The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-22
THEY'RE NOT ADORED
Building Inspector jerks Doesn't Like
Those Doors.
KICKS FROM MANY PARTS
The Agent of the Revoivers Tries
in Vain to Convince the Colo
mel That They Are All Right
"A Practical Test.

The agent of the St. Paul revolving
door concern attempted to convince
Mayor Thompson and Building inspect
or jerks by practical denoHstratIOn
Yesterday afternoon that the oools
which have been placed In the CSlola
40 street and West Broadway schools'
and which have stirred up a revolt In
the Eighth ward, are perfectly saie' pc
sides being an improvement on the olu
sfvle doors In cold and stormy weather
Both the mayor and Inspector decidleu
that the test fully convinced NheIn
that the doors are not the thing LOT
srSool buildings. and Colonel jerks
has not vet made up his mind 10 allow
them TO remain in the buildings: ne
has fully decided, however, tnat shoulu
ne not order their removal he VIII COM
mel the trustees to put IN ORDINARY
doors on each side of them. so as 10
afford an easy and safe means OF exit
in the event of a fire. The colonel was
very emphatic in his disapproval oi
The new style door, and ne lntlmdueu
plainly that the only reason Tor IT'S saIe
il that the great American puollc likes
TO be humbugged He refused apsV
i,r..aIv tn give his official consent to al
low the doors to remain in the scnool
buildings until he is convinced thdt
similar doors are in use IN scnools
elsewhere, and are giving satisiac-
ton.
Chairman Calderhead Of the board OF
trustees telegraphed east yesterday al
ternoon to ascertain If the Statements
made by the agent for the revolving
doors in regard to their use In school
buildings there was correct. me tests
were made yesterday afternoon Tor the
benefit of Colonel jerks, but they Were
also witnessed by the mayor, Irus-
tees Curtis Reimel and Mcconnell, gu
perintendent Kern and Standard re-
porter The first test was made at the
West Broadway school when an alarm
of fire was sounded at $3.50 o'clock The
four wings of the revolving door were
opened when the alarm was souhueI i,
and before the principal could reach
the door to fold 1t together so as 10
{ make a passageway on each SIDE
hundred struggling and eXclteu young
sters were piled up against IT, Inc
principal forced his way through the
Ecrowd and folded the door togelheF,
after which the youngsters rushed OUT
in n general scramble. and the build
ing was emptied in about three MN
utes. There was nothing like panic
however, and the children discovered IN
an instant from the smiling faces or
Colonel jerks and the trustees that
There was no fire. The next test was
made at the Colorado street school
building, but no fire alarm was sounded
there as Principal PiXley stated that
a great many of the children are stu
nervous from the scare they received
last year, when a part OF the roof was
blown off the building. As the children
left the building al o'clock they were
marched through the door in It's usual
position, with its four wings expanded.
There was a disposition to crowd into
the compartments and with four or
FIVE in each compartment, there were
several narrow escapes from being
oh found their
way to the outside in about five min
utes and, with practice, there Is no
doubt that they could pass through the
door more quickly and with less crowd
ing and danger of having their arms
or heads pinched. The children then re-
entered the building and marched out
with the door folded together. and the
building was emptled in a few seconds
less than three minutes.
The gentleman who Is handling the
doors explained that they are supposed
TO be folded together in case a hurried
exit Is necessary, which gives clear
passageway about three feet wide on
each side of the door. He said that
when an alarm of fire was sounded
either the man who gave II or the Jan
itor or the principal or one of the teach.
ers would have To be on hand 10 fold
the door together. He also expiated or
the advantages possessed by the door
as a fuel-saver and an econOmiZer OF
heat. When the door is opened ou1
there is never an opening between tn,
outside and inside of the building. His
explanations, however. could not re
move the objections that had beer
found against the door
THE test is not satisfactory said
Colonel jerks. Il don't like the doors
and l don't think they are suitable fol
schools. There is no question but thai
they are a great storm door. but they
are more ornamental than useful, anC
they are dangerous when they are L
be used by a large crowd and particu
larry so when 1t is a crowd OF children
Americans like to be humbugSed bu
they will not be humbugged all tn,
time. and these doors are short lived
If j finally decide To allow the doors &
remain in l shall insist that doors b,
placed on each side of them which vii
give the children a safe and easy mean
of egress. These doors will not b.
locked at any time. but viii simply b
secured by hooks and will open out
ward"
The door man remarked that tn
same laws in regard 10 the exits O
buildings prevailed everywhere. an
that none of the building inspectors 4
the East have ever found fault wit
the doors as being unsafe. althoug
they had been placed in schools. thea
tiers. and depots.
That does not make any differenc
with me-" replied Mr.. jerks. IF thes
doors should result in the death of fiv
or six school children in a panic som
day. the people would hold me respon
sible, and ! propose to see that every
thing is safe"
The agent replied that he did nc
think he would waste any more time /
trying to convince people that the doc
was safe and the colonel replied this
IL was immaterial to him whether b
did or not.
superintendent Kern. who witnesse
the last test, expressed the fear tina
the revolving door would be dangeroJ
in case Of a panic. and he said that
Il was allowed 10 remain he would IL
sist on other exits being provided
the rear Of the building.
The janitor at the Colorado sire