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Secretary of General Services

The Department of General Services is the central construction, purchasing, publishing, and maintenance agency for the Commonwealth. This Department was created by Act 45 of 1975 that combined the duties of the Department of Property and Supplies and the General State Authority (GSA). Established by the Act of April 9, 1929 (P.L. 177), the Department of Property and Supplies was the service and purchasing agency for all other state departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and other divisions of state government. The General State Authority was created by the Act of March 31, 1949 (P.L. 372). (An earlier GSA created by the Act of June 28, 1935, P.L. 452 was subsequently repealed by the Act of May 18, 1945, P.L. 641). The purpose of the Authority under the 1949 Act was to construct, improve, equip, furnish, maintain, acquire, and operate a wide rage of public works, including all state buildings, institutions, airports, state-aided schools, and municipal exhibition halls. Prior to 1968, GSA projects were financed by the sale of General State Authority Bonds. The Act of July 22, 1975 (No. 45) that created the Department of General Services on October 20, 1975 transferred to the new Department the powers and duties of the former Department of Property and Supplies and the General State Authority with the exception that the Authority continued to function as an independent public corporation until the outstanding debt from the bond procceeds spent is retired.

The Secretary of General Services is appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the majority of the Senate. He is an ex officio member of the governing bodies of the General State Authority, the State Public School Building Authority, the Pennsylvania Transportation Assistance Authority and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Facilities Authority. He is Insurance Broker of Record for the Commonwealth and Secretary to the Board of Commissioners of Public Grounds and Buildings. The organizational units of the Department of General Services are grouped into five functional areas: executive, administrative, procurement, central services, and public works. These latter areas report to, respectively, the Secretary and deputy secretaries for Administration, Procurement, General Services and Public Works.

General State Authority Files,
1957-1979, 1984-2001.
(31 cartons)

{series #20.1} [Holdings]

Grouped by subject and thereunder loosely arranged by date of document.

Main subject files regarding actions of the General State Authority. Records include administration files, committee files, construction reports and authorizations, insurance files, minutes, budget, property management, procurement, and correspondence with other state departments and the Governor's office.

Legislative Liaison Files,
1984-1999.
(12 cartons)

{series #20.52} [Holdings]

Unarranged. Grouped by number of bill or by topic. Some files are loosely arranged by surname of legislator.

These are the working files of the Legislative Liaison of the Department of General Services. The liaison is an appointed position in the Executive Office of the Secretary of General Services acting as the contact between the General Assembly and the department. These files consist primarily of Senate and House of Representatives bills and any relevant correspondence and analysis. Other topics include special projects, Sunset Review, budget, surplus property, procurement, and environmental issues.

Press Office Files,
1990-2003.
(20 cartons, 1 box, 1 folder)

{series #20.54} [Holdings]

Loosely grouped alphabetically by subject.

Subject files of the Press Office within the Office of the Secretary of General Services. These records include press releases and information regarding construction and maintenance of the Capitol Complex , State Correctional Institutions and State Hospitals, the Keystone Building, the Governor's Residence, the Farm Show Building, the Rachel Carson State Office Building, and the Forum. Other documents consist of reading files and administrative records of the Press Secretary, videos, and photographs.

Program Correspondence,
1959-1963, 1967-1979, 1987-1994.
(34 cartons)

{series #20.2} [Holdings]

Loosely grouped alphabetically by subject and thereunder arranged chronologically by date of document.

Subject correspondence files concerning program activities under the purview of the Office of the Secretary of General Services. Subjects include purchasing, equipment expenditure, staff meetings, travel expenses, office expenses, leases and rentals, insurance, sale of real estate, legal matters, publicity, budget, building additions or renovations, and specific projects undertaken. Topical issues include Main Capitol Complex Renovation, State Treasurer Budd Dwyer's death, Harristown Development, Governor's Residence, and the Farm Show Building.

Bureau of Construction

General Correspondence Relating to Public Works Administration,
1938-1940.
(1 folder)

{series #20.4} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

Correspondence and rules and regulations concerning the activities of the Public Works Administration. The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, created by Title II in the National Industrial Recovery Act of June 1933, became the first national peacetime effort to create jobs under the New Deal. Eventually known as the Public Works Administration (PWA), this program spent over $6 billion to shore up the nation's infrastructure while combating unemployment. Under Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes's direction, the PWA constructed and refurbished highways, dams, low-cost housing, airports, warships, and other public projects. States and municipalities provided supervision in some cases, but all had to respect PWA guidelines. The PWA was prohibited from using convict labor or to work employees more than thirty hours a week. In order to maximize employment opportunities, congress required that human labor be used instead of machinery whenever possible.

Reports, Correspondence, Photographs, Blueprints, and Miscellaneous Records Relating to Works Progress Administration Construction Projects,
1930-1943.
(4 cartons, 1 box)

{series #20.5} [Holdings]

Grouped by type of material, and thereunder arranged alphabetically by subject, by category, or numerically by project number..

