Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-06
LARGEST PRINTING OFFICE THE
WORLD.
Precautions to Save &, from Destruction
by Fire.

THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT
TIE EMPLoTES ORGANIZED As FrRgMEN-
FACILITIES FOR FIGHTING THE FLAMES AND
SAvIN'i LIFE.
In so extensive building as the government
printing office-the largest establishment of the
kind in the world-iled with valuable material
and containing within its walls every dav over
1000 operatives. the necessity OF extraordinary
precautions for the safety OF lie aud property
from destruction by fire is apparent. particularly
as the building is not fire-proof structure The
present head Of the office Mr. Sterling p
Rounds. who is practical business man
with great executive ability. and who has
had experience in the west as fireman
when he took charge of the government
printing few years ago recognized this fact
and at the present time there is probably no
better equipped building in the country for pre-
venting loss of life or property by a conia-
grafton Before Mr.. Rounds took charge the
principal means OF escape provided for the
inmates OF the immense building were iron
starways in couple of towers in addition to
the ordinary StajrwayS.
WATER SUPPLY AND FIRE ExTINGrISHERe
Now plentiful supply OF water can be turned
stand pipes. which run up near the ladders and
sections Of hose are kept AZ hand fitted with dis
charge pipes. and to take charge of each outlet
or section of nose in an emergency ere is an
organized force consisting of n captain and lien
tenants, with Il suitable number of men all Sc
Iected from the employees. There is also en- each
floor a lire eXtinguisher. in charge of a CAPTAIN
aud lieutenant. and on the occasion ofthe barn
ing of the stable on the premises some months
ago, these were found TO work well.
IlFE-SAy!NG APPARATUS.
There is an iron tramwav running entirely
around the building. with iron cares. secured
with wire ropes. to aid in conveying from the
upper windows any persons who might In cast,
OF a fire below. have their means Of escape cut
of. This tramway was designed byGen. Mcigs.
and the experiments made with il nave been en-
tirely satisfactory III addition to the ordinary
fire escapes there are two canvas escapes,
reaching from the upper floor to the ground.
and. as i we'll known. these also have been sat
lsfactorilv tested several times.
In his last report Nj. Rounds saws: Bows
and arrows are also provided. which would cna-
be iIlc-nes to he shot OF thrown through the
upper windows. Up to the time these changes
We're made the entire Office was supplied with
only thfee-inch connection with the water
mains. which barely gave sufficient water for
daily office use, and was wholly inadequate for
fire purposes. 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 ire
apparatus III every way efficient. All the out
side doors were originally hung so as to open
towards the inside OF the building and in case
OF Il panic. with the pressure against them. it
would have been impossible to have opened
them. The hinges have been changed so as to
open either way, and egress cannot thereby be
Obstructca'
HEFEMAIE EMPLOYEES ORGANIZED
'bcsdes all these ample facilities for the safe
"-rcss OF employees in case Of sudden alarm of
lire. the entire force Of females has been divided
up into companies of forty each. and each COM
pany placed in charge of captain. with several
aids and i'll case of alarm these companies are
taken out by designated ire-escapeS under the
charge and Aid OF the men appointed for the pur-
pose. The first trial of the system demonstrated
the TACT that the oindery. containing about 800
women and nearly 100 men. tmptied in less
than one minute; and il is believed that after
more trials the entire office can be cleared in
less than two mitutes. it. therefore, NAV be
fairly stated that for the first time in the history
OF the office 1t IS reasonably safe from fire. and
its employees from danger of loss Of life or limb
caused by q stampede or want of sufficient
egreSS.
There have been test alarms runT since the
present system was adopted. and it was found
that every man or woman knew his or her
/
was found that the folding-ro0m containing
OYER 300 operatives, was cleared inside OF one
minute The female employees. however. found
/ that in going down the microscopes there We're
some "Peeping Toms on the ground and in
subsequent tests ASK ed that canvas be placed on
the ladder before they would make the descent.
MODEL. FIRE DEPARTMENT.
In each room there is captain with three
iieutenants. and these direct the others in case
Of an alarm but the working force consists of
about forty men to section. Probably no bet
ter trial of the system was ever given than that
of last month. when partition 0nwhich oil from
the bndcry had dropped took fire The flames
were eXtnguished when Chief Engineer Cronin
was within few yards of the scene. and neither
he nor Mr.. Rounds knew of it till it was all over
no general alarm having been given.
For some few years it has been thought that
the Old portion of the building was unsafe in
consequence of the great weight on it, out by
exercising due care and removing the surplus
material to the congressional GIOje building
there has not been for some time past any
danger, the officers keeping in this portion
OF the structure at any one time the smallest
possible amount OF material necessary for the
work in hand.
Superintendent Rounds office is connected bv
telephone with every part of the building and
in case of fire he would be informed of it at
once.
Repeal Of the Mechanics, Lien Law