The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-09-02
EXPANSIVE ARCHIVE.
GOVERNMENTS PLAN FOR A HALL
Oe RECORDS AT WASHINGTON.
...t states will Be the Third Nation to
u,vs Structure Devoted TO the
preservation of National
Documents.

nall of Records at Washington,
t'ob will be used as repository for
. s Continental records, will be built on
OSp 'on entirely different from that fol-
va "a in the construction of other gov
Wv" u,ont buildings in the national capt.
engagements being made so as to
"- .,+ extensions from time to time as
snace Is required, says the New
iU %Sora Is not a public building in
.r.ahincton large enough to contain
w. bureaus of the department for
~ ISicb If was provided, and some'of the
w. sInor+ments outgrew their buildings
"'p pns ago. This condition has made
cesar. .oo the renting Of large office
S,ildings and other structures. The
Ssgregate paid by the government in
asnts would appall the economical tax
novpr An instance is found in the case
w. w. costly new office building taken for
.o~ornment purposes. 1t is said that
.bo lease provides rental which in
sro Years will aggregate an amount
.,uoi IN the entire cost Of the building
nthor rentals paid by the government
said TO be upon a similar basis.
~rbpre is no public improvement
soora needed for the welfare OF the ma
ron than a Hall of Records said Mr.
TovIor, the supervising architect of the
+rpasurv. the other day. 'The growth
n government business is so rapid and
tSa accumulation of the files so great
that in consequence all the files are
manned for room in which to store
nenprs which by law must be pre-
served, The destruction by fire Of any
# the department buildings would
sause irreparable injury, confusion and
delay in the transaction of the public
husiDess. Especially is this true with
reference to the treasury, which is the
great clearing house Of the govern
mept where all its debts are paid and
evidence Of such payments preserved.
DEPARTMENTAL records, overfilling the
originally provided repositories, in sew
eal cases have been stored in other
buildings which the government rents.
1.-THE plans for the Hall of Records
now under consideration provide for a
large main building, with extensions.
al, h,yiIdinO 10 tn no devoted fO
the business of the superintendent OF
the records, and there will be an extern
sion for each of the departments. The
extensions are to be so constructed that
they can be enlarged as increased space
Is demanded. The site was selected
with a view Of obtaining additional
ground when it shall be required.
1.-THE government has arranged fOr
the purchase of the entire space bound
ed by Eighteenth, Nineteenth, f and G
streets so there will be ample ground
for the kind of building proposed. Con-
gress has appropriated $1,000 to be ex'
pended in the drawing Of the plans,
and at the next session an appropria-
ton for the building probably will be
authorized.
'The plan of the government in con-
Sructlng buildings of one and two
stories will not be followed, as the Hall
Of Records will be a building Of sew
eral stories. 1t has been proposed that
the departments be connected with the
Hall of Records by a pneumatic tube
system similar to that in use between
the capitol and the Congressional libra
y which has proved successful.
| There are only two buildings devOt-
co to the preservation of governmental
records in the world. One is in London
and the other in Paris. An'agent of thu
supervising architects bureau will be
directed to go to Europe and inspect
nose buildings and report on the meth
OdS employed there, with view to
adopting the most effective methods
lot our Hall Of Records"
The site of the Hall of Records is
DOCK to the west of the war, state and
navy buildings and not far frOsn the
"lte House and treasury. John Hay,
secretary Of state, and Senator VIII
aan NJ. Stewart Of Nevada are the
@rgeSt holders of property in the
square taken by the government. The
property holders at first demanded exc
~U'ant prices for their holdings, but
uuuer the threat Of condemnation pro-
Ueulngs they agreed to sell for two
aHu one-eighth times the assessed val
aauon Of the property.