The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-17
VENTILATION.
A Detailed Description of the System In
Operation in the Pine Street Church
Important Practical Suggestions.

To the Editor of the Press:
1t affords me pleasure to accede to your re-
quest to give an account of the system OF ven
tilation in the Pine street church, in this city,
in the hope that it may be of some use in pro-
noting attention TO the very necessary ven
tilation of the public schools. There are three
systems, distinct and independent of each
other, at the Pine street church. They all
rarely work well in every condition Of the at
mosphere and weather, but always one and
frequently two of them will serve whatever
the conditions.
First. There is in the rear wall of the church
q large ventiatiDg shaft, about three by four
feet, reaching from the foundation to above
the cope OF the roof. Inside of this shaft is
placed a terra Gotta smoke stack connected
with the furnace of the steam heating appsra-
tus in the cellar. By this means the smoke
and gases from the furnace are carried off, and
the terra Gotta pipe is kept hot That in turn
heats the column of air surrounding it in the
large ventilating shaft, and causes strong up
ward draft.
Beneath the floor of the vestry, and running
the length of the church, are five wooden ven
tilating shafts, about one foot square, openings
in several places through the floor, the open
ings being covered with gratings. These five
ventilators empty their contents through the
medium of larger connecting shaft near the
rear end of the church. into the upright shaft
containing the heated terra Gotta pipe. The
design of these five ventilators is of course to
draw the foul and heavy air from the floor of
the vestry.
In the ceiling Of the vestry are ornamen tai
openings into wooden ventilating boxes be-
tween the floor Of the audience room and the
ceiling of the vestry, similar to those in the
floor of the vestry, and like them leading
finally into the large ventilating shaft with
the heated pipe. These all ow the lot air Of
the vestry to escape when the room is over
heated. All OF these ventilating fues have
hampers that can be used when needed. The
only connection of the main audience room
with this system is by large grating in the
floor near the door of the minister's private
room, but the sexton informs me that this al
ways works well, and hence is drawing from
all parts of the room the heavy and foul air.
The front wall of the church has two small
veDtilating shafts into which the foul and
heated air is similarly emptied from the
smaller vestry, the ladies' parlor, the board
room, and the hallways. The air in these two
either by the introduction of coil of pipe, or
by gas jets.
The second system consists of large flues or
shafts in the four corners of the church, run
ming from the cellar to the floor OF the audi
ence room, and two inside shafts on each side of
| the yestry doorway, making six in all. Within
| these flues is a system of steam pipes running
| their entire length. rhe four outside flues
communicate with the outer air near the
| ground, while the two inner ones draw their
L MI ota air from the rallar Thic air IL
heated in It's ascent through the fiues. In the
vestry registers communicate with all these
hues, and registers are also placed in the floor
| OF the audience room, where the fues ter
| inmate. II the sir in the vestry is overhested
| by opening registers in the vestry ceiling aud
| the floor OF the audience room the heated all
| will at once escape from tie vestry into the
audience room. If the vestry is cold, the
| registers in the audience room may be CLOSED
| and those In the vestry opened. To heat the