The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-19
BETTER FERTILIZATION
To he Introduced by Mr.. G. II. Read. Jr. In
the Han of the House of ID elegates.


The committee on public property Of the
House OF Delegates, through its chairman
Mr.. Maupn, Of Henrico. presented yester-
day to the House report in regard TO
the faulty ventilation prevailing in the
han Of the House Of Delegates. The re-
port was accompanied by plan from
the hands Of Mr.. Charles H. Read, Jr..
the well-knOwn architect in this city. re-
commenting the introduction OF electric
fans at a cost Of about 1855. The details
Of this plan are as follows
TO the Committee on Improvement OF
Ventilation OF the Hail OF the House
OF Delegates. Capitol Building. Rich
mond, Va;
Cont emen Before making any sug-
gestions. as requested by your commit
tee. as to what / consider the best and
most practical method of improving the
ventilation Of the Hall Of House Of Dele
gates. ! think IT may better enable you to
understand what is proposed If ! first
report TO you just what 1 have found to
be the present conditions
/ find this remarkable and. according
20 my knowledge and observation of such
matters. unprecedented state Of affairs
to exist: 4 public assembly room. whose
floor Dimensions are only 3jx7j, and which.
with the two galleries. is frequently oc-
cupied for hours by from 900 to 800 peo-
PIE. with out any provision for the pro-
per admission Of cubic foot of fresh
air or the means OF removing by ef-
hcient ventilation a cubic foot that is in
Il when IL shall by use have become foul.
Your hall is heated by six large direct
hOt-water radiators. located In the win
dow bays on three sides Of the chamber
and enclosed by ornamental cast-iron
screens and marble tops and they simply
heat and reheat and heat over again the
same air you find there when called 20
order and breathe and breathe over and
over again during each day or night ses-
sion. with only such occasional accessions
as may come i'm through the doors 10
lobby and galleries when they are open
Cd and may slip in through the cracks
around the window sash.
There are four vent shafts in the cell
ing of the room. one I'm each corner. and
two more outlets over the frieze and
opening out into the lobby. which are
supposed TO vontilate your chamber; but
as tho accessions from below 10 the
volume OF air i'm IL are only occasional
and irregular IL IS possible only for
them 10 take off the heated air that arises
10 them in an a. irregular manner, and
utterly impossible for them 10 have any
effect whatever in changing or removing
the heaviest, most impure and poisonous
atmosphere below. that hangs over the
heads and is around and about the seat
of each delegate on the floor Of the
House. and which. II stirred into local
circulation at all. is owing ~ their natural
discomfort and rcstlessness under such
circumstances.
The building laws IN our nest progress
sive cities now require that rooms where
assemblies meet should he supplied on
such occasions with at least 1900 cubic
feet Of fresh air per hour for each occu-
pant for II has been found out that where
sueh conditions are not complied win
that the danger limit of having too large
a per cent OF carbonic di-oxide tair mat
has been breathcd) in the atmosphere OF
the room Is soon reached. and that 20
contir ne 10 breothe II is liable TO pro-
dIce disease.
The members OF the House OF Delegates
now meet in a hall where for several
consecutive hours daily probably 900 peo-
ple hourly poison the atmosphere till IT
becomes n breeding ward for headaches,
colds and fevers. and with less relief in
the way OF natural and rational ventila-
ton than any one OF ycu have at home
with an old-fashioned open fireplace
Little wonder that you complain OF
discomfort" under such circumstances,
and that your committee has been APP
pointed to seek for some way OF relief
with such an exposure OF the condi-
tons as | have found them 10 exist, /
now offer some suggestions as 10 how to
remedy and overcome them:
1t is not an easy problem to introduce
a system of ventilation In building
where it was entirely ignored when it
was constructed. but / believe in this
case II can be done with assurance Of re-
lief from the present conditions. II not
with full prospect Of such entire success
as might be desired.
4 system of ventilation 10 be sue
cess must work with the heating-l. e., IL
must be means Of taking out the heat
ed air after 1t shall have served its mis-
sion. has been breathed. and before II
shall have become foul and poisonous,
and to give room for newly heated fresh
air to take its place.
suggest. therefore. the removing OF
the colder, heavier and most impure air