Reports, correspondence,photographs and blueprints relating to the activities of the Works Progress Administration in Pennsylvania. The Works Progress Administration was a New Deal agency created under the provisions of the 1935 federal Emergency Relief Appropriation Act to create jobs for the unemployed. Much of the funding for this program was directed toward improving public buildings, roads, highways, and bridges. The reports, correspondence, photographs, and blueprints comprising this series document construction projects conducted under this program in Pennsylvania and include information on wage scales and deductions, appropriations, project construction records and union agreements. Pennsylvania building and renovation projects include Ashland State Hospital, Blossburg State Hospital, Capitol Buildings and Grounds, Cornwall Iron Furnace, Cumberland Valley State Institution for Mental Defectives, Daniel Boone Homestead, Danville State Hospital, Edinboro State Teachers College, Enola Experimental Station, Ephrata Cloister, Fairview State Hospital, Farm Show Building, Hamburg Sanitarium, Harrisburg State Hospital, Indiana State Teachers College, Laurelton State Village, Mansfield State Teachers College, Morganza Training School, Mont Alto Sanitarium, Muncy Industrial Home, Museum Building, Nanticoke State Hospital, Norristown State Hospital, North Office Building No. 2, Old Economy Village, Pennhurst State School, Pennsbury Memorial, Pennsylvania Railroad Construction No. 2 on Piers and Tracks, Phoenixville Armory, Police Barracks in Harrisburg, Scotland Soldiers' Orphans School, South Office Building No. 1, State Industrial School for Women, Thaddeus Stevens Industrial School, Warren State Hospital, and Wernersville State Hospital.

State Art Commission

The State Art Commission was created in 1919 by P.L. 103. It consisted of five citizens appointed by the Governor to examine and approve or disapprove the design or location of a wide variety of public structures, including monuments, memorials and buildings acquired by the Commonwealth. The Commission also reviewed plans for structures funded by the State Treasury or by any political subdivision, as well as those for which the site was furnished either by the Commonwealth or by any State or local public place without Commission approval. Exceptions to the Commission's jurisdiction were cities of the first and second class. The Commission was disbanded in 1987.

Final Contract Drawings,
1978-1988.
(116 cartons)

{series #20.51} [Holdings]

Loosely grouped by project number.

Blueprints of projects requiring State Art Commission action, review and approval. These drawings consist of general notes and specifications, scale of drawing, site elevations, floor plans, cross sections, revisions, photos and specifies the General Contractor, Electrical Contractor, and Heating Ventilation Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Contractor. Projects include construction, renovation and alterations to: State Capitol, park and recreation facilities, municipal buildings, elementary and secondary schools, state hospitals, libraries and transportation centers.[*series #20.41 has an index of these drawings]

Correspondence and Reference File,
1976-1988.
(27 cartons)

{series #20.49} [Holdings]

Arranged in numerical order by project number.

Correspondence and related material referring to projects receiving approval from the State Art Commission. This material includes blueprints, plans, proposals, site plans, topographic maps, architect drawings and renderings, ground and aerial photography, reports, legal documents, approval forms, statement of design intent, construction schedule, and project submission form. Projects consist of public structures or buildings receiving Commonwealth funding. [*series #20.41 has an index of these projects]

Minutes,
1919-1950, 1965-1968.
(9 folders)

{series #20.40} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Information provided includes names of members present, submission numbers, names and resolutions relating to the submissions, actions taken and discussions about the policies and procedures of the Commission.

Indexes to Projects,
1965-1987.
(4 volumes)

{series #20.41} [Holdings]

Arranged numerically by project numbers, which were assigned chronologically..

Indexes to projects brought before the Commission. Information provided by each entry includes project number, county, township, project title, architect or designer, and dates that certain drawings or details of the project were brought to the Commission.

Projects,
1981-1982, 1985.
(2 folders)

{series #20.43} [Holdings]

Two project files, one for the Pittsburgh Convention Center and the other for the Indiantown Gap Veterans Memorial, were left out of the Commission files. These folders contain correspondence, drawings, and booklets on the respective projects.

Procedural and Organizational Files,
1919-1997.
(7 folders)

{series #20.44} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Files containing information on policies and procedures of the Commission, budgets, sample letters to those submitting entries for approval, and organization and function statements.

Subject Files,
1928-1964.
(1 carton)

{series #20.50} [Holdings]

Grouped by subject and thereunder chronologically by date of document.

Files topics include biennial reports, photographs, bridges, paintings, correspondence, memorials, Capitol Complex Buildings, a plan for State College, deceased and retired commission members, and newspaper clippings. Noteworthy correspondence includes letters of J. Horace McFarland and Vance McCormick. The bulk of the records consist of photographs, architectural renderings, and engineering blueprints of buildings and other structures.

Bureau of Press and Publications

Public Information File,
1971-1979.
(6 cartons)

{series #20.6} [Holdings]

Grouped by category and thereunder arranged chronologically by date of document..

Transcripts of speeches and news releases issued by the Department of General Services together with correspondence and news clippings relating to to the Select Committee to Investigate State Contract Practices.

