Evening star., 1936-09-01
CHANGES PLANNED
IN PARK SERVICES
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Many Improvements to Be
Undertaken Soon Are
Announced.
new LIFTS PLANNED
AT VETERANS BUREAU
Sprinkler Systems in Navy and
Munitions Buildings Also
Are Studied.

A comprehensive program OF I'M
provements in public buildings under
the jurisdiction of the National Park
Service will be undertaken soon, it
was announced today.
One of the major jobs will be in
stallation of new elevators in the
Veterans Administration Building at
cost of approximately s50,000.
Charles A. Peters, jr., assistant di-
rector OF the National Park Service,
in making the announcement dis
closed he is studying the advisability
OF installing sprinkler systems in the
Navy and Munitions Building for fire
protection, particularly where files are
located.
Peters said the money for the IN.
provements is now in hand, having
been appropriated by Congress in the
deficiency measures, and engineers
have almost completed their plans.
The fund provides for repairs and
major alterations.
Installation Time Long.
Peters hopes to advertise in a week
for bids for the new elevators. The
plan Is to obtain high-speed lifts, and
installation may take from a year to
a year and half. Officials are try
Ing to arrange the program so it will
not demoralize the available elevator
service. AS the new elevators will op-
crate on alternating current, it will be
necessary to make electrical improve
ments in the building, changing from
direct current.
The buildings branch of the Park
Service is studying program for new
elevators for the building at 1900 E
street, occupied by the Farm Credit
Administration. and also for changing
from direct to alternating current and
making Improvements in the wiring.
This calls for replacement of the
present worn-out elevators and in
Stallation Of rev ones similar to those
placed in the old Post Office Building.
Future plans call for tearing down the
E street structure, so the elevators
set up there will not be so elaborate as
those in the Veterans Administration
Building.
Officials are studying bids recently
opened for installing a rotary con-
verter to change the system from al.
ternating to direct current in the Navy
and Munitions Buildings. Peters ex-
planned this will provide additional
capacity for the buildings, reduce the
present overloaded condition of the
electric system and make for i'm.
proyements in lighting.
Other New Elevators.
In the old Land. Patent and PEN
sion Office Buildings the current will
be changed from direct to alternating.
Two new elevators will be installed
in the old Land Office Building, three
in the old Patent Office and two in
the old Pension ONCE Building.
Obsolete wiring in the Washington
Monument is to be brought up-to-
date. At present, if the current is
shut of, the shaft is in darkness. The
engineers are preparing plans for a
standby lighting system in emer-
gencies.
Rewriting also will be undertaken
in the old Ford Theater, which houses
the Lincoln Museum, and in the old
Post Office Building. Improvements
in watchmen's and fire alarm systems
will go forward In the old Land,
Patent Office, Pension Building, the
old Post Office Building, the State
Department and 1900 E street.