Evening star., 1923-08-29
Announces That No More Of.
flee Room Here Can
Be Provided.
IMMEDIATE BUILDING
PROGRAM HERE URGED
Many Priceless Records Now Stored
in Quarters Unfit for
Further Use.

Col. c. o. Sheriff., acting chairman
of the Public Buildings Commission, to-
day announced that the commission
lad practically exhausted all possibili-
ties in the District of Columbia for
space in government buildings, and is
at loss how further to proceed.
The commission has for months been
Juggling" the various activities of
government about in the space avail
able, in order to house them as we'll as
possible. but the pressure has now
grown SO great. Col Sheriff. said today
that the commission will be unable to
further accommodate those bureaus
Iand departments who are clamoring for
SPACE, unless more building space is
provided.
While recognizing there is a move
ment on foot in certain quarters for
national building program. to be
taken care of in omnibus building
bill planned for the next session OF
Congress. the public building COM
mission has hopes Of separating. II
possible, the needs of the gorernmen;
here from the national program.
This proposal. ii is understood
would meet with opposition from GER
tain sources. but the need in the cap
itai has become 80 acute that the
commission. Col. Sheriff. said today
had determined on a policy of en-
deavorinE to set before the Congress
and the national the immediate needs
of the federal government at home.
A joint statement from the internal
revenue bureau and, the office of the
controller general has been presented
to the commission. 1t was said. in
which it was claimed that if these
two agencies. sadly in need of their
own quarters, could each be housed
In 4 building of their own there could
administration an actual saving OF
half a million dollars the first year
Has Valuable Records.
The internal revenue bureau. Col
Sheriff. said, not only is scattered all
over the city In various buildings
but has a huge amount Of valuable
and irreplaceablc records stored In
an old frame building at 14th and Il
streets. In imminent danger of fire
and destruction. This building recently
became so diiapidated and dangerous.
Col. Sheriff. said. that 1t was about
to be condemned as unfit for occu-
pancy- As there was no available
space. however. TO take care of the
activities of the internal revenue bu-
reau housed there. the old building
was repaired. to last little while
longer. In that building there is
about 100000 square feet of floor
space, impossible to find anywhere
else in government buildings in the
city.
The Department of Justice. in a
rented building costing $4,000 rent
per year. needs government housing
The general supply committee, Col
Sheriff. said, is making every effort
to vacate the old barracks in East
Potomac Park. but can find nowhere
20 go.
In the old bureau of engraving and
printing building are housed part of the
department of agriculture and the
bureau of debts and accounts of the
treasury in space needed by the bureau
of engraving and printing. But there is
no place for the bureau of debts and
accounts to go. Col. Sheriff. said II
would need about 1900 square feet of
floor space.
Recorder of Deeds Arthur G.. Froe
yesterday appeared before the commits
sion, reporting that he would need 49,
600 square feet fireproof space for the
storage of records of the District, as the
owners Of the building where the re-
corder now is located has given orders
to vacate.