Bureau of Real Estate

Building Demolition Files,
1974-1985, 1988-2002.
(7 cartons)

{series #20.42} [Holdings]

Arranged numerically by demolition file numbers, which were assigned sequentially in chronological order.

Requests submitted by state agencies for the demolition of buildings and structures no longer in use. Each file contains requests made by the agency to the Department of General Services for destruction of the structure, and reveals the cost of the demolition. Requests were made in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission to assure that the demolition did not alter the historical significance of the site. Occasionally included in the files are photographs, blueprints, and aerial maps of the site in question..

Bureau of Telecommunications and Information Technology Services

Administrative Material and General Correspondence,
1983-1985.
(4 cartons)

{series #20.46} [Holdings]

Unarranged. Files are grouped by topic.

General administrative records consisting of network management, telecommunications, correspondence, monthly reports and budget. Topics include project reports, renovations, speeches, monthly objectives status reports, weekly bureau highlights, and personnel announcements.

Commonwealth Media Services

Audio Tapes of Governor Thornburgh Interviews,
[ca. 1986].
(4 tapes)

{series #20.39} [Holdings]

Unarranged.

Audio tapes recorded for National Public Radio at WITF-FM concerning the Three Mile Island accident and one undated tape concerning tourism in Pennsylvania. Richard Thornburgh served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987. Among the events that that occurred during his tenure as governor were the March 28, 1979 accident at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. As a result of an equipment malfunction and operator error, the Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor core experienced a partial core meltdown and the release of radioactive steam into the external environment. As a precaution, Governor Thornburgh ordered the evacuation of pregnant women and pre-school children living within a five-mile radius of the plant. This event remains the most serious commercial nuclear accident in the history of the United States.

Films of Roads, Environment, Floods, and Television Spots,
1955-1972.
(14 cartons)

{series #20.45} [Holdings] [APPOINTMENT REQUIRED]

Unarranged.

Motion picture 16mm film and film elements; color and black and white with sound. The Films consist of Department of Highway and later Department of Transportation television spots and documentaries including: bridge, tunnel, and highway construction; snow removal; floods; road maintenance; aerial photography and photogrammetry; and highway safety. Topics of note are Governor Shapp; I-80: Building a Highway; I-95 Opening; Schuylkill Expressway Opening; Floods of 1955 and 1972; Pottstown Bypass; and the Penn Harris Interchange.

Governor's File of Photographs and Negatives,
1987-2003.
(72 cartons, 2boxes)

{series #20.48} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of photograph or numerically by photographer's index or log sheet. Indexes are provided in Box 61 for Governor Tom Ridge and Governor Mark S. Schweiker. A log sheet is provided in Carton 1 for Governor Robert P. Casey.

Photographs, slides, negatives, digital prints of various sizes, and compact discs depicting daily activities and events of Governor Robert P. Casey and Lieutenant Governor Mark S. Singel (1987-1995), Governor Tom Ridge (1995-2001), and Governor Mark S. Schweiker (2001-2003). Also included are images of First Ladies. Subjects cover daily activities as greeting guests, presenting awards, and signing legislation and proclamations. Also present are views of inauguration ceremonies, public addresses, holiday celebrations with family members, visiting scenes of natural disasters, and dedication ceremonies for parks, highways, and public buildings. Noteworthy subjects include Governor Tom Ridge at the Flight #93 crash site near Somerset, Pa., and Governor Mark S. Schweiker at the Que Creek Mine rescue site.

This series is a continuation of Photographic Unit's Governor's File of Photographs and Negatives, 1950-1971, series {#12.13}, found in RG-12, Records of the Department of Highways, and Governor's File of Photographs and Negatives, 1971-1987, series {#52.28}, found in RG-52, Records of the Department of Transportation.

Governor's Office Video Files,
1980-2002.
(267 cartons)

{series #20.7} [Holdings] [APPOINTMENT REQUIRED]

Arranged numerically by identification numbers, which were assigned in rough chronological order.

Governors Robert P. Casey, Dick Thornburgh, Tom Ridge, and Mark Schweiker video tapes produced by Commonwealth Media Services at press conferences, speeches, swearing-in ceremonies, group meetings, town meetings, health care meetings, the Farm Show, and other public forums. Also includes First Lady Ellen Casey videos. Most videos are on beta or 3/4 inch tape. The finding aid is a paper copy of a database set up by Commonwealth Media Services and includes the identification number of each video, date of entry, a description, date video was shot, location, original format, and reel (tape) number. [To allow for equipment setup, please contact the State Archives via email or phone (717-783-3281) and make an appointment at least 24 hours in advance to view these videos.]

Portrait File,
circa 1980-1995.
(2 boxes, 2cartons)

{series #20.60} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by surname of subject.

Black and white and color photographs with matching negatives consisting of formal official portraits of government agency heads and deputy secretaries. Most negatives are 2 1/4 inch square or 35mm with matching contact prints. Also included are 4 x 6, 5 x 7, and 8 x 10 portraits. Most subjects are members of Governor Robert P. Casey's administration, 1987-1995. Portraits of note are Bud Dwyer (Department of Treasury), Catherine Baker Knoll (Department of Treasury), and William Scranton III (Lieutenant Governor).

