Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-05
IT'S SANITARY CONDITION.
What . Board Of Experts Found In Re
gard to the Capitol.

IT'S SANITARY CONDITION.
what . Board of Expert. Found in Re-
gard to the Capitol.
SENATOR VEST PRESENTS THE REPORT TO-DAY
BAD VENTILATION AND BAD SEWERAGE FAcILI-
rIKs--wHAT CHANGES ARE RECOMMENDED
AND WHAT IT WILL COST TO MAKE THEM.
On March IS last the Senate adopted q reso-
luton authorizing and directing the committee
on public buildings and grounds to select and
employ two expert architects for the
purpose Of having them make . thor
ough examination Of the sanitary condi-
ton Of the Capitol and especially to examine
the structure recently built on the terrace and
the tunnels through which air is pumped into
the two wings of the building and to make sug-
gestions upon the condition Of the Capitol.
Col. George E. Warning Of Newport, R. L,
and DR.. A. @. Abbott of the University Of
Pennsylvania were engaged to make the exami-
nation, the former for fixed compensation
of %, 500 and the latter for the sum Ct
$25 per day. The entire cost of the work,
which the committee on public buildings and
grounds believes to have been thorough, is
a, 786.6S. Associated with the two experts
named was Col. John S. Billings, assistant sur
geon general who, being an officer of the gov
eminent, made no charge for his services.
THE REPORT SUBMITTED.
The report, which was presented to the SEN
ate today by Senator Vest, shows the result of
aerial analysis made in different parts of the
Senate chamber, both when the Senate was
empty and in session. 1t appears that the
air pumped into the chamber is reas-
onably pure, but that the impurity increases
after it comes into the chamber, and that in
vfa Of fhn 10 fNr
some reason largely increased, the greatest
amount being found in the northeast corner
and in the galleries.
The conclusion reached by the experts is
| that no radical change in the structure Of the
chamber should be made, but that the OPEN
| ings for admitting air from the fans,
both to the floor and galleries, should
| be enlarged, that these increased
| openings should be made around the sides of
the room by cutting away the useless iron fl
agree work which obstructs the overhang-
ing brackets on the sides Of the walls. In
, the northeast corner Of the chamber,
where the largest impurity Of dir is found,
| the openings should be restored which were re-
moved on account Of draught. By using valves
this can be done without discomfort to Sena-
| tors occupying seats in that vicinity. To sup
ply the galleries with a greater quantity
OF fresh abr two new vertical ducts
should be constructed in the walls to supply the
north side and the risers Of the seats should be
| filled with gratings. The experts also
recommend the construction Of wooden
| screen with sliding doors in the main air
duct after it leaves the coils so that q
special supply Of cooler air can be sent to the
gallery. They also recommend that the open
ing of the chamber side Of the heaters should
be enlarged by cutting the tiers so as to give as
much additional area to the opening rs possi-
BILE. The estimated cost Of these changes in
the Senate chamber is 900.
SENATE COMMITTEE ROOMS,
The ventilation Of the Senate committee
rooms was found to be very defective and un-
satisfactory, but this comes largely from the
failure to use the means provided for
ventilation. There is no systematic or
skilled supervision of the aeration or venti-
lstion OF the committee rooms. They are filled
with the odors Of stale tobacco smoke, which
can only be expelled by thorough ventilation
and by opening the windows each day, but
there is no systematic attention to this
| simple remedy. The largest amount of i'm
pure air was found in the room of the District
OF Columbia committee and the secretaries
Office. The temperature Of the committee
room is exceedingly irregular, and the coils,
instead OF being arranged separately for
each room, are constructed for heat
ing two or more rooms by the same
| coil, 80 that the temperature of one room
cannot be changed without changing that of
| others. To remedy existing defects the brick
piers in which the coils are incased should be
taken down and separate coil given to each
room, the entire alteration costing 5000.
The analysis made by DR.. Abbott did not
show as much impurity in the air Of the ter
race rooms as in those of the main building
The ventilation is satisfactory, although it
Will be at least a year before the masonry
in the terrace structure will be thoroughly
dried. 1t is recommended by the experts that
the inlets for fresh air to the terrace rooms
should be placed eight or ten feet above the
Hnnr and hot al h< A.,
foul air registers. The estimated cost of these
changes Is $500.
The experts earnestly recommend that the
ventilation of the Senate chamber. cloak
room and galleries should be under the exclu-
sive supervision and control Of the engineer,
80. that the sporadic habit now obtaining
OF having grating closed by placing
carpeting over it at the instance of some
official should be stopped. In this the COM
mittee fully concur, for it is evident that
be obtained by placing the matter under the
control of an intelligent officer who will be re-
| sponsible for the result.
THE QUESTION OF SEWERAGE.
On the question Of sewerage the report says:
'The original interior drainage system of each
building having been inaugurated ninety
and forty years ago. when the buildings we're
constructed, and the waste pipes being built in
the walls beyond examination, it is impos-
s1ble to know their condition. II can be safely
inferred, however, from the inferior plumbing
which then obtained and the fact that the
pipes were made of iron that they are greatly
impaired by rust II not absolutely de-
stroyed. The experts report that "the drain
age Of the whole building is without plan or
system and it is to be regarded as q patchwork
Of makeshift devices more or less good,
according to the quality of the best plumbing
work done at the time Of construction The
only pipes which reach the outer air are the
radiator leaders All waste pipes within the
building terminate ut their upper fixtures and
all are trapped before entering the sewer 30
that they are entirely unventilated.
The experts declare that the defect incident
to such a system Of sewerage would be fatal in
an ordinary building. The bad effect is much
modified in the case of the Capitol because of
the constant exhaust produced by the fire aues
and because OF the very perfect system Of ar
tifciM ventilation to which the building is
subjected by the forcing and exhausting fans.
These influences do not entirely remove the
danger and the general conclusion must be
reached that the whole system of drainage is not
at all in accord with the status OF modern sani-
tary knowledge.
The following is the concluding sentence Of
that part Of the report which relates to
drainage: "We therefore pronounce tRe whole
drainage system of the Capitol, so far as it re-
lates to the removal Of foul wastes. to be wrong