Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-29
WORK TO Be DONE ON
PERCENTAGE BASIS
James L. Parsons Gets Con.
tract for Reconstruction of
Treasury Building.

The $4,000 job for the reconstruction
Of the basement floor of the Treasury De-
partment. work that promises many
changes in the architecture of the big
building, as we'll as many changes on the
first, second and third floors. and which
will probably make many changes in the
department personnel also, has been let
to James l.. Parsons. the Washington
builder. on a percentage basis. While the
plans for the work have not been fully
completed Mr.. Parsons has taken room
In the basement of the building and will
in "A short time begin some of the re-
modelling.
The bids for the job were opened in
the department yesterday afternoon, all
on y percentage basis.
The bidders were James l.. Parsons.
the successful man; Richardson &
Burgess. William r. Lipscomb & Co.
and Norcross Bros. Mr. Parsons, it Is
understood. Is to receive . per cent or
the total cost of the work. purchasing
all material and employing the labor.
Changes Contemplated.
While the main amount of the money
will go into the basement floor. there
will he other changes throughout the
building. especially in the elevator ar
rangement The project is intended
To rcarrange and reclassify the work
of the Treasury Department, bringing
together the various divisions and bu-
reaus related in their business to each
other. many of them now widely scat
tered.
When the contract is completed there
will he much changing of quarters and
general shifting of employees firm OF
New York bank architects has been plan
ming the remodeling for some time, hav
ing been especially employed with in
structions TO get the force of the Urea
sury arranged in businesslike, modern
order
The plans include the tearing down OF
the stone steps on 18th street leading to
the first floor of the department which is
now the main entrance. and the building
of a grand main entrance on the basement
floor. to be known as the employees en-
trance. and through which all employees
must pass going to and from work There
Will be three large elevators at this door.
going all the way to the fourth floor. ne
cessitating considerable tearing up of the
floors to carry out the idea.
At the southwest and northeast doors of
the building. both opening on 18th street,
there will be placed two elevators instead
of one each as at present. These doors
will be largely for the public.
Plan for the Basement.
L ne basement moor rooms VIII be re-
modelled throughout, the purpose being to
assemble all the counters of the Treasury
on that floor. which will also hold the
shipping rooms, express offices, etc. There
are about 4S1 people in the Treasury De-
partment engaged in counting. or asso-
ciated with the work, including book
keepers, sealers, cancelers and cage men.
OF this number 1856 are women.
When the final rearrangement is made
all those engaged in any manner In
handling or counting money will be 10
Gated on the remodeled basement floor.
The list will include the 215 persons en-
ployed in the national bank redemption
agency, the 135 in the redemption d.
vision of the treasurers Office, 80 from
the loans and currency division of the
Secretarys' office, 81 from the registers
office and IS from the office of the con-
troller of the currency. The counters of
the controllers Office may be kept on the
second floor near the controllers office,
but that is undecided.
A large number OF persons who have
been employed in the Office of the COM
missioner of internal revenue as count
ers of internal revenue stamps are to
lose their positions in a few DAYS. The
counting is being done by machines at
the bureau of engraving and printing.
Under orders from Secretary MacVeagh
efforts will be made to find places for
all these employees. but there have been
so many dismissals in the last year or
so from the department that it is al
most impossible to locate everybody.