Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-12-23
The Wallach school Building.

A SENSATION STORY PUT AT RB6T,
Following upon the disastrous IRE at the Cal
vary Baptist Church q statement that appeared
In city paper to the effect that the fiues oft be
Waiiaeh School Building had been found to
be defective, created some excitement in tina
part OF the city, especially as 1t was positively
alleged that the heating apparatus of tha,
building had been examined and condemned
by Major Richards and Chief Engineer Sess.
ford. 1t appears, however, that these officer
positively deny having given any au.
thority for such statement, and the
whole story appears to have originated In the
heated imagination of q well.meaning but
rather excitable gentleman, who started on,
win the determination Of disting nguishing him.
self BY straitway finding some defective fiuss,
a. target for public indignation, and unfor,
tunately selected the Wallach School Building
as the shining mark for his big scare.
In view OF the careful pro visions made in the
construction Of the Wallach School Bu,ldins
to guard against IRE, the statement created
much surprise amongst those interested in
school matters, and Mayor Waliach sent on
OF our best known and most experienced build.
ers 70 make thorough examination OF the build
Ing. This gentleman, Mr.. John q. HARNESS
has attended to the duty entrusted to him and
makes the following report to the Mayor,
which, will, it is to be hoped, serve to allay
any apprehensions excited By the sensation
story in question:
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 81. 1867.
Richard Wdtldch, Esq,
Mayor Of Washington city:
SIR: In pursuance OF your request of the
l9th inst, have made careful examinat ton
OF the furnaces And fues OF the Fourth Dis
tIiet school-house, with view to determine
whether the same were properly Constructed
and the building sufficiently guarded against
fire
A careful examination of the original dra o..
ings Of the several floors shows that the most
skiliful attention OF the architect has been
bestowed upon the construction of the butld .
ing, 30 as to render ignition from the fiues i'm.
Owing to the magnitude Of the building, and
the exceeding bleakness Of the site ON which
IL mas been erected, the three furnaces pro.
vlded oy the original plans and specifications
were, on trial. found insufi cient, and occa-
stoned the Introduction OF two more furnaces
ano the altered condition Of the three former
furnaces, which has been effected with skill
OF the building.
Last summer. upon renewing several of the
furnaces which had become unfit for use, for
purposes OF economy OF heat the hot air dues
well calculated to secure the object Sought
mas rendered said fiues doubly secure asalnst
Ignition Opposite these and the smoke nuss,
skirtings Of wood have been years since re.
moved, and where the floors Joined them orr.
glnally with perfect Impunity, nine inches of
additional brick work have been Introduced,
thereby making the walls separating the fioor
timbers from the flues fourteen inches thick. !.
Which ought to allay the fears OF the most
timd.
Not content with this satisfactory deyelou.
ments OF the carefully guarded construction
OF the building and the fidelity with which
the furnaces have been put up, I carefully o..
amfned the accessible timber. and wood work
exposed to the heat OF the furnaces ana fiues
during the season which have required thor
fullest capacity since the occupancy Of the
building, and failed to detect the slightest in.
dication Of charing; shrinkage only is visible.
that being inevitable and beyond the skill OF
the architect TO prevent -t..
As the furnace occupying the centre OF the
cellar 10 q portable one, and removed from the
fiues provided by Tie architect In an orieina
plan, q sheet iron smoke pipe and tan hot eiY
conductor TO IL, are necessity, and as these
are Liable 70 derangement or decay it is possi !
BILE thar remotely an accident might bv neo.
lect, occur. but no. otherwise. TO euard
against such . contingency some judicious
and precautionary provisions It would be
In concluslon permit me. my dear s,r. "a
congratulate you and the community In nav.
ing 90 lsafe, fcomnodfous and we'll. - sNtsd
Q building in which 20 educats their chiIdfer
Very rsspectfally, yoef obsdient serysn,,
= 80. - -. JoAN Q, HARKNss6.