Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-06
The Ventilation OF the House.

hr 1. I. Cox, president OF the Board OF
Health. yesterday presented IL the sub
committee on public buildings and grounds
o. The House I'm elaborate report on the Ven
L!2tion Of the House of Representatives.
with accompanying dag ans and maps Il.
lusiIa'lrg The positions as examined. TIE
board fira that 10y working the present sup
Ply lsn NAeti 10 safe maximum CAPACITY,
much over 81, 600 cubic feet Of air per minute
can be fTcUgni into tie hall, which, modes
ately Llied. viii seat on floors ard galleries
-.to0 persons, While according 10 NE latest
s;ai dard fOT halls whore prGtTacret sessions
are held, there ought 70 tee ,Gt0 cubic feet a.
command Per minute. Many Of the ~ raor-
oinaTy complaints OF late are mainly those
EXPERIENCED before or during bnistprous
weather II The winter months. end this
can he much Temcdied 10y Gaping en- a
certain way The now open aud unprotected
tops Of foul air shafts, the discharge from
which X seriously impeGet when q
heavy wind blows from certain directions.
tie sewer from the Capitol formerly dis
charged In the old city canal, but a c1nnec-
ton was made last fall with the great Ii her
man sewer, which drains . 900 acres or fully
OEe-na!t OF the area occupied nv Washing
ton city. The CAPITOL sewer now forms a
natural Ventilating duct from this main
sewer, running for nearly a mile on hat
sIound; IL ought 10 be eihclenty trapped,
aud CHARCOAL ventilatOr bgilt outside the
trapped part, so as 10 guard against fore
ing OF the proposed water-trap. The kitch-
Ems OF the restaurateur ought 10 be con-
Bected by trunk with the foul air shaft,
which is near by, and thus by suction the
whole cellar viii be Indirectly ventIlate1,
while now the reverse is the case. Toe lately
neglected hydratiOn OF the warmed air GU Oh I
TO be reinstated. An untrapped sewer pins
was found right at the inlet of the hot air
duct 10 the wall OF the house, through which,
DO doubt, sewer gases were carried in " IN
the air current. The water closets on the
ground floor ought 10 be attended TO. The
steam pipes, during eighteen years OF use
have come 10 be out Of repair, are inefficient
ard need overhsuling.
II Is believed that thorough change in
the arrangement of heating and ventilation
can easily be made at moderate expense,
and ought rot TO be left undone. The warm
air is now forced in from and near the tloor
and thiS Initiated air is drawn of by the ex-
Eaust fans through numerous apertures in
the ceiling. The proposition is that hereaf
ter the fresh air be forced In from the cell
ing, where the warm air, in consequence Of
its smaller density, Will De rapidly diffused
over the whole surface OF the ceiling, cool of
in contact with ceilings ard side walls, will
slowly be pressed downward, followed by
succeeding layers ofhOt air until it comes ia
the region of the foul air or ventilRting regis
ters, through which IL will be removed from
the well with the proper velocity by the &C
ton OF tne exhaust fans. The operation of
this system is explained In great detail, AMI
references are made 10 successful arrange
ments on same principles on large scale.
The houses of Parliament In London had -
be altered exactly In the same way, after
protracted discussions.