New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-10
THE AIR IN THE CAPITOL.

investigation Of the subject and to report plan
for the improvement OF the present system OF ventia
ton Tho Board invited several leading scenilnc men
of District submit plans and the one prepared by
Mr. CIuss, q prominent architect OF Washington. was
substantially adopted and presented to the Committee
few days In addition 10 this Mr. Benjamin sever
son, civil engineer Of this city, has submitted report
subject and these with all other suggestions
which may be received from quarter have been re-
ferrcd to a commission of scientific gentlemen composed
! of such men as Gen. Hmnphres, Dr. Billings. Prof
| Henry, and others.
MI severson his report calls attention TO an nvcs
gatlon made about 1865 by Prof Chas NJ WetIicr VINO
gave especial attention to ascsrtaning the quantity OF
carbonic acid gas contained In the air within the halls OF
Congress In his report the average volume OF
this gas in 10000 I73, while the external air
its average only 2.37a difference or excess OF that
deadly within the halls OF l76 After quoting IRON
| this report, Mr.. scverson continues
| But ito presence in large proportion Is NOT the
worst feature OF the facts thus disclosed Prof Wotho
reports this gas-wbch Gu account OF Its great specc
gravity usually sinks TO the floor below tha plane o m
alat0tobe very nearly evenly itused through the air
OF The halls from the oor TO the ceilings ard even above
these This unusual ana ini,uest dihsOh oi carr We
acid gas is bu natural effect of the bsd system OF up
| ward ventilation Were the system reversed-the air
supplied from above and drawn downward through the
1oor it originally intended Ii should be-thcn the
| heaviest gases would rs the tirst TO escape.
Mr. severson attributes the bad character OF the Dir in
the Hall Of Representatives TO several causes, of which
| the following the most important:
First: From the bad condition Of the DIR drawn into the
duets by tile fans aud forced into the hall and into the
apartments surrounding it, Its upufy ia to large OK
tent due TO the 1t is drawn from maniiesty fou
.coHd From the entrance o, the air into the hall from
underneath the floor instead Of from above the ceiling
by which upward motion OF air currents produced
aud dust and the heavy poisonous gases which would
naturally sink 60 tie floor escape to the ceiling are
constantly raised agitated and mingled WITH all parts
o. the within the hall. This makes it impossible to
| avoid their Inhalation.
Third: From insufficient for promptly removing
| the air after II becomes ytated.
To show how the air which is forced into the Hall OF
Representatives is derived from impure sources. Mr.
seyerson SAYS that the fan for forcing air into the hall Is
placed near tho north corner of the sub-basement
where it very improperly draws its supply OF what ought
to pure air directly from the tagged surface OF tie
terrace 1t thus TAXES r and carries along with It such
dust and grit hc brought within It's suction range
by winds or by other and III Summer the air thus
used becomes heated by it, passage over that hot sur
| face That locality ahOunds also with sources OF i'm
purity such damp and musty vaults, under the ter
race, dcd with damp and irody wood chips, sawdnst
and various other kinds Of dccaying and offensive mat
ter One OF the vaults ia actually used IA public
urinal Opposite these and only two or three rods dis
tdnt from them, is exceedingly damp, foul and musy
cellar under erd of the old Capitol It's floor is
composed of old plarks resting loosely on mud and
partly submerged with fcul water. Much o? the odor
from TIL. cellar moved by the westerly and norhcry
the House Of Representatives. The endorsement itself
had also become smmefuy foul, but recently its cond
ton has been somewhat improved by the removal OF
part be offensive accumulatons of Tie last fourteen
Years Still Il far from wholesome or even decent IN
appearance Foul odors from that subterranean region
are all drawn in by the fans and under certain cond
tons directly into tho heating chamber, and are then
forced into the ball and its surrounding apartments.
In accounting for the fact that the i'll the House of
Representatives has recently been worse than 1t for
merry was Nh Seycrs0n calls attention To the unwisc
and very expensive changes which have been made in
the sewerage system OF the city The sewer WHEN drains
tho Capitol has been connected with the 1fbcr sewer
which extends for long distance on dead level ana
l. really nothing less than great subtcfrdnean ieort
FOR the generation Of which are forced through the
Capitol sewer into the building Itself. Mr.. Sevelson
dwcls at considerable length on tho inexcus'be blui
ders which have been made the o. the city
and closes the following suggestions IN regard to
| improving the ventilation Of the Capitol:
FIRST 80 to ycntate the part Of the main Tier sever
westward the Capitol. and the branches connected
with tie CAPITOL prevent thO:a great reor. from
forcing any Of their foul gases into the oufs This
Ssco,d Properly to yentilae all the closets within the
| walls OF the House.
Third: Thoroughly TO cleanse the sub-base'lens, eel
lar aud vaults named, and prevent the s,ce and oily
odor from the engines from rising to the hai ot al com
| municatIOns between thcm lie Kept closed.
! Fourth Construct an ample brick arched ana wei,
tho ong bank between tho terraces, thence southwad
10 a point 30 feet from tho southwest corner OF the
House and there let 1t termna in mental yer
tical and hollow shaft faced with marble. raised 10
or 20 feet higher tho highest terrace and let tue
botom Of The rc incline downward fro tie fans to-
ward its end at the ratio OF quarter u IN inca III
10 feet Under vertical shaft have out ct for water
Firm: Let there be no possible communication, be
tween the passing through the duct and my OF the
surrounding sources founcss named, nor with any OF
the outer air. except where II emit "a the zeal smart
excluding leaves and al other impre matter
let the shat be covered with network OF wire put over
| its opening in the form OF a roof.
Sifh Under tho of the arch OF the air duet at
tach two wacr-pipes OF about one inch diameter anu
extending from the engine room 10 the vertical ar si,
aud there let OF the pipes terminate In properly
formed let for filling ho interior OF the shau with me
SPRAYS Of water the other pipe De timely perforated
from end to end in proper forin Tor hing win spray
and let the action Of these pipes be controlaDle from te
engneooI By OF these pipes and jet the entire
length OF tho air passage, any part OF IT, may bo ncu
with fine spray OF cold hot water for cooling or warm
ing for Iydrating, aud for cleansing the ar passing
through them 10 the and into any part OF the house
Air thus passing through the spray VIII De pcIectY
cleared Of dust, smoke and OF al possips ohou, r
| spray viii be instantly borbed ana retained p' 'ne
water
BY the foregoing process, At quite moderate cost III
three weeks or the time Of beginning the WORK
and without III any way disturbing the proceedings OF
Congress the House can be amply supplied with pure
and properly tempered and hydrated air Ana this ar
pears to he all that IS required At ths time housh
possible that n few hundred dollars might be adyanta
geVusiy expended on improving US. means ioi oAN"''
| Ing the vtated cir from above the ceiling. -. .r
Let be particularly observed at the hplin,.v,oS ~,
proposed for supplying pure air for the present. i1in OF
ycntIation are precisely what would required FOR the
purpose IN the reverse form Tor forcing mt ~ -,
| through the ceiling and Withdrawing 1t down".ru
throuen the pr, srnf openings Of tho loOr This IN un
questionably tho best mode for vcn'iatnS Ite ns
and ours we're planned with view or is Application
Ia them II was approved by the highest authuy, bu
unfortunately reversed by me Duiiei ioi io''O
| which he has withheld from the public
| CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
| THE ALABAMA CLAIM Bill"
| WASHINGTON, April 9.--The following Is the
,e,t OF the bill recently introduced by Senator Sargent