1t appears to have been suggested in
some quarters that 1t might be we'll I'M
der the new arrangement of District gov
eminent offices to leave the office Of the
surveyor in the old city hail. the present
court house, where 1t is now located. Mr..
Henry B. LOCKER, the surveyor, in a sup
Elemental statement to the Commissioners,
makes it plain he has no desire to be left
out Of the new District building, and de-
clares there is no reason why he should
be. He asks for offices on the second
floor of the new structure, and says:
II wish to make it very certain that there
is no sufficient reason for leaving this office
&c,
sential reason for the proximity of this Of
flee to that Of the recorder of deeds, the
two being absolutely distinct in every par
ticular.
between this office and all other branches
of the District government is so evident
that it should outweigh all other considera-
tons tending to leave this office where 1t Is.
There is here possible chance for in
crease of space, which, as shown. is but
one-half the amount needed today for prop
er conduct of business. Besides, this office
is in the building by mere sufferance OF
the District courts, and has no right here
whatever. 1t is evident, therefore, that
even the space we have may be curtailed,
or entirely taken away, at the pleasure OF
the courts.
Il think that this office should be located
on the second floor Of the new building,
and If possible, within easy reach of the
building inspectors office and the assessors
office, with which two offices this Office is
use by the public than with any other.
''In case no specially constructed vault
room is to be provided all the way up
through the various floors Of the building
for the preservation of more valuable rec
ords, l should think that it would be better
for this Office to be located on the second
floor for the reason that, in case Of serious
fire occurring (even in a building such
the one proposed is likely to be), there
would be more chance Of saving the land
records which are, of course, invaluable
to the community, and cannot be duplicat
ed
Building Inspectors Needs.
Mr. Snowden Ashford. the building in
spector, in explaining the space needed by
his department. said:
1.-THE minimum amount of floor space
that will be needed in order to accommo-
date the public doing business with this
Office and the employees will be 1851 square
feet divided into eight communicating
rooms, if possible of the following dimen-
sions: Inspector of buildings room, 1914 by
% feet; computer's room, 12la by % feet:
permit room, 20 by % feet; public room, 30
by Is feet; assistant inspectors room. 40 by
% feet; drafting room, 45 by % feet; sam
pie and storage room, 80 by 80 feet.
1.-The last mentioned room need not neces-
sariy communicate with the other rooms,
but should be convenient to the drafting
room, to facilitate the preparation Of speci-
fcations. l beg to say further that this Is
less than three times much as the space
now occupied by our force and about one
sixth as much space as occupied by the
building department Of New York city.
II have prepared diagram showing the
most convenient arrangement OF the space
above referred to, and. for the betterment
Of the service and accommodation of per-
sons doing business with this office,
would respectfully suggest the advisability
or necessity of having the inspector of
buildings Office in close relationship with
the Inspector of plumbing's office.
II beg also to invite attention to the fact
that all applicants for permits are required
to deposit fees with the collector of taxes;
also to pay a fee for the of water used
in building Under present arrangements
this compels an applicant to apply, in con-
nection with his permit, to two other offices
and then return to this Office with re-
ceipted bill before permit is issued. In or