Letter of the day, February 25 add-on

Our correspondence is in different collections and we don’t look in every one of them when we’re searching for the Letter of the Day, so we may come across another one we want to post when we’re looking for something else. Here’s an example of one too good to pass up.

COPY

February 25, 1910

To the
Surgeon General, U.S. Army.

Dir:- [sic]

I have the honor to request that a railing be placed on the balustrade of the stair case from the basement floor to the end of balustrade in second story of this building. It will require the following material, the estimated cost of which is $65.00:

1-1/4 in. brass tubing, finished and polished, cut in lengths as follows:
10’3”
8’2”
6’11”
7’
8’
7’
8’
14’3”
----------------------
24 brass brackets for hand rails.
16 brass acorns.

The present balustrade is not of sufficient height to afford adequate protection and this railing is needed to protect persons passing up and down the staircase mentioned. There has already been one life lost from falling over the balustrade to the basement, and another person narrowly escaped a similar accident a few days ago.

If the material mentioned is furnished, it can be placed by mechanics at this building.

Very respectfully,
LOUIS A. LA GARDE
Col. Medical Corps, U.S. Army,
In charge, Museum & Library Division

COPY