The morning times., 1897-01-15
HEAT FACILITIES LACKING
The Sixth Precinct Police Station
in a Sorry Plight.
"OId Utility" as 1t Is Called, Is
More Like a Cold Storage
Warehouse.

The narrow escape of the two runaway
boys from being asphy by illuminat-
ing gas in witness-room at the Sixth
precinct police station, as told in the
Evening Times yesterday, has called at
tention to the inferior heating facilities
in that structure, the largest police station
in the city.
Originally, No. G was two-story build
ing, but as the force Increased it became
| necessary to increase the size of the sta
tion. About nine years ago the third
story, front and back, was added The
furnace placed in the original two-story
building to supply the existing heating
| surface is still there, Notwithstanding the
| enlargement OF the edifice.
The amount of heat furnished by the old
| heating apparatus is inadequate. 1t was
never inte nded to warm such 4 large build
ing AS a result, cold air, more often
| than hot, is admitted III draughUs to some
of the rooms through the registers, and
| the policemen find it difficult matter
in some parts OF the building To keep
warm. No heat whatever is carried to
| the third floor, and the men who occupy
| the big sleeping apartment there have to
| pile blankets, greatcoats and other cover
ings on their beds to keep warm. The
witness rooms would be like refrigerators
We're it not for the faca that they are, as
| matter OF humanity, supplied with the
| dangerous gas stoves, one OF which came
| near causing the death OF the runawa boys
/ Tuesday night.
ut is sad commentary on our govern.
ment," said one OF the officers, that III
an up-to-date city like Washington we
are compelled to heat rooms in a modern
station house with such contriyances rs
gas stoves. / expect almost any day to
| hear of u case of fatal asph Xiatiun from
the use of those things. They are dan
| gerous, but in the interest Of hum anity
| something must be done to keep people
under detention from being frozen in our
| cold storage rooms"
THE furnace we have in use,'' said
| another, has not the heating capacity
| to keep n box-car warm, much less our
great big station-house."
The Sixth precinct station has been named
"0d Utility owing to the many and
| varied uses to which it is put. In its rear
is the iarksome little moreue, or District
dead Louise, to which the dead bodies of
all victims of accidents, bomicides o T other
fatalities are takenfor examination or post
| mortem autopsies.
The squad room on the first floor is used
| as occasion demands for the trial hoard
sittiigs, nearly all the coroner's inqucsts
| and occasionally as the police court.
A number of the upper rooms are oc-
| cupied by the board Of police surgeons TO
examine physically applicants for appoint
ment on the force. The police tailor holds
| forth in the gymnasium when IT comes his
| turn to measure for new clothing the
| patrolmen of the nine precincts.
At odd times old No. 6 is also used is a
storehouse for stolen property and for
| other purposes. Hence the men in blue and
brass who inhabit "Old Utility think the
| structure of so many uses should be bet
ter treated by the authorities in the mat
| ter of heat and ventilation