Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-29
Transfer of Offices to
$17,500, 900 Structure Re-
quireS Two Months.
$500 WORKERS IN NINE
BUREAUS TO BE SHIFTED
Standards and Census Units to
Remain Until Latter Part of 1882.
Fisheries Prepare to Move.

The Department of Commerce will
occupy its new SIT 800 900 building on
next January !, 1t was definitely an
nounced today by Malcolm Kerlin,
executive assistant to Secretary Lamont.
The moving Of equipment will be in
director Of public buildings and public
parks, and Mr.. Kerlin estimated today
that the tremendous task will not be
completed for at least two months.
All bureaus OF the department. with
the exception Of the Bureau Of Stand
ards and Census Bureau, will be moved
into the new building at the beginning
OF the year. The greatest task in the
moving line will be the transferring of
the Patent ONCE equipment. Mr..
Kerlin believes that this will not be &C
complished within go days.
The building is understood to be
about 80 per cent completed.
$500 to BE Transferred.
With the transferring OF employees
totaling $500 from the Bureaus OF
AeronauticS, Radio, Foreign and Do
nestle Commerce, Fisheries, Light
houses, Coast and Geodetic Survey
Steamboat Inspection, Navigation,
Patent ONCE and Mines of the depart
nent. Mr.. Kerlin said no effort would
be made to shift the Census Bureau be-
cause of the many temporary employees
now engaged in compiling the 1880
census count.
When this bureau gets down to a
permanent employe basis, he said, the
transfer would be completed. This is
not expected until the latter part of
next year.
Already the Bureau Of Fisheries Is
making preparations to move into its
section of what Is reputed to be the
worlds largest Office building. When
the move is completed. this depart
mental branch space allotment will be
one Of the show places Of Washington,
aquarium fish from all sections of the
world.
Occupies Three Blocks.
The building occupies three city
squares. It's length. 1850 feet, exceeds
that of the United States Capitol by
300 feet. though its breadth. 325 feet,
is IS feet less 1t is also longer than
the British Houses of Parliament by
ITO feet, though not as wide. The
structure Is seven stories high and con-
struction underground includes a base
ment for general use, with a sub base
ment for the heating and power plant.
Departmental organizations, according
to the plans announced today. have been
grouped WlLnln Cne DullQln8 Win as
much attention to eficient management
as available space and special individual
needs will permit.
Offices Assigned.
In the middle group will be the gen.
eral executive and administration func-
lions. as represented by the ONCE of
the secretary. the assistant secretaries,
the solicitor and the chief clerks forces.
A large conference room opposite the
main entrance is capable Of seating
thousand persons.
The more compact bureaus and serv-
ices Of the department have been
assigned to the central part of the
building. The south rectangle of the
building has been allotted to the Coast
and Geodetic Survey and the Census
Bureau. The basement and first and
second floors have been especially de-
signed to meet the needs of the en-
gineers. technicians and the mechanical
plant Of the survey. The upper floorS
have been assigned to the Census
Bureau.
The north rectangle has been assigned
exclusively to the Patent once.