The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-31
- .rlox 81 rHr NEw HALLs oF coNGREss


ATT parties In regard q The eminent ability q
A suerintendent and the architect d the extension Cap
an NeiEs and Mr. alter and all should he willing 70
swat the issue Of their laborioas efforts i Is proper 70
ssd what Gen James would have stated himself @ The
uats could he have obtained The floor Of the Senate
oond time Tuesday last tAaf a. plan q hsatlAg end
4sag ths iegslaiue hals ne thnf has
az a. Parliament hoasss u Greer brtasN- baf = nc
tr.a1g afrsB1 and aaHh0 fas q q eirfg ssrrfs.fE
A. great Misunderstanding exists regard the pro-
asea mode 81 Eentlatne the halls Of Congress sub
mt before proceed 10 any upon your remarks
III exact plan adopted b. Capt Megs and officially cou-
ucasd 10 the two houses o. Congress by the Secretary
X VA December J. 1915 r. Dor la sess. slH Con-
y-sssl Capt Meigs says
Al lie warm air mus ascend 10 the Top q the room
-op5ss to lei il do ID large trunk outside d The apart
r, Bass iaiD sp0ns a5ope "a ceiling aud thence ~
.rss k0lss md rag ttr0agh seftt INFO ~
III steazaEripen fan other mechanical means, We
can bump air in any desired quantity into any spot %
rbiet We choose 10 direct IL
would drive al the air required for the supply d the
room through Of hoi-waier pipes raising the whole
ii il 70 the temperature dssred6o Or - degrees as the
IN e noon be thirty in height and i be desired 10
change al the air In ID every heen minutes enough GO
s4oad b. pumped ~ abccf p cause gesra descent &C
1rkL Bo5r al ar az st the rate Of two feet per
minute ~
should b. ~ koles IN &c esyPa or &C rtsers &c Fsaorms
an schsch arc the members chairs.
Three important advantages would be thus gained
the avoidance Of all eddies nearly homogeneous ana
tranquil atmosphere and the imnediae removal do'laga
f any dust from the carpet which would thus pc prevent
M from rising to be inhaled into the lungs.
The principle d this plan thus adopted by Capt Meig
* the assc,natag and not the asrsndiag
nave enormously supposed Captain Meigs in another
part Of the same report thus argues against the ascending
or natural 0psrac and is therefore, opposed to il While
40 moi approve his philosophy admire the boldness
with which be- his novel opinions
One or several columns Of nteusey-heated air in
fhr0ugh holes in the MOpr Renn much
r than the air In the apartment they immediately rise
the ceiling the exit apartures for foul air above
this fresh and heated mir alone escapes having done moth
ne for apartment except whirs and
such see in column OF smoke ascending from q
chimney a calm day.
If the exits for foul air 5eloa the hot air aocumu-
a at the top Of the ROOM and gradually dispacing the
cooler air, forces Il ant through these passages
have quoted thus much Of the report that il may be
distinctly known what the plan proposed BY Capt
Mgs for the ventilation Of the halls That il is iden-
rica IN principle with the which aaied in the Par
lament houses Of Great Britain who viii take the
trouble to examine the parliamentary papers the subject
in the Library Of Congress for single moment doubt
The very results predicted by Captain Meg for his plan
were predicted for that Of the Parliament houses but in
stead Of being realized the whole scheme proved
pensve abortion An eminent practical architect in Civ
ing testimony before parliamentary committee in 1852,
one year before Captain Meigs plan adopted spoke
Of the system fellows:
think the system opposed 70 the natural principles
Of venaon forcing the air contrary TO m natural move
ent and requiring the constant application Of powerful
machinery obtain results that may be obtained by al
lowing the air to take il natural course
Another eminent gentleman who had devoted many
years Of his life to the warming and ventilation Of large
buildings in Europe before the committee testified
follows
First az all il necesstates artificial power il will not
except under compnlsion then brings the vtated
and breahed air that ought TO be carried away and
breathed again down to the lungs 10 be reinspred
Ii also tends subver another natural law by keeping
the head in the hottest medium and the feet the coolest
and the ventlaon Is arrested altogether If the motive
power NOT kept in operation whereas in the
greater portion Of the yeRr, nature VIII accomplish II
allowed 10 do So
The whole current Of testimony upon the subject Of the
descending mopensu directly adverse il and the
committee having condemned it the plan abandoned
Won have fallen ipto error which prevails in
the public mind Of supposng that the distinguished arc
tect Mr. Waiter gives the sanction OF his Judgment and
experience to the unnatural mode proposed by Captain
Meigs you such is not the fact Mr. Walter IN
formed committee Of the House that had never met his
approval it reversed the principles Of and
II tried would succeed The public Is not aware
that the architect has control the plans details
of the building; that they wholly and exclusively
under the direction Of the engineer and that all RESPONSE
hlify for changes notifications and failures be-
longs him than the hodcarrer who conveys the
teria the hands Of the W0rkmen tt therefore
inst identify him the nudations which given
to Captain Msigs for his scheme Of ventilation will
be 10 associate them the which mnst come If the
plan developed in the official report from which have
quoted, should be carried ont in all its details.
Il is due to the architect say that he demonstrated
against the principle Of ventilation adopted and while be
could prevail upon Capt Meigs abandon the folly
be far succeeded be allowed the privilege Of
constructing the air shafts that without dispensing with
the complicated mechanical eontriyances the direction
the currents could with but little expense be reversed
apply the ascending instead Of the pump
ing down procpss The motives Of the architect in thus
seeking provide against the consequences Of failure
proper ventilation laudahe In the highest de-
gree but be has mach experience and sound udgmen
to know the enbarrassmentg which arise from
Of exact adaptation Of details in the original construction
edfce To purposes Of ventilation and how much bet
Ter IL have The plans in the first instance exactly suit
ed 10 the principle inteeded be employed The grea
difficulty which they have bad encounter in the legisR
hall upon the banks Of the Thames since the faur
Of the original scheme grows Of the improper
ton Of the means provided for ventilation, and like
hErraHsments may arise here from the
hare desire 10 detract from the high standing
eminent ability Of Capt Megs, but great should h
taken not ezalt him the expense Of another mani
Test desire prevails in qnarsrs ascibe 10 him inf
uey than he deserves his Of Justice wou
allow him claim and the strange power with which b
nvestsd0f unlimited control over every person ant
thing connected with the Capitol extensiouis well cHlcu
asd 70 foster that desire Capt Mers does claim
be architect and be have credit for the architect
ur merits justly belonging another be shonlt
bear the sole responsibility of failures and huuder pure