The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-06-06
Report of Assistant Chief
and Marshal on Pres
ent Conditions.
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
Mr.. Elliott Woods, Superintendent of
the Building, Thanks Chief Dutton
Suggestions for improvements
Thought Necessary to Better Service.

The report of Assistant Fire Chief
Belt and Fire Marshal Bieber as
to the apparatus and equipment
necessary to insure proper fire protec-
ton to the Capitol Building was sub
mitted to Mr.. Elliott Woods. architect
of the building. yesterday. by Fire
Chief Dutton. The report, which is ad-
dressed to Chief Dutton. is as follows:
Il have the honor to report that, phr
suant to the request of Mr.. Elliott
Woods, superintendent of the United
States Capitol. have made an inspec
ton of that building. in company with
Fire Marshal Sidney Bieber. ard the
chief electrician, Mr.. C. p. Gliem. After
a careful tour through it, l would sug-
gest that three-inch supply pipe be
run through the Senate terrace TO con-
meet the west and north terraces, with
no less than five outlets, located as
Lollows: Two from the entrance OF the
pumproom to bend, one at the bend, one
at the paint room, and another at the
paintshop. Such an arrangement would
afford protection to the Senate book
room. These standpipes should be
fed from the electric light pumps, of
which there are four in the Senate |
basement freroom. These connections |
should be OF standard fire department |
thread. with not less than 100 feet of cot
ton-covered rubber-lined hose, with !
play pipe and cutoff nozzles attached |
to each, and of the same quality now
Used by this department.
Under Supreme Court Room.
Under the Supreme Court room a
:hree-inch pipe from the Davidson pump
should be run to the air-shaft, with a
branch TO the east front with proper
outlets and hose connections. The
course of the threeinch supply pipe
should be changed so as to run from the
bottom of the Supreme Court elevator
to and under the electric store room into
the elevator shaft, the standpipe to run
up the northeast corner of the elevator
shaft with proper two and one half inch
outlet and one section of fifty-foot hose
on each of the first four floors, and a
lOO-foot section on the fifth floor.
For the protection of the Senate wing
proper, run three-inch standpipe I'D
through the stack now used for water
service, with ffty-foot section of hose
connection on each floor Relief valves
should be placed on each pump intended
to be used for fire purposes.
Pumps for Fire Service.
There are two pumps on the. House
side of the basement, which could be
fnr fra |
should be run from these pumps up the
coal passage with a 100-foot hose con-
nection at the main aisle of the folding ,
room, thence through the main aisle
OF the folding room to the crypt, and
from the crypt to the elevator shaft An
outlet should be established before en- ,
tering the crypt with a ffty-foot sec ,
ton of hose. Then this three inch sup .
ply pipe should branch eastward to the |
left from the main aisle. Another outlet
with a ffty-foot connection of hose /
should be made before entering the ele- .
vator shaft. A siamese connection ,
should be established at the main aisle ,
This supply pipe should then be run up
the southwest corner of the elevator
shaft with fifty-foot hose connection
on each Of the first four floors and 100
foot section on the fifth floor
For the protection OF the House prop .
er. / would suggest that a three-inch t
pipe be run from one Of the House t
pumps up the coal passage to the stock, =
Lherce 10 the roof, with the proper out ,
let's. aud leo feet hose connections on
zach of its three floors. s
There should he in the south ter I
ace three outlets and in the west ter S
-4oc two outlets, with proper hose con- I
1ections, corresponding to the arrange :
nent suggested for the Senate wing. d
Would Help Department v
with this pipe system installed it v
would reduce the time OF the depart Ii
reat In getting into service to a mini n
nun in great many instances. The :,
ire raeI,. when called upon, would, in O
teal Of leading out long lines OF hose a
through the corridors and down and UP o
nc different stairways. subdue the fire "
g::s she standpipe system and the diff II
ersnt appliances recommended
There should DC u signal bell To-
.ate2 in each one of the pumprooms. a
With an enunciator to warn the enyI- a
leer to start up the pump in case Of NJ
Ire.
81 also recommend that three fire tt
harm boxes be erected, as follows: One q
II the otHotc NiHS,. orc IN thS rU- ~
undG. and one in the House wing; and o,
hat instantaneous fre-alarm boxes be ;,
coated in different parts of the build =
ng aud connected to these three boxes II
n suggesting the foregoing invite u
our attention to the fact that the 7"
earest re-alarm box to the Capitol q
building is located on New Jersey Az g
nue. between B and c Streets south III
asst. To use this box would result in ~
he loss of valuable time, as the COM g
anies responding would proceed to it. a ~
God distance from the desired point. v
nd in different direction in the event '"
1 it being pulled for a fire in the Cap OF
toll. al
Chemical Engines Needed. >,
-Four twenty FIVE gallon hand chem lu
cal engines should be conveniently To- BIZ
ated. and a three gallon chemical fire 10
placed in each of the com =,
littec rooms, with about eight hand et
jumps with twenty feet of hose at hi
ached to each, and eight fivc-g te
Advanced iron water buckets. There Tn
hould also be distributed throughout &c
he building twelve fire depa rtment IT
ickaIes, six pounds to the AK. and
seive ceiling hooks of and foot
myths. These appliances would be
mplc in the event OF small fire, and