The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-10
THE POST OFFICE VENTILATION.

The necessity for an Improvement Of the ventilation
in the basement of the Post ONCE has already
referred to in the HERALD but to tho the steps
that have been taken to remedy the evil have been most
ineffective, and what is still being done will prove
equally So judging from existing indications The arch
itcct when he designed the building evidently forgot
this thing necessary to the hundreds OF men who
compelled by their duties to stay for hours in this
section of the structure. In order, however that no
mistake should in regard to the temperature
any chance Of misrepresentation the part Of the
employees who might have grievance to ventiatc
a HERALD reporter yesterday visited the building
having in his possession of the most approved
thermometers. with which to test and record the tenn
pcraure OF the three lower stories viz Tho ground
floor or general delivery department, level with
the street; the basement, where the newspapers are
sorted and the mabags stored and the sub basement
or engine On entering from the street at one p
NJ the thermometer recorded in the corridors eighty
i've degrees Inside the partition where the clerks
at work tho glass showed degree lower. On de-
sccndng the basement the temperature was found to
be the same above but there was noticeable
most offensive and depressing heat. with
a singulary disagrccable smell, clearly bctokening
the righteousness of the air. The men here all
stripped to their undershirs and vests, and yet were
sweating at their work "hke many bulls - In fact
1t is TO be wondered at that several Of the men en-
gagged this floor have had 10 be carried out over
by the oppressive and foul air The closets
this floor, too emit most disagrceabc odor which,
combined with tho stencil arising the stacks of old
and damp mail bags also stored here produce a cond
ton OF affairs readily conceived than described
1t is true efforts being made by the opening OF a
number Of orccs the air shafts and elevator pass
ages to let OF the foul air, but far be under
sAsod, attempt Is To be made TO lot in a fresh
supply of new air This latter however might be
readily done by making open gratings in tho side
OF the entrance ways aud at the edges Of the sidewalks
the walls of the building. The all complain
bitterly of the bad air. Ii should also be mentioned
that tho gas on the floor is always kept burning which
docs not tend To improve the general condition Indeed
nj six clock last evening the founcss of the air
almost inolcrablc 10 the reporter, who glad
cape TO the upper regions. At present there but
two boilers work for the elevators but when the
whole number are set going for heating purposes and
these being In tho sub basement what tho condition will
be the basement floor tell but easily DO
conceived that soourn there would somewhat rcsem-
bic stay in AN oven heated To high degree. visit
this sub basement showed the temperature TO be the
the iOor above, but with n still air pre-
vailing. The thermometer the basement floor
consulted each hour from O'Clock to six +. NJ, in
elusive, when the register obtained follows-
One 7. NJ 50 deg. two p. NJ ~ deg three p NJ, SO
deg four T. NJ, 81 deg Ave T. NJ, ~ deg six r. NJ,
81 deg. when the air, previously stated was rapidly
becoming more vtiatcd The men on this floor work
in three shifts of eight hours each that Is to say there
three different sets Of working for each twenty
four hours and with this comparatively short Ia
Dor they are scarcely able to stand the work. Some
thing should be done at once.