This series is a continuation of Photographic Unit's Portrait File, 1927-1969, undated, series {#12.16}, found in RG-12, Records of the Department of Highways, and Portrait File, circa 1955-1987, series {#52.29}, found in RG-52, Records of the Department of Transportation.

Department of Property and Supplies, 1923-1975

Budget Materials,
1931-1964.
(2 cartons)

{series #20.8} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of budget.

Biennial budget supplements of actual and estimated operating expenditures by departments and appropriations submitted to the General Assembly by the Governor. Budget Circular #4 for 1931 details "Classifications of Expenditures by Objects." Also present are Biennial Budget Requests and Estimates from 1953, budget circulars, and organizational charts for the Department of Property and Supplies. Among these materials are a report on "Taxation of Real Property in Pennsylvania" by Budget Secretary Edward B. Logan (1934) and "The Tax Problem, Report of the Tax Study Committee" chaired by Alfred G. Beuhler (May, 1953).

Budget Papers of the Deputy Secretary,
1929-1937.
(6 folders)

{series #20.9} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of budget.

Budget reports, summaries of appropriations, departmental activity reports, and legislative papers relating to biennial budgets of the Department of Property and Supplies. Information provided varies with the type of material but generally reveals the appropriations, expenditures, and activities for which the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Property and Supplies was responsible during these years.

Building Demolition Files of the Bureau of Real Estate and Insurance,
1951-1966.
(3 boxes)

{series #20.10} [Holdings]

Grouped by department, park or commission and thereunder arranged alphabetically by subject or name of county or building.

Correspondence and photographs relating to the demolition of buildings associated with the Capitol Park Extension, Department of Agriculture, Department of Forests and Waters, Valley Forge State Park, Department of Justice, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Department of Public Instruction, and Department of Public Welfare. The Bureau of Real Estate and Insurance acted on behalf of the Secretary of Property and Supplies as ex officio insurance broker of record for the Commonwealth, contracting for all insurance and bonds for all state agencies and their employees. It also contracted for the rental of offices, rooms, or other accomodations for state agencies that could not be housed in state office buildings and conducted appraisals and sold real estate at the direction of the General Assembly, reviewed and approved the demolition of obsolete buildings and structures and investigated and prepared claims submitted to the State Insurance Fund for loss or damage by force or other casualty to any structure, building, equipment, or other property of the Commonwealth. The Bureau maintained automobile insurance and processed claims for accidents involving Commonwealth automobiles and their operators and administered the Commonwealth Employee Group Life Insurance program.

Department of Justice Legal Opinions,
1939-1942.
(2 folders)

{series #20.11} [Holdings]

Arranged.chronologically by date of opinion.

General Correspondence,
1939-1960.
(8 cartons)

{series #20.13} [Holdings]

Grouped by secretary, and thereunder arranged alphabetically by subject.

General correspondence of Secretaries of Property and Supplies Roger W. Rowland (1939-1941), James F. Torrance (1941-1943), Chester M. Woolworth (1943-1950), Alan D. Reynalds (1951-1953), Frank C. Hilton (1953-1955), William D. Thomas (1955), John S. Rice (1956), and Andrew M. Bradley (1957-1960). Also present are "Study of Cost of Bernard Statuary Including Figures on Cost and Size of Main Capitol Building" and photographs of William Gehron's drawings for the Soldiers' and Sailors Memorial Bridge (1949-1950).

General Correspondence of the Deputy Secretary,
1909-1960.
(129 cartons)

{series #20.14} [Holdings]

Grouped by correspondence files and thereunder arranged alphabetically by subject.

General correspondence of Deputy Secretaries of Property and Supplies Samuel B. Rambo (1922-1931), Walter G. Scott (1938-1940), William G. Austin (1957), and Gordon Ziegenfuss (1960). Also present is Walter G. Scott's Historical File (1909-1931 containing correspondence, contracts, photographs, and reports relating to the South Office Building (1909-1931), Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Bridge (1918-1928), the lowering and raising of flags (1923, 1927), Harmony Society (1910-1920), the Van Ingen and Abbey mural paintings for the North Corridor of the Main Capitol (1908-1909, 1917-1921, 1927), the Violet Oakley mural paintings (1911-1938), the Telegraph Office in the Main Capitol (1909-1910), Temporary Emergency Buildings (1920-1925), State Police Barracks for Troop E (1920-1923), Independence Celebration Commission (1922-1923), rental of the State Quarantine Station at Marcus Hook to the United States (1919-1928), Pennsylvania Sesqui-Centennial Commission (1927-1937), Temporary Emergency Buildings and Sprinkler System (1927-1929), General Meade Memorial National Commission (1923-1929), Curtin-Parke Monuments at Vicksburg, Mississippi (1928-1930, Perry Memorial at Erie (1925-1928), cleaning of mural paintings (1930), and the Robert Morris Monument Commission (1923-1926).

