Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-16

chambers occupied BY the senate and Houss
which are like great boxes xithou; Window
snu, on rom any direct supply Of air frou
OUTSIDE the building. BY tie same metho
pienafai streams OF oxygen are forced throux
ene e9mmittee rooms and corridors undcx
ground In order that the air thus supplies
snAh contain the proper amount of moisture
mace 70 pass through stone-lined comparS
menk. where small fountains OF sprnv are an
perpetually playing. In winter the atmospher,|
currents from without are forced through ned
work Of pipes flied with steam. hy which moan
the temperature inside the building l. rai.ed N
any desired point
l. Is related that on one occasion party q
visitors was inspecting the operation Of III
great sixteen-foot fan and one OF them asked
subordinate employe how many horse pove]
was required 20 run a.
Horse power!' replied the man. who Owed
ms appointment 20 political influence. ''Hor.]
Ill That fan b run by steam"
TEE EXECUTIVE pKrsRrrrxrsL
The next most important building owned h,
Uncle sam is the one occupied by the Deuart
ments OF War, State and Navy. According q
law passed in 1883 IL Is managed bv a com
mission composed Of the Secretaries in charr,
OF those three branches OF the government
service. They choose On executive oeScc
from the engineer corps Of the army or navv
who appointed By the President on their recy
ommendation. That position Is held A, preaI
ent by Chief Engineer Thomas Williamson
congress appropriates about sl60 600 wear For
the management and maintenance of the huild
ing, which is kept somewhat like hug nnsrt
ment house. The scale on which the house
keeping 10 done NAV be conceived from the fact|
that eighty char women are EMPLOYED 20 AL
nothing but scrub the floors Of the CORRIDORS
They work from 70 ?. m. each week day and
get t1 month. There are eight nssistan, en-
~ my
ductor and twenty laborers. who wash the VIM
dovs and steps, clean the pavements. &C.
BUREAUS AND DIVISIONS
The three departments are split IN into bp-
reaus and divisions. each Of which has its mes
senger, who takes care Of the rooms. while the
executive officer keeps the corridors clean anal
sees that the building is properly heated
lighted, repaired. ventilated and guarded. For
This last purpose he employees ffty-eight watch
men, Q captain of the watch and two heuten-
ants. Every part Of the structure must be pa
troiied every two hours of the day and night,
and. TO insure the performance of this duty
each man Is required TO touch series Of electric
buttons along his line Of inspection, which
record on pasteboard dial in the Office on the
nrst noor the exact minutes when they were
pressed Between and O'Clock each evening
they 60 intoevery room and draw all the window
shades down exactly half way. so that they will
look nice from the street. at the same tina
closing all connecting doors as a precaution
against the spread Of possible fire.
RETAINING FURNITURE
Each department in the building repairs ana
renews It's own furniture from a contingent
fund provided for that purpose. including all
carpets; but the latter are taken up every
spring. sent 10 be cleaned and put down in the
autumn by Capt williamson. He has the clean
ing done by contract at 2ls cents yard. The
business OF cleansing carpets for the govern
ment is big affair and the job 10
eagerly bid for The executive officer
OF the State, War and Navy edifce saws
that housewives would be wise 20 initiate his
practice and never take up mating until il IL
worn out, simply LAYING the carpets over il "a
winter, with layer of paper between TO keep il
from getting dirty. This method makes the
carpet wear longer and saves trouble. The
buildings OF the Interior Treasury and Post
Office departments are run in Just about the
same way. About 5000 tons OF coal are re-
CURED for lighting, heating and ventilating the
structures maintained and occupied BY the gov
eminent at Washington.
THE LIGHTS AT TIE WHITE HOUSE
are run by the dynamos in the War. State ana
Navy building. They cost about e.. 900 year,
perhaps one-third as much as gas. and every
three months a bill for them IL sent bv Can't.
Williamson 70 Col Ernst. who returns q check
on his account rs superintendent Of public
buildings and grounds. The engineer officer Of
the navy who runs the electric plant that
keeps these lights going has not the least
anxious OF responsibilities. Think how CHASTITY
II would be if they should 60 out at one of the
Presidents receptions. Imagine the bril-
liant scene in the east room suddenly
shrouded In gloom-the hapd-shaking procession
brought to halt-the guards rushing for cam
dles-souyenir hunters taking advantage Of the
Ifu4 20.
great mosaic screen-lovers bestowing surrep-
utious endesrments-women fainting here aud
there-perchsnce panic. But why indulge
such horrible imagining respecting a slip-up,
conceivable, but most improbable, in the house
keeping Of Uncle Sam?