55th Congress, )H0USE OF REPEESBNTATIVES. 
 
 2d Session. ) 
 
 Document^ 
 No. 226. 
 
 HALL OF EECOEDS. 
 
 LETTER 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, 
 
 IN REGARD TO 
 
 A PROPOSED HALL OP RECORDS AND A LOCATION FOR THE SAME 
 
 January 15, 1898.— Referred to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds and 
 
 ordered to be printed. 
 
 Treasury Department, 
 
 Office of the Secretary, 
 Washington, I). C, January 14, 1898. 
 Sir : Act of Congress, approved June 11, 1890, provides, among other 
 things — 
 
 That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to submit to Congress a plan giv- 
 ng the size and general characteristics of a public building to be used for a hafl of 
 ■ecords in the city of Washington, suitable for the storage of papers, documents, 
 lud other records which have accumulated in the various Departments and are 
 leeded only for occasional use, and also for the storage and distribution of books 
 nd other publications issued by order of Congress; and said Secretary is directed 
 >elore making his report to consult with the'heads of the other Departments and 
 he proper officers of the Senate and House of Representatives; and he is also 
 irected to consider and report upon the suitableness for a site for such a buildiuo' 
 n the public reservation at the intersection of Ohio and Louisiana avenues with 
 Tenth and Twelfth streets, and of any other public grounds located within the city 
 f Washington within reasonable distance of the Departments to be accommodated 
 y such a hall of records. 
 
 It appears from information received from other Departments' that 
 lere are no "other public grounds" available for a site for the pro- 
 osed building in the city of Washington within reasonable distance 
 : the Departments to be accommodated, except the parks and reser- 
 ations. 
 
 I The question of the suitability of the site specifically referred to in 
 id act has been given such consideration by this Department as was 
 Dssible in the absence of an appropriation for investigating the char- 
 jter of the soil for foundations, and a report was submitted to Congress 
 reference thereto under date of January 7, 1897. Until it shall have 
 len definitely determined, by tests, borings, etc., that said site is not 
 itable for the erection of a hall of records thereon, this Department 
 ps not feel justified in making any recommendation in regard to the- 
 
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 ■1 
 
 HALL OF RECORDS. 
 
 matter. It is to be noted, however, that the Potomac Eiver, in time of 
 flood, has several times covered the specified site. On June 2, 1889, it 
 flooded the reservation to a depth of about 4 feet 6 inches. 
 
 From information obtained uioon consultation with the heads of the 
 other Departments and the proper officers of the Senate and House of 
 Eepresentatives, it appears that a building proportioned to the present 
 requirements, with provision for increase for a moderate period, should 
 have a capacity of approximately 4,000,000 cubic feet. 
 
 I inclose herewith two tentative sketches for the proposed hall of 
 records, marked Design A and Design B. 
 
 Design A is of dimensions suitable to be erected on the site referred 
 to in said act of Congress. The limited area of the site for this design 
 made it necessary to carry it nine stories in height, the building to be 
 400 by 120 feet, of approximately 4,000,000 cubic feet capacity, of fire- 
 proof construction, and being estimated to cost $1,200,000, 
 
 Design B is for a building to be erected on another site in case it is 
 determined that the site for Design A is, for any reason, not suitable. 
 
 Design B shows a building 400 by 70 feet having four stories, fire- 
 proof construction, and estimated to cost $450,000. It will be observed 
 that the capacity of this design, approximately 1,000,000 cubic feet, is 
 considerably less than what will ultimately be required, as provided by 
 Design A. Design B, however, offers this advantage: The building is 
 capable of extension, as indicated on the plan, without impairing its 
 architectural appearance, to the approximate capacity of 4,000,000 cubic 
 feet. The portion of the building shown will, when completed, relieve 
 the present congested condition of files storage, and extensions could be 
 made at some future time, and ultimately complete the quadrangle. 
 Kespectfully, yours, 
 
 L. J. Gage, Secretary. 
 
 To the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives. 
 
 NOV -6 jBQi 
 
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