In my last report to Congress I had the honor to call
attention to the utter inadequacy of room and facili-
ties for conducting the business of the Patent Office.
The Secretary of the Interior, by the act of July 7,
1884, was authorized to rent an additional building for
the purpose of providing more room for the several
bureaus of the Interior Department. A building was
secured, and the clerks and records belonging to the In-
dian Bureau were transferred to it. The Patent Office
thereby acquired nine additional rooms, which was
about one-fifth of the additional number needed for
the proper conduct of the business of the Bureau. The
atmosphere of the rooms vacated by this Office was
constantly foul, and the rooms were totally unfit for
habitation. When the desks were removed, the walls
immediately behind were found to be covered with
green mold, indicating how utterly unsuited the apart-
ments were for occupation by human beings. Several
deaths have occurred by reason of disease contracted
in these foul, damp rooms.
-From "Annual Report of The Commissioner of Patents & Yearly Index of
Patents & Patentees - 1884"
I can only hope the current move of the USPTO is under better
conditions.
Regards,
Steve
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