Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-28
THE BIG GRANITE BUILDING
Points in the Annual Report of the Super
intendent.
Increase of 123 Tons I'm the Amount Of
Soni Consumed-Work Done
by Electricity.

In HIS annual report Captain Baird, SUPER
intendent of the State, War and NAVY De-
partments building, states that the contract
for coal this year is s4.24 per ton. or e.
cents more than last year. There were I2S
tons Tor IL per cent? more used during the
fiscal year ending 30th June than during the.
previous year; this was due to colder win
ter and longer working hours In the build
Ing. For about six months clerks in the
duartermaster generals and adjutant gem
erals ONCE worked up TO 1890 y m, during
which time electric lights were used freely
Inc steam engines which ran the printing
presses have been replaced by electric mo-
tors, effecting saving OF fuel. There are
nearly 1900 electric lamps, $50 fans and If
Teen large power motors in the building:
IoVO lamps, fourteen fans and two large
motors I'm the Executive Mansion operated
by the generators in the State, War and
Navy building.
The superintendent contracted 1ath MAY
with the Westinghouse company for a COM
pound engine of 300 horsepower and a paIr
OF W h w. dynamos, TO meet the growing
demand for electric current The dvnamos
were promptly delivered, but the engine Is
far behind hand.
The superintendent has been making a
comparative test OF the potential and eco
nomic efhciencies of the many types and
sizes OF electric fans In the building In his
laboratory, which viii be of interest To the
uade, as well as TO purchasing agents of
the government.
Constant changes are being made I'm the
pumping, which is kept "up-to-date' as
nearly as possible.
over 200 new window shades We're nut IN
since March. All the shades of the build
Ing are uniform in color ana shade. and
aIIer once hours, they are all placed al
nan i helght, which adds much to the exter-
iitll appearance of the building One hum
ured ana thirty-nine new awnings have
also been substituted for soiled ones. tbesa
are are al Hurled at pm. to preserve uniform
The roadway on the east and soutb f-o,,.
OF the building have been paved with as
Pidl' under the supervision of the SUPER
i ,n. OF public buildings and grounds;
this Will prevent further defacfng az The
building by the dust and clay of the road
ana already the cleaning of those fronts
has been begun
The valleys and cutters Of the copper roof
have been patched
GrlnneH automatic sprinklers are now in
every carpenter shop. press room and
paint shop; these are little jets, which are
Kept closed by fusible plug which rneIts
at 10 degrees, and will then proiect a
strong stream of water. They are regard-
ed as the best known protection against
fire. e'''i9'
Extended experiments have been mazda
on the Paul system of steam heating and
lhe superintendent finds a saving of \ per
cent over ordinary steam heating IL IS his
purpose 10 utilize the exhaust steam from
e. - - - ilSAN WINTER iof warm
ing by the Paul system. The building 10
now warmed by hot water, which is still
more economical than steam. but the heat
now wasted from the eXhausts from the
small engines will be utilized
The elevator service in the building Is
good, and no mishap has occurred
The machine shop has grown during the
incumbency of the superintendent from a
loot power jewelers. lathe TO two large en-
CINE lathes, a shaper, drill press driven by
steam and an electric driven jewelers.
lathe, A small brass foundry has been inn
proVised and plumber shop installed In
the carpenters shop there is a cross-cut
and rip saw, molding machine and wood
turning lathe, all driven by electric motors
The ten acres Of marble tiled floors are
scrubbed three times week and swept
SIX times by eighty charwomen, who work
from TO am The superintendent finds
many advantages in having this work done
IN the morning rather than after Office
hours