The Washington times., 1917-11-15
OFFICIALS OF
TREASURY N
BIG NEED OF
OFFICE ROOM
by BILL PRICE.

The Treasury Department is in the
market for IS5,0OO square feet OF
aoor space for office purposes, and is
having great difficulty in getting
even a small portion. other Govern
ment departments are hard pressed
for office accommodations for EN-
pIoyes, and it will not be until various
new buildings authorized by Congress
are completed that real relief will
come.
The Governments executive and
administrative activities are now so
badly scattered throughout the city
that persons having business with
Uncle Sam often find trouble in locat-
ing the particular bureau or division
they are looking for. Many times
they are sent from one place to an
other.
The War and Navy departments,
foor space at the beginning OF the
war by taking over a large number
OF apartment houses, and are still
badly in need of office accommoda-
tion, are expecting relief by March j.
when it is contemplated that the big
wooden buildings at Sixth and B
streets, the site OF .he old Union Sta
tion, where Garfield was shot by
Guiteau, will be ready for occupancy.
Ready by March L.
These buildings, for which Con-
gress appropriated $4,000, 900 and pro
vided that they should be temporary
only, are being rushed to completion
by the George A. Fuller Construction
Company under a cost plus commits
sion contract Three sections OF one
large building will be reaay before
March !, It was said today by an Of
hcer OF the Government
The Treasury Department has not
such good prospects for early relief. al
though the supervising architect Of the
Treasury is rushing plans for the new
Treasury annex to be built at Pennsyl-
vania avenue and Madison place, ad-
5oining the Belasco Theater. II is plan
ped to have this s., 10000 building, which
will be a permanent one. ready for the
Treasury by September 10, 1915
A contract has been let for the digging
af four large test pits to determine the
nature OF the soil. and this digging will
begin in a few days. Immediately after
the tests have disclosed the facts want
&c, contracts will be let for the excava-
tion for the structure. The site will be
excavated deeply to provide for base-
lnent. which will be connected with the
Treasury proper by a subway running
nnder Pennsylvania avenue.
While the excavations are going on
the supervising architects office will
complete the plans and advertise for
bidders All that has been definitely
decided is that the building viii be six
stories about ground. corresponding 70
some extent with the architecture OF the
Treasury. and will be Of stone. 1t is in
tended that the new building shall be
the home OF the commissioner Of inter-
nal revenue, and the large force that
viii be working under him by that time.
Portions Of his force are now scattered
N all directions and it is getting TO be a
serious problem where 10 place the yari-
Gus divisions of the bureau pending
the completion OF the new building.
3 Quarters for Insurance Bureau.
) The Treasury's demand for space is
largely TO provide for the internal
revenue bureau and the new war
-Sisk insurance bureau. which is writ
ing insurance policies upon the lives
Of soldiers, sailors. nurses, and others
An the war branches OF the Govern
ment. To enforce the act OF Congress
Imposing new war taxes in many d.