New-York tribune., 1912-04-15
OLD RECORDS IN DANGER
Some Dating from Colonial Times
Stored in PoStoffiCe.
FIRE WOULD DESTROY THEM
Government Agrees to Co oper-
ate with City to Make Changes
New Building Desired.

The recent sarcas site correspondence that
passed between Joseph Johnson, FIRE com
missioner Of this CITY. sud Alfred 2. Fry.
chief engineer ir charge of the United
States buildings. concerning certain fire Pre-
venrlve changes 9uG Installation OF fire
fghting apparatus iu tine POstcfiee Build
irF has again brought 70 the attention oS
the public how little has been done 10 pro-
tect the highly valuable records "f the
federal courts in this district
Although there is 4 great difference nj
opinion between the federal authorities and
tho Fire Commissioner concerning tho fro
risk Of he Postofice Building. no one would
dispute the fact that only q small part OF
the court records, practically only those IN
use BY the United States AtJorney IN I'M
finished cases, f. adequately protected from
IRE by being kept IN the one vault at the
disposal of the court officers There is one
other vault il the building, but this one
is used by the postmaster, a. occasionally
he has IN his charge as much as si.5'ootO
in currencv and postage stamps
Old court records. many preserved from
Colonial times and an almost complete
array ~ documents covering the whole
existence of the federal courts from the
time OF Washirgtou's Presidency, are filed
away I'm the dOmes of the building, in wood
en fling cases, inaccessible, and certain of
destruction IN case of a conhagration More
recent records are kept in the rooms cu
the floors above the second. but here. too.
the hliuG cases are Of wood. and I'm case
of fire there is nothing to keep them from
the greed OF the flames.
The chief difficulty in the matter lies IN
the admitted inadequacv Of the building,
which was erected i'm 1875. To serve the dual
purpose OF housing the main postoffire and
the federal courts. Neither OF them has
been able. despite frequent changes and r.
constructions I'm the interior. to overcome
an arrangement Of space that appears TO
have been devised to hatfls a futur. ger
Grafton. While they continue to wrestle
with the problem all of the federal officials
IN any Way associated With the building
hope feryeutly that tho bill OF senator
OGorman providing for new postofilce
and courthouse will D, passed 10y Congress
and put an end to theiI troubles
NeauWhil. tine records viii remain Iu
danger. whether the lire risk Of the build
ing lc a. great as Commissioner Johnson
asserts it 10 be or whether IL DO remote.
NIr johnson compares the Postptticc Build
ing with that in which the Equitable Life
Assurance Society was housed for so many
Years He says it would 20 up even
quicker than the building at SO. l2o Broad
way. and that the nr" vOuld endauger
the many small but old and comhustible
buildings across Park Row.
Tie Fire Commissioner would like to
hav. moro exits from the upper TO the
lower floors Of tho building. d number Of
stand pipes within To hight % fire ard other
precautionary measures that would mean
considerable and EXPENSIVE changes
, throughout the building
chief Engineer Fry. himself a Grehghtcr
of many Years experience iu the depart
ments of Boston and Chicago. does not
agree a. an with this view Of tho sltua-
ton lie says that, inadequate da the
! buildn- may be and though the records
g., themsclyes are not protected at ali.
tn" building s, far superior ia every way -
the Equitabl. Building recently burned.
There Is no wooden trim ln IT. Mr. Fry
says, ~ tho window and door sashes are
made OF iron no wooden flooring. very lit
tie intammablc furniture. and above an.
no greasy kitchens and pautrirs Also. the
building Is occupied DAY and night and "a
fire could not gain any headway without
being discovered whil" II Was stilI confined
to . limited locality
The real danger to tho building comes
from the small structure, across Park
Row In Mr.. Fry's opinion The possibil.
ity OF d confaCration Is much greater over
there than Ia the Postofiice Building. but
IN case of strong wind blowing toward
the federal building u would be- sure 10
suffer from heat and water The granite
walls might burst from intense heat. 80
L.s hsuyaned IN various great lrSA