Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-13
U.S.Moves Into Big Warehouse
Built Privately in Fr0nconio

packing, and other combustible
items.
There are Is "levelators"-
metal contrivances that bring
the floor up to the level of the
trucks being loaded. This is
considered an immense time
saver. Electrically operated run
abouts-small trucks-can be
run directly on to a truck and
ITS load set down as one unit on
the floor. The load sets directly
on a wooden platform that can
be picked up bodily to speed
service.
Can Buy by Carload.
The old hand truck for loading
is history. Under the mech
anized method, an automobile
truck can be loaded with supplies
in IL to IS minutes.
The immense warehouse will
permit the Federal Government
to buy in carload lots, delivered
by railroad right at its door.
Quantity buying will mean lower
cost and aid in meeting the
Eisenhower administrations de-
mands Tor economy in Govern
ment.
The building is 1000 feet long
and 500 feet wide. 1t permits
piling merchandise up to IA feet
high on the floor.
Officials expect to do SIS mil
lion worth of business monthly.
Government agencies will pay
for the goods they receive.
Items are stored in steel shelv-
ing and fluorescent lights illumi-
nate the vast structure. Some
"a electric fork-lift small trucks
speed the operation. Tricycles,
called tri-bikes, also enable Of
flee personnel to get about speed
lily and transact business.
The move into the new ware
house means that storage space
is being vacated by the Federal
Government in other sections of
the Washington region. The
shift releases five floors of valu-
able space at Seventh and D
streets S.W., headquarters of Re-
gion 3. Agencies now in leased
quarters elsewhere will move into
the Southwest building.
Other Space Vacated.
Other storage space vacated
includes the old Alexandria,
Bancroft & Washington Transit
Co. terminal in Alexandria, at
the Soldiers Home, los Lee
street in Alexandria, the Con-
gressional Airport in Rockville.
Md, and the Woodward & Lo-
throp warehouse at SO M street
NE. The Government is giving
up this space.
Fred D. Parr, president of the
Parr = Franconia Warehouse
Corp. of San Francisco, was con-
Sidered the moving spirit behind
the warehouse project here. in
cooperation with Government
officials. 1t was built by Barrett
& Hip of San Francisco, which
specializes in constructing piers
and warehouses.
The sidewalks were poured on
top of paraf1in base. placed on
top of the completed concrete
floor. Then, when dry, the walls
we're raised into permanent posi-
ton by a crane and supported
by turnbuckles until the columns
at the ends were poured in con-
crete. Only the roof is of wood,
prefabricated Of western lumber.
The field generalissimo of the
new warehouse is Edward C.
Campbell. chief of the Ware
house Branch of Region 8 of
GSA. He is mighty proud of the
new operation. And he spent a
year studying the requirements
of the new project and inspect
ing Government and commercial
warehouses.
"Our plant will compare with
any Of comparable size in the
country, governmental or indus
trial." he says.
Tomorrow: Federal Office
space problems offer small
chance of getting rid of IN
slightly temlpOrarieS.)