Evening star., 1935-05-16
Deficiency Appropriation
Hearings to Start
Next Week.
DEATH DANGERS SEEN
IN PRESENT BUILDING
Giegengack Terms Structure Fire
Hazard in Actual Peril
Of Collapse.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p. KENNEDf.
Early authorization of a s6,2O0.00o
addition to the Government Print
ing Office out of the $500, 900, 900 pub
lie building fund in the deficiency ap-
preparation bill is expected Hearings
are to start next week on The de-
flciency bill before the House Appro-
priations Committee. Chairman Lam
beth, Democrat, of North Carolina
of the House Committee on Printing
will represent the unanimous request
of the Joint Committee on Printing
for immediate provision for the new
Government Printing Office project.
For the protection of 5000 EN-.
ployes and equipment costing more
tnan s10,o0o,000 against what the
describes "the most serious of all
hazards-fire and probable building
collapse" emergency action is urged
The present plant is described as in
adequate. insanitary and congested,
with intolerable conditions created by
the grave insuficiency of space Re-
placement of the Government print
ing plant has been urged in 20 OF
the last % annual reports of the
Public Printer.
Large Warehouse Planned.
1t is not proposed to disturb the
present main building, which was
erected 80 years ago, but the olo
buildings along H street, west from
North Capitol street, dating back to
k.a
building erected on that site. 1t is
also proposed TO erect large ware
house on the opposite side Of North
Capitol street, to the railroad tracks.
The plan under consideration was
recommended by Board of Engineers
who made special study of the
G. P. o. plant.
The establishment of the warehouse
will result in definitely determined
saving in trucking and rental alone
of upwards of S48, 900 a year
The group of old buildings consists
of six adjoining four and five story
structures. three having brick walls
and wood interiors and three with
brick walls and interiors of brick arches
on steel framing. They are all shown
| by the engineers report to be in
bad structural condition.
At the same time study was made
of all the elevators and the report on
practically all of them was that they
sould be replaced.
Loss Of Life Is Foreseen.
The report which will be brought
to the attention Of the Appropriations
Committee says:
Building conditions at the Govern
ment Printing ONCE present q situa-
! ton so serious that unless action is
promptly taken to replace antiquated
and unsafe buildings loss of life and
destruction of millions of dollars worth
OF Government property may be ex-
pected. This building condition is not
one which has just now become acute;
it is one which has steadily grown
worse. The point has now been reached
where definite responsibility must be
placed for its continuation and for
failure to have remedied this condi-
ton should a catastrophe occur. The
remedy lies in the hands of Congress
to provide authority and funds for
replacement of the structurally dan
gerous and highly inflammable old
buildings. That a catastrophe has
not already occurred may be credited
to Divine Providence, aided by keen
WatchfulneSs on the part of the
Governemnt Printing Office and quick
response and vigorous action on the
part of the District Fire Department
in gaining control over two serious
nreS that have started in the old
buildings"
The report shows three distinct ele-
ments of hazard exist: First-The
danger of collapse Of the 79-year -old
structures that may result from the
structurally weak cosditions, or the
slipping of structural members off their
supports on walls due to their ten
dency to spread. such as caused the
collapse OF the roof of the Knicker-
booker Theater in 1922, which re-
suited in the loss of 85 lives. Second
The hazard of flre-the report states
these buildings are an extreme fire
hazard" Third-The danger of using
elevator equipment so obsolete that it
cannot even be repaired.
The Government Printing Office
now occupies % acres of floor space
Seventy per cent of this area is in
modern steel-frame buildings. while 80
per cent is located in the old build
ings. 1t has been determined by the
report that 484,000 square feet of floor
space will be needed in addition to
the present main buildings and the
recent extension on the south side of
Jackson alley. This makes little or no
provision for future expansion. But
there will result great improvement
in working conditions, much wasteful
rehandling will be eliminated and the
cost Of operation will be thereby
greatly reduced.
The new building would cover the
entire area now covered by the group
of old buildings on the north side Of
jackson alley. 1t would be ITS feet
three inches wide, facing on North
Capitol street and extending 3S4 feet
along H street northwest. It would
have basement and eight stories, and
be connected on all floors with the
main building by enclosed bridges. It
would be Of fireproof steel-frame con-
Struction.
1t is proposed to establish the ware
house and freight terminal on the
east side of North Capitol street, with
spur tracks running in from the Wash
ington terminal and with tunnels to
the main Government Printing Once
building and the proposed new an
mex. Into this new warehouse would
be moved the existing folding rooms"
OF the Senate and House, some of