The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-08-01
GOVERNMENT NEEDS
HALL OF RECORDS
Site Was Purchased Five
Years Ago for
100000.
PLANS PROVIDE
HANDSOME HOME
Urgent Necessity Of Room for Files
Will Be Impressed Upon
Congress.

Tor five years the United States Gov
eminent has owned square No. 143, sit
uated between Eighteenth and Nine
tetIth and and streets northwest.
This square was purchased in the spring
of 1903, Uncle Sam paying nearly 10000
for ii as a site for Hail OF Records. a
building II re devoted TO the keeping
the flies Of the Government in systematic
order. At the time the appropriation
OF $4,000 was made 5000 additional
was appropriated 10 pay the expense Of
preparing plans and drawings for a
Hall OF Records building TO cost not
more than 100000. The plans of the
building, however. were only tentative.
They we're elaborate. as shown by the
iron. elevation in this picture.
The plans show a building 80 by 80
feet. enclosing two courts 70 by 60 feet
each. The basement viii be occupied
by the mechanical equipment plant and
storage space. The principal entrance
is into a hall approximately 20 feet
square; from this ascend two stairways
and four elevators. There is also a
smaller stairway IN each of the four
corners Of the building.
The first four stories across the front
are occupied by offices. All the rest OF
the building. including the fifth and
sixth floors, are given up 10 stack rooms
for records and archives. Access to
these rooms is given by the corridors
which run around the courts.
Shows Colorado Along Front.
The front elevation shows a colorado
of nine bays OF Roman Doric columns
resting in a rusticated base and sur
mounted by a heavy entabuIature and
attic. The colorado is terminated at
each end by heavy pilons and wings sur
mounted by low parapet. Horizontal
lines predominant. and the general i'm
preston is one Of great dignity and
strength. The building is so designed
tnat It can be enlarged, without affect
inE its symmetry, to meet future de-
msnds for space.
The demand for the Hall Of Records
ls crying one, and early in March. OF
= tnls year, Secretary COrtelyOu sent a
tellef 70 congress urging, in the most
'tEEnes' manner, an appropriation to be-
gin Wo.E on the building It is known
IlaL the Secretary at the next session
o. Cong. ess viii give his special atten-
uon 10 this matter, and VII, personally,
request the several committees of the
House and Senate for speedy action on
this building.
= give a faint idea Of the way in
which the files accumulate Chief Clerk
AuoieN, OF the Treasury Department
said today that an Investigation two
years ago showed that the files then on
H-iil an Al the buildings under control
q Sc treasury, and in space rented
81 ~ --4slteiy therefor, occupied over Loo -
~ CUBIC leet- He added that the files
ere ecgumulating at the rate OF 25 900
cubic feet per annum The files referred
70 Gre called uncuTrent files but are in
con taEt demand. In many Instances
re lles occupy space frequented by the
RCDlG, and are unprotected; some are
Al Dulldings not fireproof
Would Give Room for Clerks.
Chief Clerk Ludlow says the Govern
ment pays 5000 a year rent for one
building In which is stored files. and
$4,000 rental for other buildings for the
same purpose. If the Government had
tne HILL Of Records. he said. the re-
moVal Of the files from the Treasury
department alone would give space for
numerous divisions Of the department
now located in rented buildings.
The agitation for Hall OF Records
oates back TO the Patent Office fire
about thirty years ago Invaluable rec
ords Of the Government were DESTROYED
IL that fire, and with their destruction
came the cry from Government officials
Tor freproof building in which IN
store the records and files Of the Gov
~--ASNeAN-fD communications on this sub
Ject to Congress filed many public
documents. The heads OF the depart
mShIs IN their annual reports have
cS4Ieu attenuon TO the need OF a Hall
OF Records and seevral Of the Presidents
nave referred to IL in their annual mes
bages- Every Congress, since the Pat
ent Onice fire, has witnessed the intro
auction OF bills to appropriate large
sums OF money for the erection OF this
much agttated building, but IL would
meet the fate of similar measures OF
Government improvements. and either
ole In the committee or on the House
or Senate calendar
NOW That the Government owns the
necessary ground on which to erect a
building Of size and dignity and there
is Increasing cry for space IN the sew
eral department buildings, particularly
the treasury Department, il is be-
ueYed that Congress at the coming ses-
sion VIII appropriate a sufficient sum
20 erect Hall Of Records in keeping
with the other Government buildings of
recent years.