Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-07
FOUL AIR AT THE CAPITOL
Some Surprising Things Discovered by the
Committee on Ventilation.
Tons of Old Documents Rottins In
the Busements-Bad Air In the
House Restaurant Kitchen.

The investigation of the management OF
the architects office of the Capitol is FUR
rishing considerable occupation and some
surprising revelations to the committee on
ventilation and acoustics, which is conduct
ing it, The prime movers in the inquiry are
Chairman Shell of the committee and Rep
resentatiye Walker of Massachusetts.
Every morning they make tour of the
subterranean passages under the Capitol,
accompanied by a stenosrapher who re-
cords TIE questions which put to en-
pIoyes and their answers, as well as the
comments made by Mr.. Walker and other
members. some of which will make decided
ly spicy reading when the report is printed
1t has been generally understood that the
sanitary condition of the Capitol was not
good, and it is certain that the atmosphere
pumped into the House Is deficient in oXy-
gen. but all the causes which affect the
health of members have not before been
! realized. One of the most conspicuous fac
tors in tainting the air has been discovered
| to be the storage of old public documents
| which fill the Easements. There are hum
dredS of tons of these books and pamphlets
printed at the government printing ONCE
and assigned TO members for circulation
among their constituents, but never used
They have been accommodating for years.
and, as is now discovered, rotting in the
dampness which pervadeS the lower cellars
of the great building.
had OdOr of Old Documents.
Col Richard Bright, the sergeant-at-arms
Of the Senate, told the committee that in
some parts Of the Senate Easements decay
ing papers were piled four feet deep, while
the board floors under them are also rot
ting. So dense was the odor from the piles
that workmen could not stay there longer
than half an hour without becoming sick.
and were obliged to step out into the fresh
nil nf nj N I'm Ia no
the House testified that when a load of
documents which had laid in storage for
some months, and which he sent for, was
dumped in his office, the odor from them
was so intense that it compelled him to
leave.
Perhaps the most interesting facts
brought to light were in connection with the
House restaurant which was investigated
this week Mr.. Thomas Murray, the
keeper, has complained of the limited
kitchen facilities allowed him for the estab-
liShment, the committee visited the
kitchen. They found it in the subcellar
underneath the House, adjoining the Turk
ish baths which are used by the members
regularly. The vapor from these baths fills
the kitchen constantly, keeping 1t at such
an intense h.a, that Mr.. Murray said the
employees are often ill. The restaurant
keeper said, in reply to a question from
Mr.. Walker, that he would not eat food
himself which stood in the kitchen three
minutes after being cooked.
Thorough House Cleaning Assured.
The investigation has practically just be-
gun, and promises to be thorough one
Last session there was movement to Sc
cure overhead ventilation for the House Of
Representatives in place Of the floor reg
isters through which the air Is now
pumped and which are kept lined with
cigar stubs and waste paper, and ha-
bitually used as cuspidors This change
may be effected during the recess as a re-
suit of this inquiry. and. at any rate,
thorough house cleaning of the Capitol is
assured. 1t is expected that the new print
ing bill now in force will put stop to
the waste of documents, SO that they will
not accumulate in the future as they have