Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-16
FIRE ESCEHE CHOSEN
APPARATUS FoR Use IN PUBLIC
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
Commissioner Mcfarland Approves
Spiral Slide I1rlosed in Boiler
Plate EyHnder.

In the current District appropriate ton bill
Congress gave the Commissioners $500 on
their recommendation that better provision
should be made for fire escapes and fire ex-
tinguishers for school buildings Commits
sioner mcfarland, who has supervision of
both the fire department and the schools,
has been endeavoring to secure the best
type of fire escape, and to get as much for
the money as possible After investigation
of all the available fire escapes, he has,
| upon the recommendation of the inspector
OF buildings and the chief engineer of the
fire department, selected one which has
been used with success elsewhere, on school
buildings and others where large numbers
or children are housed. 1t is entirely new
IN washington, although many Washing
tonlans have seen it in operation at Allan
tic City, where it is used for amusement
and people pay to use it.
1t is an arrangement for sliding. instead
of walking, down a spiral steel slide, in
I.closed IN boiler plate cylinder. The pitch
or the slide secures quick operation without
permitting interference by one person with
another. AT a school in Louisville, Ky,
equipped with this fire escape, the children
are allowed to slide down a reward of
punctuality, and there, as elsewhere, en-
joy the motion.
1t is proposed to put the first of these fire
escapes on the Jefferson School building,
where two will be required. 1t is not
deemed necessary. either by Commissioner
Mcfarland or the board of education, to
put fire escapes upon the two-story school
buildings, which are quickly and easily
emptied. The fire drills, which are kept
up constantly, in good weather. famiiarize
the teachers and children with the means
and method of exit. Fire eXtinguishers to
the number permitted by the amount of
money remaining after the two fire escapes
are provided will be furnished to other
buildings. 1t will be of the type used in the
fire department.
Inspector Lawson's Report.
Before finally deciding upon the new type
of fire escape Commissioner Macfarland
asked for a report by Mr.. A. NJ. Lawson,
inspector of elevators and fire escapes upon
one of this kind attached to the General
German Orphan Asylum in Baltimore, the
nearest In use to Washington. In his re-
port Mr. Lawson describes what he saw
This escape is made of boiler plate and
is cylindrical in FORM about four feet in
diameter, running from the ground to the
roof. having approaches of iron platforms
guarded with wire-meshed guard rail at
each floor, fitted with automatic doors,
opening to the inner side of the escape.
These doors are kept closed by a spring of
very Slight tension. so that they may be
opened by very small child
Inc interior of the escape is a steel
plate side, spirally in form and slightly
colcaFeu SO as 'tC keep q person to the
center of the slide. and is strongly riveted
to the outer she'll or cylinder and SUD-
ported by stand pipe at the center,
around which it winds to a point about
twenty inches from the ground. where a
door is fitted in such manner that it cannot
be easily opened from the outside, but has
a plate on the inside against which the
feet of the person sliding down comes in
contact, thus operating spring bolt, which
allows the doors to open automatically.
Witnessed ankExhibition.
BY the courtesy Of Mr.. Carl Schmidt the
superintendent of the institution, 1 was af-
forded the pleasure of witnessing an ex-
h,bitfon of the use of the escape by a
large crowd of the small children, who
seemed very much pleased at having an
opportunity to slide down the same, which
they did one after another in very rapid
succession, in such manner that: OBJ was
greatly amazed at the large number pass
Ing out of the escape at the exit in so
short a time-one and a half minutes
without a hitch of any kind, and with that
expression of glee on their countenances
that betokens only great pleasure in a
child. In fact, the sensation was so ap-
parent to me that l, too, participated, and
found 1t most pleasant one, and also that
1t was practically impossible for an acct
dent to happen to any person, large or
small, while using this escape.
Il was informed by Mr.. Schmidt that
this type of escape is in use at the factory
of Gail, AK Company, tobacconists and at
Bayview Asylum for the Insane. l did
not visit either of these places because of
lack of time, and because of the great
success of the exhibition at the German
Orphan Asylum"