General Correspondence of the Bureau of Real Estate and Insurance,
1929-1967.
(3 folders)

{series #20.15} [Holdings]

Grouped by subject and thereunder arranged chronologically by date of document.

Coorespondence relating to liability and surety bonds, liability insurance on motor vehicles, leases, legal opinions, worker compensation coverage, and real estate. The Bureau of Real Estate and Insurance acted on behalf of the Secretary of Property and Supplies as ex officio insurance broker of record for the Commonwealth, contracting for all insurance and bonds for all state agencies and their employees. It also contracted for the rental of offices, rooms, or other accomodations for state agencies that could not be state office buildings and conducted appraisals and sold real estate at the direction of the General Assembly. It also reviewed and approved the demolition of obsolete buildings and structures and investigated and prepared claims submitted to the State Insurance Fund for loss or damage by force or other casualty to any structure, building, equipment, or other property of the Commonwealth. The Bureau maintained automobile insurance and processed claims for accidents involving Commonwealth automobiles and their operators and administered the Commonwealth Employee Group Life Insurance program.


Minutes of the Board of Review,
1942.
(1 folder)

{series #20.19} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting..

Minutes of the Board of Review held in the office of the Director of Purchases from July 8 to September 30, 1942. Information provided is date of meeting, name of chairman presiding, and brief description of the recomendations made by the committee.

Minutes of the Executive Board,
1939.
(1 folder)

{series #20.20} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting..

Minutes of the Executive Board in the administration of Governor Arthur H. James held in the Governor's Office on Monday, March 27, 1939 and Tuesday, April 25, 1939 together with a certified opy of the actions taken on May 3, 1939 approving the bonding of certain positions in various departments, boards and commissions. In addition, there is a description of the "Powers and Rulings of the Executive Board" brought up to date as of April 1, 1939 providing standardization of qualifications, titles and salaries as well as rules governing extra compensation, leaves of absence, approval of number of deputies, oganization, traveling expenses, fidelity bonds and insurance, liability insurance, automobiles, office hours, oaths and affirmations, disposition od useless records, and allocation of certain costs. Also present is a report describing the "Reorganization of the Pennsylvania Motor Police" Approved by Governor Earle, December 1, 1937.


Minutes of Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Producers,
1939.
(1 folder)

{series #20.22} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Minutes of the meeting of Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Producers held at the invitation of the Bureau of Standards in the Department of Property and Supplies on May 3, 1939 for the purpose of revising Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Specification C-33, Bituminous Coal. This is accompanied by a tentative draft of the specification of March 20, 1939 as revised at the conference; a copy of Public Law No. 48 of the 75th Congress [Chapter 127, First Session] [H.R. 4987], An Act to Regulate Interstate Commerce in Bituminous Coal, and other purposes; and the "Findings of Facts and Conclusions of the National Bituminous Coal Commission" of the United States Department of the Interior In Re: [Docket No. 15] Minimum Prices and Marketing Rules and Regulations as Proposed to the National Bituminous Coal Commission by the District Boards for Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and that part of District 13 comprising Van Buren, Warren and McMinn Counties, Tenessee, All Within Minimum Price Area 1, in Compliance with Orders Nos. 247, 248, and 251 issued by the Commission under and by virtue of the authority granted by Section 4 II (a) of the Bituminous Coal Act of 1937.

Minutes of Pennsylvania State College,
1940-1941.
(2 folders)

{series #20.23} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of The Pennsylvania State College for 1940-1941. Information provided includes applications and admissions, reappointments of faculty members, approval of leaves and retirements, academic schedules, estimates of state funds for maintenance and operations, additional appropriations requested, operating costs, and salary restorations and increases. Also present are a brief history of the college, a list of administrative officers and general administrative agencies, descriptions of enrollment criteria, mailing list of the board of trustees, comparative balance sheets, summary of cash in various banks, and various related types of supporting materials.


Minutes of Turner Committee,
1933.
(1 folder)

{series #20.25} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.

Minutes of the meeting of the Turner Committee held in the House Committee Room on February 16, 1933 concerning amendments to the Administrative Code contained in House Bill 22. Chaired by Elwood J. Turner, the committee consisted of Dr. Joseph G. Steedle, P.B. Rice, A. J. White Hutton and Arthur P. Townsend. Those testifying before the committee were John L. Hanna, Secretary of the Department of Property and Supplies; Deputy Secretary Walter G. Scott; Office Director P.W. Kearney; Director of Publications John R. Hood; and Director of Standards and Purchases F.H. Mason. Subjects discussed include the proposed elimination of the State Art Commission, departmental purchasing limits, automobile insurance, formation of a new executive board, and methods used in purchasing supplies.

