Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-26

EDITOR STAB: The sUljvct OF ventilation is
not 10 new or - old that need Ia apologize tor
delay In noticing your structures upon the gen
tier sex for their read OF fresh ar Anl TO IL
usual cemSnd Tor closed windows lcst they take
cold, in all crowded assemblies. But of,ini,sts
dineI! On the very day that yosr Artloi- wAs
pal llishCd a gentleman Who wAS visiting the CIV
returlod irom the usual cali at the C.pital
(Which all strangers make when Congress i AN
SESSION. in great disgust AZ the want OF fr,-sh
air, which made IL impossible tor him 60 watch
legislation comfortably from the galleries. ..It
viii always be 90" he said. until NE send w.
men TO congress. WhSn they get there they
viii take hold Of the matter, and dszaad pro-
per attention 10 the laws OF health in this par
ucuiar!" 1 smiled and handed him vour paper
aud then he smiled and concluded that "Opin-
ions diherl' Now. my friend wAs very intelli-
gent. ss well as being firm believer in womAn's
ent anchisem ement, but confess he did not convert
me TO the belief that woman's preseoca in Co..
gresswonld improve any VEN ilstiOn there. unless
u would be The moral Nenulauon- They 40 say
woman wont keep secrets, and - have much,
hope that she would expose corrupt .srinS.,
when they came % her knowledge; but for sev
hope that Heavens pure AIR would he admitted
more freely for her presence, agree with yOa
that such a bope wOuld be vain, judging from
past experience. One need only point 20 the
state OF things i'm the Treasury building 90 con-
firm this idea. 60 into the rooms there. occu-
pied exclusively by ladies, aud the poisonous
state of the atmosphere makes one catch their
breath and n oppose an immediate retreat. No
wonder that tew years OF such = life changes
pale ncss-and that the middle aged are many
OF them struggling with imI aired health. some
OF them count unwhoie~ome currency in close
rooms until they GO 20 their graves from the
work. 81 am sure" said one OF the oyerseers
OF such work, chat IL has caused the death OF
some OF the women who would not give up when
they were sick. because they had childrento
support" One admIres the patio nj heroism of
such devotion, hut lsmcnts that a better kpowl-
eSse ei rns & Q, should not lead them %
10 sit with cloaks and hoods on 90 keep them
from taking cold. have known domineerins
woman IN, IN room to insist upon closing the win
corner absolutely tainted away. Tofortify your
view OF the case will privately inform Won that
the fec decently ventilated rooms In the Treas
ury are where men rtlle, and where, whatever
the weather Is, windows are faithfully opened
at regular intervals. Then the women. who
would II they could sacrifice every other per-
sons health 10 their own, are obliged TO take
refuge in -shawls and hoods a while-a much
easier thing for them 10 do than 10 eradicate
from their whole systems the poison conseq 1ant
upon breathing impure air.
But there Is one evil in Washington, TO which
Il wish 20 draw your attention in connection
with this subject, for which women are not re-
sponsible, and which calls loudly for reform.
How long il has existed, and where the blame
lies, L know not; bat surely there IN grent ne
glect and blame somewhere. The Dead Letter
ONCE Of the Post ONCE building is in the upper
story, lighted by an immense sky-light. The
heat there is intolersble much Of the time, and
yet the room IL crowded with women working
there Tor their salaries spstienty-glad 20 get the
opportunity OF 50 workng-fearing only lest
they lose their places-and so complaining not:
although they are obliged TO work With vet
towels on their heads Last summer, out OF q
force OF seventy, there was At one time less
than twenty able to come 20 the offoet
These women are ladies, most Of them once in
social position probably equal TO any OF the
heads OF the Bureaus TO which they report and
they say that when any of the gentlemen offci-
ais have an inquiry to make they send Tor them
20 60 down, not being willing 10 90 up q ld en-
dure their heated pandemonium long enough %
investigate minutei
think the Dead Letter ofice is decided 20 be
proper and necessary to the public and 10 the
Government know that the employment IL
gives is blessing TO many women, and surely
this Government is not so impoverished that IL
cannot provide decent place In which the
work should be done. HCI
Washington, April IS, l7o