Evening star., 1898-11-12

| recuons on 9th street from the point where
| 1t originated along + street to the center
| " here the front commands Sth street and to
| G street, where u followed the roof as far as
| 7th street, and then to the point where 1t
was arrested, asystated.
What the Builder Said.
That night the writer called on old Mr..
| Mohun. now defds Who was a builder of
| note for many Heau4 here, and who had
| performed the work of building the patent
office roof many years ago.
Mr. Mohun," inquired the reporter. was
the patent officeu roof regarded by YOU as
fire-proof?'
The old gentlsman looked at his ques-
toner in astonishment
why. OF course, it was fire-proof" ejacu-
lated the worthy old gentleman in his rich
and well-rememhered Milesian accent, "of
course, it was fife-proof. 1t made of
the very best tongue-and- -grooved Georgia
pr and thirty feet above the floor
Who'd ever thought that fire would get up
there?'
This incident came forcibly back to Tho
Star reporters memory when he investigat-
ed the upper part of the new city post office
Thursday and he fervently hoped that his
tory would not repeat itself in this instance.
Cutting Walls to Reach Steam Valves.
On the eighth story many tei-tale marks
on the now white finished walls gave mute
evidence of more blundering on the part of
| those responsible for the plans of construc-
ton. These marks indiclte where cuttings
will have to be made through the solid
walls in order to allow access to the valves
of the steam pipes, which now bricked
up behind them. Inquiry developed that
when the genius of the supervising archi-
tects office had devoted itelf to the impor-
tant duty of preparing the plans for the
interior finish of the eighth story no suit
able provision was made for access to the
steam pipe valves over forty of these
openings are marked out to be cut and fit
tod ytyito atp he
pense must be met, of course, under the
head of that all-absorbing item known as
extras"
A Grandfather's Clock
In and from the vantage of the tower
The Star reporter had an opportunity to
see several things. In these days of cleo
tricity and progress the clock in the tower
is almost a reminder of the Pliocene age
1t is wound by hand. Every week some
body with wel-developed muscles must
mount the heights and with a big wrench
wind up the heavy weights that hang in a
wooden box-eVerything seems to be wood
en- up aloft-that extends through the floor
and the lower apartment. If by any forget
fulness or carelesSneSs this duty is unat-
tended at the proper time the clock will
stop. On the lookout platform above the
clock the cement is cracked in numerous
places, and as the concrete under it is of
the rotten variety the clock Is assured of
frequent baths when hard rain and a high
wind, occasional in this climate come to-
gether.
The Roof on Top.
There are entrances opening out upon the
roof from the tower and the reporter went
out to see what this cover of the last
years birds nest looked like The glass
which affords light to the corteil is in
heavy plates, which are covered at their.
functions by strips of copper probably an
inch wide. The edges of the plates do not
lap. as is usually the case in such construc-
ton. but merely meet edge to edge. The
sides of the plates are also covered where
they meet with strips of copper These
strips are, in many places observed by the
reporter, already warped, there being in
frequent instances Openings easily a quar-
ter-inch wide between the glass beneath
and the strips above. sNha the condition up
above there will1be when the coming win
ter gets its work in will be probably an
other problem foE extras" to solve.
Descending, the reporter paused long
enough on the fifth or executive floor to
visit some of the apartments. 1t was no.
ticed that "open'' plumbing was predomi-
nant If steam and return pipes and others
running perpenaicularly up outside the
walls can be takendas evidences of this
modern style of the art
The large room at the southeast corner
of the fifth floor is intended for the use Of
the Postmaster General. Right in the cor
ner at the junction Of 18th street and c
street walls ist;a turret. Three windows
look cut upon & splendid view of the city
and the country gas5 far as the eye can fol-
low the Potomac up and down. This ad
mirable and cozy opportunity for quiet re-
tirement and reflection, consultation
with lntimates is being equipped with
water closet and stationary wash basin.
The reporter then picked his way down
into the basement. In the rear, behind the
immense space occupied by the heating
and Ventilating departments, will be the
downstairs portion of the local post office.
Here are located the toilet rooms, etc. In
connection with this subject and what will
follow there is a little bit of history that
will be of interest.
Some Established Facts.
| Soon after his first assignment to duty
| as superintendent of construction, and
| while the preiminaries were being ar
| ranged for the construction of the new
| building, Mr.. Steward states that he had
| several interviews with the then supervis-
| ing architect CMr Edbrooke) in relation to
| the disposal of the sewage in the time of
| high water in the river. Having been in
| the city at the time of the flood of 1889,
| and having seen back water in 18th and
| 18th streets nearly up to the avenue line,
| Mir. Steward maintained that it would be
necessary to have a large reservoir under
1lth street sidewalk of sufficient capacity
to contain the sewage of the entire build
ing when occupied, for eight or ten days,
TO be used IN case of overflow emergency.
lie strongly urged that such provision be
| made. Upon reinstatement as supern-
| tendent in June. 1897 his first round
| through the basement with a gentleman
| who had been on duty there during the in
| terVal of nearly four years, Mr.. Steward
| asked If such a storage reservoir had been
| built or planned and was informed that it
| had not.
| He insists now that something of this
character will have to be provided before
| the business to be transacted in that build
| ing will be reasonably safe from serious in
| terruptions when the river is at flood tide,
or when the city is visited by heavy or
| long continued rain storms. If the down
| spouts had been provided with cut-offs, so
| that the great volume of water from the
| roof could be thrown into the streets in
| stead of into the sewers of the building the
| risks of overflow ordinary occasions, he
| states. would be greatly reduced. With the
| present arrangement all the roof water Is
| discharged into the sewers within the build
! ing, and 1t has already been demonstrated
! on August L last, for instance, that these
| sewers are not of sufficient capacity for the
| rain water alone.
| The supervising architect has just con-
| tracted, at extra cost to the government,
| for placing automatic gate valves between
| the basement toilet rooms and main sew
! ers, to prevent the water from backing up
| through the many water closets, Slop sinks