Miscellaneous Reports of the Department and Other State Agencies,
1930-1943, 1958.
(21 folders, 11 volumes)

{series #20.26} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Miscellaneous reports on a variety of subjects including the Local Government Committee, General State Authority. the Research and Records Program, Bureau of Publications, Capitol Grounds Extension, the Delaware River Basin Commission, Eastern State Penitentiary, Executive Mansion, Aerial Defense, Public Utility Commission, State Art Commission, and the Work Program of the Works Progress Administration.


Report of the History, Purposes, and Activities of the Joint State Government Commission,
1940.
(1 volume)

{series #20.28} [Holdings]

Report prepared for the Pennsylvania General Assembly by Alfred A. Wasserman, Director of the Joint State Government Commission, of the history, purposes, and activities of that Commission. Created by the Act of July 1, 1937 (PL 2460) and amended by the Act of June 26, 1939 (PL 1084), the Joint State Government Commission was a fact finding commission composed of sanators and representatives charged with investigating and making recommendations concerning the problems of government.


Survey of Office Space,
1933.
(14 folders)

{series #20.31} [Holdings]

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Survey forms of office space in state office buildings located in Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Information provided is date survey was done, name or lacation of building, room number, three dimensional linear dimensions of the room, total cubic footage and square footage of the room, number of windows, present use, cubic footage per person, and a list and description of the furnishings present.

United States Civil Service Commission Guidelines Relative to the Hatch Act,
1940.
(1 folder)

{series #20.32} [Holdings]

Guidelines issued by the United States Civil Service Commission concerning the Hatch Act passed on August 2, 1939. The Hatch Act was designed to regulate the relationship between federal agencies and political campaigns by prohibiting using any public funds designated for public relief or public works from being used for the election of candidates to political office. It also prevented any officials paid with federal funds from using promises of jobs, job promotions, financial assistance, or contracts to entice or coerce campaign contributions or any other type of political support. An amendment passed on July 19, 1940 extended these prohibitions to state and local employees whose salary included any federal funds. These guidelines setting out certain rulings regarding general prohibitions and applicability to various state departments and commissions were oficially released on September 22, 1940 and sent from United States Attorney General Claude T. Reno to Secretary of the Department of Property and Supplies Roger T. Rowland.

Department of Public Printing and Binding, 1905-1923

Annual Reports of the Superintendent of Public Printing and Binding,
1889-1917.
(1 carton)

{series #20.33} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by date of report.

Published annual reports issued by the Surperintendent of Public Printing and Binding. Information provided includes the cost of miscellaneous printing and binding, number of pamphlets printed, number of maps prepared, number of reports and documents, summaries of paper and supplies on hand, proposals for furnishing paper and supplies, and cost of printing laws journals, and reports. Also included in the printed volumes are printed versions of associated correspondence.

Board of Commissioners of Public Grounds and Buildings, 1885-1923

Under the provisions of the Act of June 16. 1919, the Governor, Auditor General, and State Treasurer were made to constitute the Board of Commissioners of Public Grounds and Buildings. The Board was responsible for the control, repair, alteration, improvement, and supervision of all public grounds and buildings including the executive mansion. By the Act of June 3, 1895, a Board was authorized, under certain conditions, to advertise for bids and contract for the rebuilding of county bridges destroyed by flood, fire or casualty that crossed navigable rivers or other continuous streams declared to be public highways. The location upon which such bridges were rebuilt could be changed under the provisions of the Act of May 28, 1913 (P.L. 367). An Act of May 16, 1919 (P.L. 196) authorized this earlier Board, under certain conditions, to advertise for bids and contract for the rebuilding of county bridges over eight hundred feet in length located on state highways that were destroyed by fire. The Act of June 16, 1919 (P.L. 482) authorized and required the Board to employ capable superintendents of construction under whose supervision all legislative appropriations for the erection of new state institutions and repairs or additions to existing state buildings were to be expended. By an of Act of May 14. 1915, the Board was authorized to rebuild, restore or replace buildings, structures, equipment or other property of the Commonwealth damaged or destroyed by fire or other casualty and regulated the placing of insurance thereon. The Act of May 18, 1919 (P.L. 1049), and amended by the Act of May 16, 1921 (P.L. 551), authorized the Board, under certain conditions, to advertise for bids and contract for construction of a bridge in Harrisburg from a point in Capitol Park following State Street to a point at or near Thirteenth Street, as a memorial to the citizens of the Commonwealth who served in the military and naval forces of the United States in the Great War and to be known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Bridge. The Act of July 18, 1919 (P.L. 1053) authorized the Board, under certain conditions, to advertise for bids and contract for the construction of an office building in the Capitol Park. The Act of July 15, 1919 (P.L. 976) authorized the Board, under certain conditions, to acquire property for the use of the Commonwealth by proceedings of eminent domain.

The Superintendent of Public Grounds and Buildings was appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Superintendent prepared annual schedules of stationary, furniture, and other supplies, and for repairs, alterations and improvements needed by the various departments and boards; received from the contractors the articles detailed in the schedules and delivered them to the proper officials upon their requisition; and made annual reports on the accounts to the Board. The Superintendent also supervised all repairs and improvements, and all furnishing and refurnishing ordered by the Board and was in charge of the Capitol Police and all other officers and employees of the Department of Public Grounds and Buildings. The State Art Commission created in the Department of Public Grounds and Buildings by the Act of May 1, 1919 consisted of five citizens appointed by the Governor for three-year terms to approve the design and location of public monuments, memorials, buildings or other structures to be acquired, erected, or constructed by the Commonwealth.

