Evening star., 1926-09-26
ARCHIVES BUILDING
PLANS GO FORWARD
Records to Be Moved and
Cared For on System Now
Being Developed.

Filing away of the stupendous mass
Of valuable Government records which
are to be stored in the great new
Archives Building. to be erected be-
tween Twelfth, Thirteenth. and c
streets. probably will be done accord
ing to a system which will keep each
departments records to Itself so as
to preserve origin
The new building will face on what
Is now B street, which later will be
the boulevard from the Capitol to the
river under the development scheme
for that part of Washington. The
records will be brought into the struc-
ture from the rear, or c street en-
trance, from which they will be
handled in a series of processes until
they finally repose in their proper de-
partmental file, along with other
papers from the same place. Records
will be filed chronologically.
These are among the early tentative
recommendations agreed to by the
Treasury Department and expert ad-
viserR who have conferred on the
many problems concerning this new
departure in the Government.
Although the records when they
enter the Archives Building would be
under control of the archivist in
charge. 1t has been considered very
likely also that the department head
whose papers are being filed in the
building may hold some control over
them, especially in instances where
they are confidential.
Access for Public.
Government officials and the public
at large would be entitled to access
to most of the archives, under the
tentative plans now being discussed.
but it Is likely that some kind of
restriction may have to be placed on
public access in order to prevent
unscrupulous persons from attempt.
ing to use the files as a basis for un-
authorized claims against the Gov
ernment.
Records after entering the rear en-.
trance on G street would under pres
ent plans be received and accounted
for in receiving room, they would
then pass through several depart
ments prior to entry to the stacks.
Among these departments may be a
cleaning department and a bindery.
Details of the catalog system remain
to be worked out. but it is believed
that the recommendation of the eX-
perts for a filing according to depart
mentS and establishments and in
chronological order will be followed.
-ApPLONVu DS A1ApoAsc'
Among those who approved the
recommendation for this kind Of sys-
TEN were Herbert Putnam. librarian
of Congress- Charles Moore. chairman
of the Commission of Fine Arts and
chief of the manuscripts division of
the Library of Congress: and c..
Worthington Ford of the Massa-
chusetts Historical Society.
The Archives Building itself. prob
ably will occupy the entire site pro-
vided, and in general will be con-
structed on monumental lines Of stone.
so as to make an imposing appear
ance. The offices of the archives
would be on the outside. The outside
of the building would run up
two stories In height for offices,
workrooms and various departments,
while the interior of the building
would extend upwards for the stacks
and files, about 1870 feet. There is no
danger, according to those who are
familiar with the plans, of the build
ing looking like huge warehouse, or
simply an office building. 1t is to be
built along economical but at the
same time on architecturally beauti-
full lines.
While the working plans are being
developed in more detail for further
conferences later on, the Department
Of Justice is proceeding as rapidly as
possible with condemnation proceed
ings by which the Government will
acquire possession OF the land now
privately owned. 1t will be adjacent
10 the new Internal Revenue Building.