Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-01-15
The Market.
Georgetown, Jan. 15.-Wheat 80asS.
OFFICIAL.

At a regular meeting of the City Council
held January IL, 1904, the following was re-
ceived
The Honorable City Council, Alexandria,
Virginia.
Gentlemen: Some years ago in compliance
with a requirement in the building law (sect.
XI, clause 12) l made a report to your honor
able body calling attention to the main fea.
lures wherein Lannon's Opera House, Me.
Burney's Hall and Sarepta Hall did not COM
ply with said laws.
As little attention was in some instances
paid by the owners towards correcting the de-
fects, | again call attention to the matter and
report.
LANNON'S OPERA HOUSE.
The main entrance door is only about a
wide, the door to Pitt street entrance is 8 liz"
wide and doors to gallery stairway are only
q s" wide while all are much narrower than
required by the building laws.
The stairway has no hand rail on the Pitt
street entrance. The gallery stairs have no
hand rail and turn with winders, both con-
trary to the building laws.
There are no exit signs as required. The
overheads beneath the stairway and corridors
are not plastered or protected by incombusti-
BILE material. The corridor partitions and the
stairway partition to the galleries are built Of
combustible sheathing and are in no way pro-
tected as required by the law.
The building is not supplied with stand
pipe, water plug, or hose as required by the
law.
While not specified in the building law.
there is no exit from the stage except through
the auditorium. In fact, structurally, except
in having two exits, this building has features
in violation of nearly every clause Of section
XI Of the building law.
The matter of fire escapes, as called for by
the law, Section Y, is now being considered
by the owners.
However, an entire rearrangement Of the
exits, aisles, gallery stairs, partitions, ETC.,
are necessary, with the erection Of proper fire
escapes or outside incombustible stairways
with other means of exit from the stage are
necessary before it can be made a reasonably
safe building, in the sense Of being quickly
emptied in case of emergency. No alteration
save entire reconstruction will make it a safe
building from fire.
| recommend that such action be taken that
will at least make this building comply with
the requirements of the present building Laws.
McBURNEY's HALL.
The main door is only g 10" wide and the
stairway has only one hand rail. | recon-
mend that these defects be corrected If the
construction of the building will allow the
widening of the doors.
L HALL
The are no hand rails to main stairway as
required by law, and the entrance door at
head of stairway opens inward, which is not
allowed by section XI. There are no exit
signs as required by law. | recommend that
the requirement be complied with.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
The Washington School complies with the
law.
Peabody School complies with the law ex-
cept some of the doors open inward, and there
are no FIRE escapes to such rooms on the third
floor as are occupied by more than % pupils
Hallowell and Snowden Schools comply with
the law except the doors open inward.
/ recommend that the defects mentioned be
corrected.
Very respectfully.