Capitol and Capitol Park Extension Photographs,
1896-1928, 1950.
(1 box, 1 drawer, 1 folder)

{series #20.34} [Holdings]

Unarranged.

Photographs depicting the Capitol and Capitol Park Extension. Included are 1904 views of the State Street Bridge, 1909 views of neighborhoods facing the Capitol, and 1917 views of the Capitol and its surroundings. Also present are aerial surveys and drawings by Williamsport and New York Architect William Gehron depicting the William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives Building, drawings by Architects Gehron and Ross, and a model of Capitol Park prepared by Architect Arnold W. Brunner.

Construction Plans and Specifications for Public Buildings and Bridges,
1893-1975.
(7 drawers, 150 folders)

{series #20.35} [Holdings]

Grouped by building, and thereunder arranged diversely depending on the nature of the project.

Construction plans and specifications for the following public buildings in Harrisburg: 124 Pine Street, 1400 Cameron Street, and 711-713 North Sixth Street. Also for Agriculture Laboratory, Almira Home Building Association, Altoona State Hospital, Beaver County General Hospital, Brookwood Warehouse, Buhl Hospital at Sharon, Beaver County General Hospital, Capitol Park, Capitol Park Extension, Clarion State Normal School, Connellsville State Hospital, Danville State Hospital, Deaf and Dumb Institute in Pittsburgh, Elk Creek Bridge, Falls State Bridge, Feeble Minded Institution in Chester County, Garage at 22nd and Forster Street in Harrisburg, Garage, Storage P & S, Governor's Mansion, Harrisburg State Hospital, Hazleton State Hospital, Health and Welfare Building, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Homeopathic Hospital in Lehigh County, Homeopathic Hospital in Pittsburgh, Inaugural Stands, Indiana Normal School, Jefferson Medical College, Kittaning State Hospital, Labor and Industry Building, Laceyville Bridge, Lackawanna River Bridge, Library and Museum Building, Lincoln Building, Liquor Control Board Building, Loyalsock Creek Bridge, Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Monroe Mills Bridge, Norristown State Hospital, North Office Building No. 1, North Office Building No. 2 (Finance Building), Office/Garage, Office/Harrisburg, Office/Philadelphia, Parking Facility, Parking Lots, Pennhurst State School, Penns Creek Bridge, Pennsylvania Industrial School and College in Downingtown, Pennsylvania Industrial School in Paoli, Pennsylvania State College, Pennsylvania Training School in Elwyn, Publications, Redbank Creek Bridge, Residence #10, Residence/Hatchery, Residence/Herman, Residence/Knisley, Residence/Rangers, Route 770 Spur E2, Route 770 Spur E4, St. Agnes Hospital in Philadelphia, St. Lukes Hospital in Philadelphia, Scotland Orphans School, Scranton State Hospital, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, South Office No. 1, South Office No. 2 (Forum Building), State Arsenal, State Garage/Cameron, State Highway Garage, State Home for Incurables in Philadelphia, State Street Bridge, Sunbury Bridge, Taylor Hospital Association, Temporary Office Buildings, Tionesta Creek Bridge, Towanda Creek Bridge, Tuscarora Creek Bridge, University of Pennsylvania, Utility/Garage, Warehouse/Cameron Street, Warren State Hospital, Wernersville State Hospital, West Chester Normal School, White Haven State Hospital, William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives, Williamsport Hospital, and Wyalusing Creek Bridge.

Particularly noteworthy are original drawings for the State House prepared ca. 1813, pen and ink drawings of the House of Representatives, 1894; an original drawing of state buildings and landscape, 1813; blueprints of the State Library by Joseph M. Huston, 1894; blueprints of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Library, 1904; pen and ink drawings of the State Arsenal at Harrisburg, 1874, blueprints of Jefferson Medical College, 1903; blueprints of the State Agricultural Building at the Pennsylvania State College, 1903; blueprints of the medical facilities of the University of Pennsylvania, 1901; blueprints of chapel and gymnasium of Clarion State Normal School, undated; blueprints of dining hall at Indiana State Normal School, 1904; original cloth tracings showing Recitation Room and Old Chapel of West Chester Normal School, 1880; blueprints of Pennsylvania Industrial School and College in Downingtown, 1907; blueprints of Pennsylvania Industrial School at Paoli, 1907; blueprints of Pennsylvania Industrial School at Elwyn, 1904; original topographic map of Scotland School, 1926; blueprints of Connellsville State Hospital, 1895; blueprints for proposed residence for superintendent of Hazleton State Hospital, undated; blueprints of Scranton State Hospital, 1903; blueprints for alterations to men;s wing of the State Home for the Incurables in Philadelphia, 1906; blueprints for Danville State Hospital, 1905; blueprints of Norristown State Hospital, 1905; blueprints for Employee Dormitory for Wernersville State Hospital, 1903; blueprints for Whitehaven State Hospital, 1903; blueprints for the Homeopathic Hospital in Lehigh County, 1903; blueprints for Homeopathic Hospital in Pittsburgh, 1906; blueprints for the Western Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Pittsburgh, 1901; blueprints for State Institution for Feeble Minded and Epileptic in East Vincent, Chester County, 1905; blueprints for Almira Home Building Association in New Castle, undated; blueprints for Building #745 of Altoona State Hospital, undated; blueprints of Beaver County General Hospital, undated; blueprints of laundry at the Buhl Hospital in Sharon, undated; blueprints of Kittaning General Hospital, 1904; blueprints of Nurses Sleeping Room in Lincoln Building in New York City, undated; blueprints of the Special Surgical Wing of Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, 1906; blueprints of St. Agnes Hospital in Philadelphia, undated; blueprints of St, Luke's Hospital in Philadelphia, undated; blueprints of Taylor Hospital, 1905; and blueprints of Male Ward of Williamsport Hospital, 1908.

