The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-10-25
THE U. 8. PRINTING OFFICE.
The Largest Establishment OF the
Kind In the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Against Fire.


tanning within its walls every day over
two thousand operatives, the necessity
of extraordinary precautions for the
safety Of life and property from de-
struction by fire is apparent, partlcu.
larly as the building is not fire.proof
structure. The present head OF the Oh
flee, Mr.. Sterling 2. Rounds, who Is a
practical business man with great exc
cutive ability, and who has had exper-
fence in the west as fireman, when he
took charge of the government print
ing few years ago recognized THIS
fact and at the present time there Is
probably no better equipped building
in the country for preventing loss OF
life or property by conhagration.
Before Mr.. Rounds took charge the
principal means of escape provided for
the inmates of the immense building
were iron stairways in couple OF tow
ers in addition to the ordinary stair
ways.
Now plentiful supply of water can
be turned on each floor at a moments
notice from the six stand pipes, which
run up near the ladders, and sections
of hose are kept at hand. fitted with
discharge pipes, and to take charge OF
each outlet or section of hose in an
emergency there is an organized force
consisting of captain and lieutenants,
with suitable number of men, all Sc
lected from the employees. There is
also on each floor fire extiDguisher,
in charge of a captain and lieutenant,
and on the occasion of the burning OF
the stable on the premises, some
months ago. these were found to work
well.
There is an iron tramway running
entirely around the building, with iron
cages, secured with wire ropes, to aid
in conveying from the upper windows
any person who might, in case OF fire
below, have their means of escape cut
of. This tramway was designed by
Gen. Meigs, and the experiments made
with it have been entirely satisfactory.
In addition to the ordinary fire-escapes
there are two canvas escapes, reaching
from the upper floor to the ground,
and, as is well known, these have been
satisfactorily tested several times.
In his last report Mr.. Rounds says:
Bows and arrows are also provided,
which would enable life lines TO be shot
or thrown through the upper windows.
| Up to the time these changes were
made the entire office was supplied
with only three-inch connection with
the water mains, which barely gave
sufficient water for daily office use, and
was wholly inadequate for fire pur-
poses. But by the kindly cooperation
of Mr.. Edward Clark, architect OF the
capitol, the Office has now more than
double the former supply, and quite
ample TO render the new fire apparatus
in every way efficient. All the outside
doors were originally hung so as 10
open toward the inside of the building,
and in case of a panic, with the pres.
sure against them, it would have been
impossible to have opened them. The
hinges have been changed so as TO open
either way, and egresS can not thereby
| be INSTRUCTED.
Besides all these ample facilities for
the safe egress of employees in case Of
sudden alarm of fire, the entire force
of females has been divided up into
companies of forty each, and each
company placed in charge Of captain,
with several aids, and in case of alarm
these companies are taken out by des-
ignated fire-escapes, under the charge
and aid of the men appointed for the
purpose. The first trial Of the system
demonstrated the fact that the bindery
containing about five hundred women
and nearly one hundred men, was
emptied in less than one minute; and
it is believed that after more trials the
entire office can be cleared in less than
two minutes. 1t, therefore, may be
fairly stated that for the first time in
the history of the office it is reason
ably safe from fire. and its employees
from danger of loss of life or limb
caused by stampede of want OF suffi-
cient egress.
There have been test alarms rung
since the present system was adopted,
and it was found that every man or wo-
man knew his or her place. BY n test
once made in the bindery it was found
that the folding-room, containing over
five hundred operatives, was cleared
inside of one minute. The female en-
ployes, however, found that in going
down the iire-escapes there were some
"Peeping Toms" on the ground, and in
subsequent tests asked that canvas be
placed on the ladder before they would
make the descent.
In each room there is captain with
three lieutenants, and these direct the
others in case of an alarm, but the
working force consists Of about forty
men to section. Probably no better
trial OF the system was ever given than
that of last month, when apartilion on
which oil from the binder had dropped
took fire. The flames were cxtin-
guished when Chief Engineer Cronin
was within few yards of the scene,
and neither he nor Mr.. Rounds knew
of 1t until 1t was all over, no general
alarm having been given.
For some years 1t has been thought
that the old portion of the building
was unsafe in consequence OF the great
weight on it, but by exercising duo
care and removing the surplus material
to tho Congressional Globe building,
there has not been for some time past
any danger, the officers keeping in
this portion Of the structure at any one