The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-04
TIE Census OFFICE oven
Almost Intolerable Conditions in
the Population Division.
The Result of HuddiinR nm Army of
Men and Women Into nn lily Con-
- structcd Enc1osurc-An Apparent
WOeful LncIS of Judgment in nm At
tempt to Secure Proper ventilntion

With the rise of the temperature yester-
| day the heat in the space set aside for the
population division in the new Census
Building on B, between First and Second
Streets northwest. became almost intoler-
| able. and the protests from the clerks were
renewed with vigor. Notwithstanding the
just cause for complaint, however, it ~
said that the officials of the Census Office
have determined to pay no attention to the
complains of the employees. 1t is even
stated that the clerk who asks fer relief
by transfer to other work will be summar:-
ly dealt with.
The present Census Building. designed for
the purpose of herding together the entire
force of the office, is rented under the act
which provides that the Office shall lease
quarters in the city of Washington which
shall be suitable and adequate for its
work. Numerous available buildings in the
Capital were passed by. and the present
structure erected under the direction and
with the approval of the officials of the
Bureau. 1t is claimed by these officials
that none of the available buildings In siiv
city was adapted for the work of the office,
and that the only building suitable for tie
work could not be rented. The require
ments desirable in a building to he cOnsid-
cred were a sufliciency of light and rooIrs
of such size that all the clerks could be
placed together. This was in accordance
with a conviction that the clerks could be
better handled as one large force than if
separated into smaller forces in numerous
rooms.
These conditions are amply provided for
In the arrangements of the present build
ing The light is so sufficient and even
redundant that an army OF the clerks are
suffering from various optical affections
In the construction of the building 1t seems
never to have occurred to the architects
or TO these who approved their plans,
that there were conditions necessary to
the comfort of the clerks Ventilation has
been entirely sacrificed to illumination
and if the suns rays have provided suf
fcient light, it was not of sufficient mo-
ment for consideration that an excess of
heat was provided from the same source.
The two large population division rooms
are covered with a double roof, both of
glass. The inner roof is constructed liz
small sc'lares. which, can be opened or
closed at will. Above this roof rises
frame containing adjustable windows. and
supporting the pointed glass roof which
covers the building. Through these glass
roofs the suns rays have been pouring
and during the recent hot spell the in
tensity of the heat has been such that |
fainting spells and prostrations became OF
daily and numerous occurance.
In order to obviate the torrd conditions |
20 such extent as was possible the clerks |
opened all the windows OF the |
inner Roof and the outer windows in order !
to admit as much breeze as could be in |
weighed into the building. The opening OF
No inv mot ~,
the architects who designed the building, |
was wrong; that they had never been in |
tended to be opened For what purpose
they were designed they have never yet
made clear. They, however. explained that |
the outer windows were intended to re-
main open while the inner roof windows
closed. in order that the hot and
foul air collected between the inner and
outer roofs might be swept out through
the windows OF the outer roof.
While ample provision seems to have
been made by the architects for the cir
culation of air within the outer roof
and the disposal OF the hot and impure
air at that point it seems foreign to the
essential difficulty, and rather strange that
no similar provision has been made where
1t is most wanted. What benefit Is de-
rived from the windows of the inner roof
closed, and why windows were
ever made there in the first place, If they
were not meant for use, is a question
which is agitating the clerks in their cooler
1t is certain that no benefit
ras been experienced by the clerks since
he closing of the Windows above Il an in
compliance with the ideas of TIE arcbi-
Gets.
The architect of the Treasury building
las been called into consultation. 1t is
aid he has had the same conditions 10
contend with in the drafting room Of the
Treasury Department.
1t is learned that electric exhaust fans
ire being considered, and that estimates
Is to the cost are being made, but no
,lan for the amelioration of the unfor-
innate condition has yet been adopted.
t is anticipated by the clerks that all of /
hem will have been removed from the
Dhere of action by the assumption of
heir resignation because of requests for
transfers. to other divisions, or by pros ,
ration, or that the winter season will
AVE set in before any action is taken. {
: is further anticipated by such as look 7
o far into the future that the cold weather {
ill bring with it a new list of difficulties !
With which to contend.