Noteworthy drawings for bridges include: Plan for Proposed Bridge Over River at Cross Keys in Ontelaunee Township, Berks County, 1902; Highway Bridge Over Wyalusing Creek (Taylorsville Bridge) in Bradford County, 1902; Highway Bridge Over Towanda Creek (Masontown Bridge), 1902; White Street Bridge Over Red Bank Creek at Brookville in Clarion County, 1902; Bridge Over Tionesta Creek in Forest County, undated; One Span Highway Bridge Over Tuscarora Creek Located 3 Miles South of Port Royal in Juniata County, 1902; Highway Bridge Across Lackawanna River in the Borough of Old Forge, Lackawanna County, 1902; One Span Highway Bridge Over Loyalsock Creek at Fields Station Located 18 Miles North of Williamsport, 1902; One Span Highway Bridge Over Loyalsock Creek at Barbours Post Office 18 Miles Borth od Montoursville in Lycoming County, 1902; Bridge Over Penns Creek at Selinsgrove in Snyder County, undated; and Highway Bridge Across Elk Creek in Hillsgrove Township, Sullivan County, undated.

A box of miscellaneous reconstruction drawings includes sprcifications for metal scaffolding used in reconstruction work on interior of the dome and cupola in the rotunda of the State Capitol (Project No. 306), undated; specifications for Governor's Mansion, undated; Planting Specifications for Labor and Industry Building; GSA Contract No. 941-1.5 for Elevator Construction in Pittsburgh Office Building, GSA Contract No. 941-1.4 for Electrical Construction in Pittsbirgh Office Building, GSA Contract No. 941-1.2 for Air Conditioning and Ventilation in Pittsburgh Office Building; Bill of Material for for Installation of Metering Equipment in Transformer Room in State Finance Building; List of Tracings for 1400 North Cameron Street Project F-3432; Inscription for Photograph Taken Day of Dedicatio of New Capitol, 1906; Data for Office Space Requirements for Harrisburg Office Building Project 942-1; Fire Safety Information for Capitol Park Buildings; Bills of Miscellaneous Material for Garage and Warehouse, 1954; Valve Chart for Plumbing in Finance Building; and Numerical List of Construction Projects 200-529 (1949-1957).

General Correspondence,
1902-1905, 1924-1953.
(20 folders)

{series #20.36} [Holdings]

Grouped alphabetically by subject and thereunder arranged chronologically by date of correspondence.

Correspondence relating to bridges, building demolition approvals, petitions for appointment of viewers for bridges, card files on replacement and restorations, and records relating to surplus land sales. Among the materials are the specifications for a highway bridge across the North Branch of the Susquehanna River between the boroughs of Berwick and Nescopec, and files relating to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Bridge, the Labor and Industry Building, the South Office Building No. 2, and the exhibition building at the 1940 New York World's Fair.

Minutes,
1915-1930, 1938-1940, 1977-1997.
(13 cartons, 1 box)

{series #20.37} [Holdings]

Arranged chronologically by year and thereunder loosely by date of meeting. Some files are by reverse order of date.

Minutes of the meetings of the Board of Commissioners of Public Grounds and Buildings. Information provided is date of meeting, names of those present, and a brief description of the business transacted, frequently revealing the work to be initiated, projects completed, and the costs involved. Also included are the schedule of meetings, Secretary's agenda, and related reports and inventories.

Reports of the Capitol Park Extension Commission,
1920.
(1 folder)

{series #20.38} [Holdings]

Final report of the Capitol Park Extension Commission issued on September 13, 1920 in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Assembly approved September 8, 1911 (PL 1027) to acquire for the Commonwealth all of the land located within the proposed boundaties for the extension of the Capitol Park. The Commission was organized on September 18, 1911 with Archibald C Knisely as the first president and met weekly until all 27 acres, inclusive of roads and alleys, had been acquired.