National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-10

the amonn, Displaced by presses, cases, machinery,
Our inspection was commenced in the press.
room This room occupies nearly the entire ground
floor of the II street wing of the building and one
third the floor space, If not more, is covered with
presses and other machinery
WANT OF PURE AIR
here as in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing,
in the Treasury, has led them to make an attempt
at ventilation, and as in the former virtually
nothing, or worse than nothing has been accom-
plished. The device for supplying air consists of
an opening about 2Xl0 or 2x12 Inches in each win
GO made by FgMNyag psGe %s the
sash This aperture Is to be opcned~aNd closed ut
will by means of piece of tim or sheet iron, made
10 fit, working on pivot, and to which string is
This is left, of course to be manipulated by the
persons employed near by, and. TO judge from the
| condition in which we found large majority,
| about the only action taken Is TO close them when
draught is encountered; Even If left open these
wouldbe ventilaors are inadequate TO secure fresh
air to the employees, and their area Is insignificant
and out of 9l proportion, compared with the total
| capacity of the rooms. There Is no necessity for
| introducing fresh air into building constructed
as this one is Draw out the foul air and its place
will be supplied without artificial aid. The constant
use Of oil, ink, &c in large quantities, generate i'm
purities IN the atmosphere which should be re-
moved, and in addition to this the water,Glosets
| pairing ink, pour in their share. The room for pre-.
pairing ink and for washing type, &c, is but cor
board partition extending halfway TO the ceiling.
| The door leading from this room into the press
room stands open and all the offensive odors from
closets, ink plates, &C. are carried in, there being
| no other means of ventilation.
| The closets are Offensive, defective and INSULT
cient in number, there being only five bowls for
the accommodation of all the male employees
| These closets should be separated from the main
building on every floor and have q free circulation
of air all around them the soil pipes should also
be ventilated.
The same Isolation should be had in the case of
| the type-washing Incorporating, and other often
sive departments. The composing room occupies
the floor above the press room, and is considerably
larger Three hundred hundred persons are re- @emmpoyed mp in
displaced by cases, machinery, Nc, they are pro-
vided with 75G.5o cubic feet of air per capita. There
is no.means ofventilation other than the small de-
vice In windows already referred to, and the air at
the time OF inspection wasyery offensive.
THE wATER-CLosETs
here situated similar to those in the press room
are insufficient In number, having only six bowls
for 800 persons, and very defective. They are Of
principle and unsatisfactory in operation. Bay.
less, IN his House Drainage and Water Service"
says of the pan closet; AS commonly made, the
principal objection TO this form of closet Is that in
addition to allowing the foul air from the sewer to
escape, il increases the mischief by manufacturing
n great deal of offensive and dangerous gas ON its
own account. In use the side Of the receiver
against which the pan discharges its contents when
tilted becomes Goa coated DIV. with mass OF i2uness
no uncommon thing 70 find the inside of receiver
so cogged that it is difficult to open the pan. Mat
ter thrown out is often seooped up again as 1t re-
, | turns to its place.
Human excrement lsnaturally viscious and plas.
| TIC, ana Wllen uuScu Against fOlRn surface lke
the inside of an iron casting It takes hold and
Clings, especially as II is untouched by water
which rushes down the basin and into the soil
pipe when the pan is Tilted From this cingng
matter, undergoing composition, more less rapid
according TO circumstances, there constantly arise
gases Ns poisonous rs any which come from the
ioulest sewers. These gases are held under con
stanty increasing pressure between the two seals
and when the upper seal IS broken by tilting the
) place the gases and force them ont. II not thus
liberated they will come through the water seal in
"if the trap In the soil branch undersuch closet
is unventuted, its seal offers very little effective
resistance to the upward passage OF gases from the
{ sewer and pipe, Asa rule NE How of water into
closets of TINS kind Is insufficient TO- lush the trap
consequeny the seal Is seldom completely changed
/ aud there Is almost always mass OF undssolyed
faces floating therein. With all these facts In mind
i it is easy to understand why disagree9blo smell
and sometimes an overpowerlng stencil is instantly
emitted when the pan seal OF such closet Is broken.
The constant use of these closets by such large
d number of persons and the limited supply of water
on the upper ilOOrs renders ventilation OF soil-pipe
| imperative.
fhe atmosphere in the proorroom was an i'm
g., prOyemeut on that Of the two former but II toe
& should be properly ventilated. The bindcry wai
n very close. And here again we found am offensive
i department, emitting its organic impurities into the
Ihe room for preparing glue in GSrreSp9nS4mg
II opens directly into the bmdery and the offensive
# vupOrs thrown of from this material are carried
into the lungs of employees. Here again the closet
If are ill-yenlil0ted, detective, ana inSulicent.
q IN both the folding room and Record and Spccih
/, | cGtlonroom ventilation Is badly needed, In III,
| latter night force Is worked, and the numerous
~ gas-iets contribute largely to the impurity Of TN
~ i'm a building constructed as this ls and using
~ large steam-power, the introduction of a system o
Al ventilation 10y iNns and air ducts should not be cX
If pensiye and very easily, applied, The nccessit,
i. therefor is urgent, and ! sincerely trust that WI
rs may see its inauguration in the near future.
/. CONCLUSION,
<, In concluding hls report ! can only say that
~ earnestly hope action may be taken ut an early dn
If looking 10 the ventilation OF the public building