New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-10
UNHEALTHY BUILDINGS.
DANGERS TO WHICH CLERKS ARE EXPOSED
CAUSE OF SECRETARY MANYISG's ILLNEss-THE
PENSION BUILDING.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSE.]


PENSION BUILDING.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.]
WASHINGTON, Oct 9.-The bad sanitary con-
don OF the Treasury Department building has excited
much attention and Reproduction that efforts are max
ing remedy it Nearly every physician IN
Washington who has Government officers. clerks
or other employees among his patients
can testify that bad dranag defective ventilation
and dampnes OF every of the public buildings Win
perhaps exceptions costs many lives and runed
constitutions the occupants and many thousand
dollars in money to the Government every yoar.
cover work" said an eminent Warrington
physcan recently. did not cause secretary Mannlnes
illness and make him virtually an Invalid
for life 1t in place OF wholesome air. ne
breahed foul gases all the dangerous because In
oderous."
Ills to be regretted that the interior OF the new Pen
sion Building which is still unfinished condition.
seems to be almost az destructive to the health OF its
occupants as its exterior Is to every idea OF
architectural beauty proportion A man VINO
entered this building In condition OF rugged
health has been compelled to leave It, by oruer
OF his physician, the only means OF prolonging MS
life. has furnished the following statement Generai
egs report the Secretary OF the Interior oil
recent date relative to the progress OF the Pension
Office building among other things says there has oeen
little sickness among the clerks in the building Now
the OF matteri just this: There has been
great OF sickness in the Pension ONCE causeu
BY the condition OF the building inspection OF the
time reports of the clerks will show. glance at
the condition OF things on the third floor, occu-
pied in part by the Western Division will be
enough to satisfy that IL is anything but heathy
for the following Frst-rhe closets are seldom
running condition aud at times the stench IS very
offensive; secOnd-there no doors, but dirty pieces
of carpet hung up in their places at all the openn9s
thrd-the windows in the top the building all open
so that the and lime that does not settle on the
lungs OF the CLERKS may out; fourth-ln the western
DIVISION the clerks hudded together ike cattle IN
that the brick masons may have room 10 woth
ffth-the Government IL daily losing money because e
ce ks are their street coats ana mats 70
protect themselves from the cold and prevent tne-
sc YES from contracting pneumonia and rheumatism
fcias 10 XII off their clerks way, 1t Will not take
many months tn do IT, II II IL for the sake OF economy
building 1t Is mistake. as the little money
saved in rent. about 10000 per year Is
There is now and Will be until the building thorousn-
ly plastered One-fOurth of II being done nov"
General Meigs, to the contrary Notwithstanding sew
eral tons OF mortar In the great courtyard MaiuR ~
better off than those OF the third door.
floors suffering from rheumatism coatr4c.eu
in the building. The closets on the second hoor ier
some reason cannot be used at all The Commissioner
ana Chief Clerks rooms seem 10 be ne arly compleeu
at any they comfortable IL "a the opinion OF the
medical IN office, OF whom there are great
NUN er that there will be great deal OF sickness
among the clerks this winter owing to the wet plaster
unless something is done TO make tue rooms more
tenanbe but they ike the other clerks arc AFRAID 10
capitated by the Ofiicia axe 90
persons many OF whom disabled UnOn soldiers ana
hundreds OF whom delicate wOmen-wdows, sisters
and daughters OF soldiers and otnersare employed Ia
bis building and they are no per ntted to eave H.
cept absolute necessity between the hours Ols
Q a. IL alc p. IN, SIX days IN every week