Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-20
American Architec,nre.

LII
The convention of the American Institute
OF Architects. which met in ninth annual
session in Baltimore on Wednesday, ad-
journed sine die at $50 p. m: yesterday. In
the afternoon session the DILL 70 establish a
bureau of architecture was referred tn a COM
nlittee consisting az G. c Haight F. G. Lind,
A. j. Bloor, Henry Van Brunt. Carl Pfeiffer,
j. l.. Smithmeyer, l.. scofeld. T. U. WAL
ter, p. b. Wight, Alfred Stone and Albert c.
Nash.
Adolf Cluss, of Washington. read a paper
on Bee rings of the properties aud functions
OF the building, materials, and of moisture
i'm the ground or dampness in old and new
dwellings" He says occupied dwelling
rooms must have porous and dry walls, SO as
toabsorb In partany humidities formed, and
10 ventiate. grown person vitiates about
Loco cubic feet of air per hour. ami these
about go feet of ordinary brick wall exposed
TO the open air. This imperceptible change
of air shows the difference between ventila-
ton as an element of life and health, and be-
tween perceptible one sided currents. called
draughts. The action of porous walls has ex-
ceptions. Their functions are replaced in
hospitals by nOn-absOrbing plastering of
cement, in connection with a well-regulated
mechanical enforced ventilation, as recon-
mended by a large prepon ierance OF ex;
hold out for factories, by the operations
of which much moisture is developed.
With cellar and basement walls the hygro-
scopic building material abeOrbs moisture
from the soil, since it is deprived of the OPP
portunity to imbibe IL from the air. The
means of evaporating again this moisture
being cut off, mouldy walls are formed, wall
paper won't adhere, and the plaster crumbles
of. Such, however, will not occur under in
telligent and strict man agement. With the
intelligent use of cement absolutely water
proof cellars can be constructed. When signs
OF mould appear in the house remedy IL AZ
once. But before cementing old basement
walls let the masonry be first dried by eX-
posture to the sun outside aud by the flames
of alcohol or coal pans inside. Coal tar and
similar means, being soluble in water, are
dwelling the ground should be concreted,
even If it is not used at all. Sickness and
death have occurred because of dampness,
arising from the porOsity of the ground. Even
eOus bodies like air, and the liability to con-
tracing disease and death while sleeping at
night is apparent. Ingenuity has been taxed
In vain to dispel an indefinite dreaded smell
I'm the lower rooms of houses, simply because
the lnsiduOus, invisible agent, ground air,
which has been drawn to a strongly heated
wake the gases from a neighboring leaky
priVy vault have been introduced.
ANOTHER OF DETECTIVE MCDEvIrr's
QUICK JoBS.-Prof Joseph II. Daniel, of us
5th street, reported at police headquarters
last evening that his house had been robbed
OF a ma hogany box containing gold watch,
lot of jewelry, gold and silver coins Treas
ury notes and valuable papers, with his
clothing. Detective McDevitt at once went
10 the house, and after an investigation OF
the premises he left. and twenty minutes
afterwards returned with the box and all the
stolen property.
INJUNCTION DIsSOLyED.-Circuit Judge
Keith, in Alexandria, yesterday dissolved
the injunction restraining the city from
tearing up the rails of the Alexandria and
Washington railroad on st. Asaph street.
and decided the railroad has no right OF way
over Alexandria streets.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES HAYES.
Don't fail to hear these eminent lecturers a.
Wesley Chaple. as advertised in our co.,
umrs. Secure your seats at Choate & CO..
without extra charge.