Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-17
the NEW DEPARTMENT BUILDING:
Report OF Col. r. L. Casey.

TEiE NEW DEPARTMENT BUILDING
Report OF Col. II. l.. Casey.
WORK DONE AND TO BE DoNE-How GREAT PUBLIC
BUILDING Is WARNED, VENTILATED, LIGHTED,
SUPPLIED WITH WATER AND GUARDED AGAINST
FIRE-ELRCTRIC APPLIANCES, gC.-woRK TO BE
BEGUN ON THE WEST WING.
Col T. L. Casey, corps OF engineers, has sub
mitted to the Secretary OF War q report of the
operations on the building OF the State, War and
Navy departments for the fiscal year ending June
90. 1888. During the year the north wing OF the
building was finished and occupied by the War
department, and work was commenced
on the approaches OF the north 'front.'
The work remaining unfinished on this
wing at the close OF the last
fiscal year chiefly consisted OF the flooring, tiling
passenger elevator, main stair ratings, parquetry
flooring, fresco painting. chandeliers mantels and
CRATES, hanging of doors, painting and the area
elevator for the courtyard. Contracts were In
painting and parquetry noorial of rooms intended
for the special use OF the Secretary Of War.
signs and two received parquetry fioors The re-
ma1nder OF the ONCE rooms, 50 In all as we'll as
the corridors and domes were left with white
completed April 81 owing to some delays in con-
tract work the building was not made entirely
Icduy lOT occupancy until UcCemOef Z31, 1852, on
which day the working force was discharged, leav-
Ing only the passenger elevator unfinished. The
building contains an extensive and somewhat
steam, water, gas and telegraph service, drain.
age and elevators, all OF which down to the
smallest detail, is In perfect working order. and
parts.
HEATING APPARATUS
Excepting two small steam radiators in the attic,
the building is warmed by hot air circulating
through direct and indirect radiators OF coiled
pipes, the water being heated in either or both of
two tuouar boilers located together IN the sub.
basement. The entire system consisting OF boil
ers flow and return pipes coils and rising pipes,
attic door, the height OF water in which above
any point OF the apparatus constitutes the hydro
n;nf Sta1e head G Of the s water pressure at that
which is conveyed directly by Independent closed
ducts from the outside of the building Every
basement and attic, have an Independent fresh
air supply so arranged to be entirely free from
contamination except by most wanton neglect
or abuse Of the apparatus.
VENTILATION.
Every room in the building is provided with
inlet and outlet passages or ues well located and
proportioned for the admission OF outdoor air and
the withdrawal of foul air by natural draft. The
corridors are also ventilated independently to a
case through the heating coils, and is withdrawn
Dy the fireplace or ventilating fues, all of which
are located IN the corridor or cross walls. The
It's operation depends upon the relative coldness
Oh the external air, except as to those ueS which
communicate with the aspirating chimney con-
year round.
STEAM SUPPLY.
One boiler, located under the court yard, sup
plies steam for the house and elevator pumps.
By means Of the steam pumps complete system
OF standpipes and fire hose, as we'll as the water
e nrO
vlded.
WATER SUPPLY.
The water supply is derived from an s-inch Po-
tomac main, entering the sub basement at the
east end. AS the pressure is not reliable above the
first story higher points In the building are sup
piled from two tanks in the attic filled by the
pump.
FIRE APPARATus
This consists OF either the house or elevator
pump, and the two 4-inch rising pipes in the
water closets, on which are ~ inch flre plugs,
with hose on every floor At the top OF each OF the
rising pipes (Which are also used for feeding the
tanks) Is safety valve, so loaded and cOntrived
that 1t may be closed instantly by the engineer in
into service as fire pipe, with water pressure
at the top OF about so pounds per square inch.
PLUMBING.
Every connection with the soil pipes is trapped
and every trap Is fully vented to the open air
through independent main vent pipes rising above
the roof.
The building Is supplied with gas through six
inch main, which enters at the end near the
water main. From the meter four inch pipe
passes under the stairway and rises in the corner
OF the series OF easterly water closets to the attic
ming IN the corridor first under the tiles and
branching to the several gas fixtures.
ELECTRIC COMMUNICATIONS.
Provision Is made through the building for
Carrying concealed electric wires so as to put all
the rooms in communication with each other All
State, War and Navy building will ultimately be
brought into the sub-basement through the eight
inch su1terranean cast iron conduit running from
the northwest corner OF 18th and G streets to the
west end OF the north wing.
DRAINAGE.
All water from the roof, areas, approaches,
water closets and waste water pipes of the build
ingis conducted to the sewer. Traps have been
placed in all drains in waste pipes where neces-
penetrating the building: The sewer is OF brick,
air tight, while all drains and waste pipes which
enter it are OF iron. The drains of the approaches
Will be terra Gotta
PASSENGER ELEVATOR.
While any OF the appliances are in working
order the danger of fall OF the Car is almost be-
yond possibility. II it should fall, however. no
serious injury could result to the occupants as the
air-cushiOn would then come into action and break
pressure. 1t descends by its own weight The
water used at each trip is pumped back to the
upper tank by the automatic action OF the steam
pump.
All deck surfaces OF the roof are finished on
with Portland cement mortar, troweled down
hard, and covered with 1907. sheet copper, and
all OF the cutters are lined with 14-oz sheet COD.
per. The whole Is constructed and fastened In
the best manner that could be devised to resist
the constant action OF expansion and contraction,
and Is without doubt one Of the most perfect
metal roofs In existence.
APPROACHES OF THE NORTH WING
The first cargo OF granite arrived May /, and Of
bluestone May IL, 1888 The excavation for the ap.
approaches was completed May 25th, and laying
the foundation for the walls was commenced.
These have been completed, and the building OF
the walls begun.
WEST AND CENTER WINGS.
The first appropriation, amounting to $3.50, 600
for the construction of these wings was made by
act of August Z, 1881. Orders for cut granite
amounting to $32l 900 were executed, and since
then the preparation OF the stone has been going
on Nearly all OF the granite for the frst story
front OF the west wing has already been delivered
Less progress has been made BY the contractor on
the granite OF che sub basement, basement, and
area walls. but the first cargo OF it has arrived
Meantime considerable progress has been made
IN the ONCE upon the working drawings Of these
wings, including the stonewofk. heating, and ven-
tilattng apparatus the design OF the War
AV1A N~@H