The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-01


been placed by Secretary Macveagh in
the hands Of York & Sawyer, New York
bank architects, with instructions TO push
the work as speedily as possible. It is
expected that the changes win be COM
pleted in four months.
The principal feature viii be the elimi-
nation Of the huge granite entrance steps
on the Fifteenth street side Several
passenger elevators will be installed at
/ the new entrance Other changes win
/ be the establishment Of locker rooms for
the clerks; the segregation OF money
handling divisions on the ground floor;
arrangements for shipping supplies from
the west courtyard instead OF from Fiji
teenth street: placing OF frieze windows
IN the third floor. and a general read
Justment OF bureaus and divisions for the
/ facilitation Of work.
Since Secretary MacVeagh took Office
a general survey Of conditions has been
going on with a view 10 the reorganiza-
ton Of the Offices and bureaus. Sanitary
conditions were found 70 be neglected
/ because Of overcrowding OF Offices.
Secretary MacVeagh's Report.
The changes were decided upon at
long consultation between Treasury Of
fcials and architects. In an official re-
! port Secretary MacVeagh says:
! Secretary MacVeagh found himself in
/ stalled in a structure which had grad
/ ually become so filed that hardly
| single division was working TO the best
advantage in a properly lighted room
| big enough for IT. Across the hall from
his own Office was a part OF the division
! OF bookkeeping and warrants. The rest
OF this division had seven rooms IN three
! places on the east side Of the building
on the noor below, two rooms and a
document vault over the west portico
on the floor above. and files IN the east
/ side OF the third story TO get an area
/ OF 500 square feet. the division had
been distributed in thirteen rooms in six
separate locations on Jnree floors To
/ reach them all. one had 10 walk half
the length and width OF the building.
Besides the serious overcrowding OF
the divisions themselves. there was a
lack OF space, both for fling and storage;
the public corridors were used for cler-
icai work. for money handling and can
| ceiling. and were overfiowed with files
and boxes.
Made Cleanliness Impossible.
These conditions were not only IN
healthy and inconvenient. but they made
IL impossible 10 run the building properly
/ and keep it clean. The sub-basement cor
ridors. IN particular. were used as storage
spaces for tons Of paper TO be used al
I the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
for postage and internal revenue stamps,
the narrow alleys between these boxes
forming the only means OF communica-
ton between the coal bunkers under the
! terraces at the north and south ends OF
the building and the heating plants
''Of course, all these conditions are the
result Of a growth so gradual that there
has never been a time when a survey OF
the whole organization has been under
taken. and a progressive scheme OF the
lreaSsignment OF space in the building at
tempted. This Mr.. MacVeagh undertook.
requiring a thorough study to be made OF
the difficulties involved in order that rem
edies might be found
zone Of the first Improvements made
was the elimination from the building
Of the branch printing Office with its
combustibie inks. oils SC. which made
fire risk. unjustihed in such an i'm
portant building. The space thus &C
Quired was used for the Offices OF the
Supervising Architect
Arthur Young & Co.. expert account
ants, OF Chicago, were engaged to report
upon methods and bookkeeping. while the
architects were directed to study in de-
tail the problems involved in the i'm
provenents mentioned above. paying par
ticular attention 10 rearranging the
money handling divisions, providing FOR
their convenience and protection. and re-
modelling the building 10 suit their needs
Provision for Money.
1T was recommended that all the re
ceiving and shipping Of money, supplies
&c. which now takes place across m,
public sidewalks on Fifteenth street
should be removed to the sub-basemen
where it will be out Of the way OF IN,
public, safer, and removed from interior
ence with the rest Of the work carried
on in the building.
1T was suggested that the money
handling divisions should be so place.
that the currency delivered from tn
vans in this west sub-basement are'
should move naturally by the shortes
route through the divisions handling II
Such an arrangement is made pOssibb
by the removal Of the Supervising Arehi
al
the fourth floor.
, The question OF a proper entrance 10
employees was taken UP. and it was rec
, commended that the exterior stops in tn
. middle Of the Fifteenth side be Removed
I and an ample entrance. at grade, provid
, ed Three new elevators at this poin
will deliver people at their own floor
with the least effort and delay. A cOun
Of people entering and leaving the build
ing brought out some interesting facts
d Employees enter almost entirely through
t the basement doors; about three times a
! many are using the northeast entr2nc
o on Fifteenth street as the southeast. III
, first floor entrances are comparativel
little used, almost as many empolyes 60
ing down the steep area steps into tn
/ north basement entrance in the hour be
S tween and as go in and come out Q
|. all the other entrances OF the buildin
: at morning. noon. and closing time pu
2 together.
e Places for Lockers.
: "As II has proved impossible 10 fin
n space for lockers and toilet facilities 70
e each separate division throughout tn
s building, ample locker rooms were sug
i gested for either side Of these entrances
j. in order to avoid the present necessit
: of carving clothing. hats. rubbers. G