National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-11
An Omcial Inspection.

between b and streets northeast, was yoster-
day inspected by the Fire Commissioners and
formally received from the contractor. The
three members Of the board, Mcssrs. Collins,
Hume, and Bacon Chief Engineer Cronn, and
Building Inspector Eutwisle visited the build
ing about four o'clock. The contractor, Mr..
John II. Hewlett, met them there aud con-
Quoted them through the building. The Com.
missioners expressed themselves as very much
pleased with the manner in which the work
had been DONE
DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSE
Tho building is of gothic architecture, two
stories high, and ninety-soven feet deep by
thirty-one feet wide. Tho front, extending up.
ward from the ground about ten feet, is of gran.
lite. The rest is of press brick comentod with
black mortar. There are two large archcd doors,
one on each side the building for the passage of
the truck and engine, and q small door between
these for the entrance Of the company or vsi.
tors. Over the centre door is small, round
colored window, with the letter "a" painted
on it, Indicating tho name Of tho company.
Over the left door in the brckwork is a sham
window, with q gilded hook and ladder. over
the right door is q gilded froman's hat. In
the second story range of largo plate-2lass
windows extends across the face of the build
ing.
The approach from the street to the build
ing has been laid with concrete, extending the
whole width of the building, and lighted by a
lamp at its junction with the street. fire.
alarm telegraph box is attached in a con-
venent place at the side of the rght-hnnd
door, The main room or truck-room on the
first floor is II spacious apartment, forty-iive
feet long by twenty. eight feet nine inches
wide and sixteen feet high This room will
contain the new truck, the Chief Engineers
wagon, and in the extreme rear the stable, six
teen feet by twcnty-eight feet nine inches,
with room for four horses No. 9 engine is
also to be located in this ROOM. The floor of
the truckroom, all except the tracks, is made
of bricks set on ends. The tracks are laid
with concrete Wanscoting extends around
the base of the walls to the height of about
three feet, the rest of the walls are plastered
and coated white. The truck carries ten lad
ders, the longest of which is sixty-ive feet,
the next longest is forty feet, and the others
range from thirty feet down to twenty-five feet
When all is ready for start the driver
mounts TO his scat and pulls cord suspended
over his head, and the doors fly open. The
truck is drawn by two powerful gray horses.
The stable Is model of neatnoss. The stalls,
| five feet in height, arc made of North Carolina
| pine, with cedar posts. The sinks are con-
nectcd directly with the main sewer. The
stalls are supplied with stationary iron feed
| troughs, and are furnished with electrical
apparatus TO unhitch the horses and let the
| doors fly open when an alarm is sounded. The
sitting-room is also on the first floor, and is
| entered from the truck-roOm. 1t is hand
s0mely carpeted with Brussels carpet and
| fitted up with stove, chairs, marble-top
wash-stand, water.cooler aud telegraph appa.
| ratus connected with the main Office, corner of
| Four.and -a.laf street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. The room is lighted by gas The walls
and ceiling are coated white. A hall leads
from the sitting-roOm into what is known as
the harness-room. In the rear of the harness
room Is small yard, connected with sheds for
fuel and forage
Ascending from the hall Is n staircase
stained walnut color, covered with beautiful
carpet, fastened by the latest improved stair
rods, highly polished. The bannisters are OF
black walnut, with massive posts. The stair
way is well lighted by window at the head
of the stairs AT the right is the reading-room
twenty-one feet by sixteen feet, which is also
carpeted and furnished with chairs and tables
and is lighted by gas. Turning, at the lef
of the stairway is the bathroom aud wash
room. The room is oil-clothed and furnished
with towels a marble-top wash-stand, ant
other conveniences. The bathroom is supplied
only with cold water. Immediately at the
head of the stairs pair of folding doors LEAD
|
forty-two feet by twenty ght feet nine inches
and eighteen feet high. This apartment i
fitted up with a considerable degree of Gle
gance and home comfort. A soft and richly
tinted carpet covers the floor. Arranged
around the room are iron bedsteads, supplies
with the latest improved springs, hair mat
tresses, white blankets, sheets, &C.. at tn
head of each bed Is chair and spittoon
The room is heated by a Morning Glory stove
: and Is fitted up with spacious stationary ward
robes. In the centre of the room is u larg
round-table, covered with q beautiful Turkis
red spread and ornamented with flowers.
Tho room is lighted by two large chan dc
lers of six burners each, from which are su:
pended pretty cornucopia baskets, ombellishet
with fancy work. Over the door is a clock, b,
, which the foreman takes the correct time whei
> an alarm is turned in. The walls and ceiling
of the room are handsomely frescoed, maxim
them pleasing lilac tint.
The foreman's room adjoins the sleeping
room and is separated from 1t by glass part
ton. This room, which is twelve feet b
twenty eight feet nine inches, looks out upo
the street, and is carpeted and furnished wit
handsome walnut bookcase, a morocco-coN
cred settee, a walnut cloth covered writing
desk and chairs, two of which are parlor chair
, purchased by subscription by the members
the company and their friends. The wall
, like the sleeping-room, are handsomely fire.
= coed and are adorned with chromos. Two ga!
Jets serve to furnish the room with light 8
night. During the day the apartment is we
I. lighted by large plate-glass windows, whic
. are supplied with Venetian blinds and sky.co
a ored shades, working according to the late'
patent.
At the head of the stairs is an immen'
gong, with the latest improved springs, worke
by electricity.
Ample provision Is made for ventilating til
whole building by the vontilating hpparatr
9 invented by DR.. Thomas Owens, Us N, whic
Z promises to give general satisfaction. I'll
= foul air Is drawn out through openings sitI
: ated over the large gas-jets in the dormitory
Q The building Is we'll lighted from front t
+ rear The cost of the building was $6,430.s
= This building aud company is under the supe
a vision Of Foreman Spilman, who command
twelve fine specimens of physical manhoo
averaging in height about five feet ten inches
TRUCK BIS NEW HOUSE.
% The new truck-house at the corner of Ne
e Hampshire avenue and NJ street is already o.
v Cupied by Company b. though not quite fl
= ished yet, 1t will be ready to be turned ov,
a 10 the Fire Commissioners in about wee
!, This house Is built on precisely the same pla
y as Company AS house, but is possessed Of fl
greater advantages. 1t has ten-foot alley
its rear aud thirteen-foot alley on its south sic
and therefore has more windows and gets @
abundance of sun and fresh air The entran'
TO the building Is at present in sad pligh
!, Mud, water, and old boards form a conglome
d ated mass, through which 1t is almost impos'
l. bic to pull the truck.
l. The doors are square and are supported