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Government Printing Office, ca. 1902
The four story building on the right is the 1861 structure on which Cluss built additions on the south and southwest parts of the building (the additions are not visible in this image). The seven story building was a second Government Printing Office building constructed in 1900-02.



United States Government Printing Office, Addition (92)

Northwest corner, North Capitol and G Streets, NW
Addition constructed 1895-96

Hired by Colonel John A. Wilson, of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, United States Corps of Engineers, Cluss, then 70 years old, supervised the construction of an addition to the Government Printing Office in 1895-96. The largest printing facility in the world, the building handled all of the printing work for the federal government. Cluss's task was to prepare drawings and to build an addition that matched the style of the 1861 building (architect unknown), including an additional story on the southwest corner and a building connecting the southwest and center sections.

Under the Commissioner form of government, the Army Corps of Engineers had assumed responsibility for many of the building and planning projects in the national capital. Officers of the Corps headed the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds and one officer filled the engineer position on the appointed, three-man Board of Commissioners who governed the District of Columbia from 1874-1974. Colonel, later General, Wilson headed the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds and later served as commandant of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, and Chief of the Corps of Engineers. In addition to the Government Printing Office, Wilson hired Cluss as architect for the Army Medical Museum and Library (see Nr. 29) in 1886, renovation of the While House conservancy in 1897 (see Nr. 93), and recommended him for the position of Inspector of Public Buildings in 1889 (see Inspector of Public Buildings).

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