Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-10

UMNN \ n winter InAI is nhttlui II - Nuo
tAk storm door proposition. Archi-
ko9ENo! tects say that storm doors were
G12SS invented after profanity had been
pretty well perfected but It is reasonable
to suppose the man who put the first cuss
word on the market had a bunch that IL
would be mighty appropriate when the
world got around to storm doors. Nobody
ever went through a storm door without
feeling he had been insulted.
Some of these arrangements are built 30
that a man going out often gets an OPP
portunity to vent his spleen on a man conn
ing in. by smashing the door savagely in
the face. forehead and frame Of his brother
The absence OF a glass in the door greatly
promotes this manner of getting even with
the general conditions. In Omaha one Of
the most finished examples Of the species
may be found at the city hall. Here every
autumn after the Ak-Sar-Ben parades they
box In the entrance arch with a black
wood and glass wall. Two small doors
admit persons. Usually one is kept nailed
down. leaving the other in operation. This
solitary door opens outward upon a flight
OF stone steps and II a person be dextrous
he can throw the man trying to get in
down those steps No one has been able to
ind anything beautiful or esthetic about
the arrangement. but It is alleged to keep
a certain amount Of cold air out Of the
city hall corridors. incidentally the storm
door entrance is about half way down the
entire flight of steps. The idea of putting
It on a level with the all the year round
entrance apparently never came to any
one.
But It is not worth while to damn the city
administration for the state of affairs at
the city hall. other local illustrations may
be found without much trouble, that are
equally satisfactory. Architects have been
stewing and fretting about the problem
for ever 30 long. They have succeeded in
making some Improvement, but they admit
that perfection is yet long ways off.
Hardly anyone needs to be told that the
function of a storm door is to keep the
cold air out. At the same time it might
be supposed that fair percentage of OPP
portunity be allowed the people to get in.
But that is not the case at all. People
run second in this staggering perplexity
to builders and designers. In many Omaha
once and store buildings It requires almost
as much exertion to force open the storm
door barbados as to shovel a ton OF coal.
Sometimes there are as many as three
heavy doors to pull open before one gets
safely inside.
Incidentally, there has been legislation
on the subject The laws say that the
QOOTS Oh the D1dln 6Nltb small SWING out.
This is with the idea of permitting rapid
egress in case OF fire. But there the leg
islature stopped 1t didn't go into the
bowels of the matter and protect the rights
OF the people as Il should. 1t left alto
gether too much option with the landlord
Hence one may stand outside OF a bis
Office building and keep himself warm as
best he can until whole elevator-fuu OF
passengers has been discarded through the
narrow openings. Then he may go in II
he has strength remaining to drag oper
the massive creations OF metal, wood and
glass. or his arms contain not too man,
bundles.
Another Storm door idea is that pertain
ing to the automatic check. This is
pneumatic device that has three opject
in view. First, to force the door TO ate
II has been thrown open; second to checI
the progress OF the door just before
touches the jam so that no fingers ma,
be nipped In the closing; third, to max
Il harder for the public to pull the door
open. for the power necessary to close tn
door is generated by the person who open
the door, and in that act. In some case
the pneumatic business is replaced b
springs, but II is the same old weary bunc
game on the public--it winds UP the spriner
No mention has yet been made of the n
ratus that strikes terror to the heart o
FIRST trial, but grows pleasant as pre-
ncieney and familiarity increase. whe
the revolving storm door was invented an
placed on the market about ten years as
II was hailed with whoops OF Joy. Ever
body thought the old problem had bee
solved at last Here was an arrangemel
that absolutely prevented cold air fro
getting into the building. That point
still admitted. Secondly. it would respor
to the public to a slight pressure-hard
more than a forward stride. ana the san
modus operandi was good going
or coming out The turnstile with par
tlons reaching TO the top was confined
round or octagonal box. rubber stri
making It practically air tight So a
tractlve did the whole thing appear tn
the sole manufacturers asked as much
500 or $500 per door. The east made
jump at Il even with these prices LAT
the charges have sagged and now run fro
500 TO 500.
But the public was doomed to a part
disappointment. II was found very speed
that dogs, small boys and ruralists had
be educated 70 use the revolving doc
Frequently a female Fube got tangled
In the whirligg and her skirts were to-
her hat smashed and her bundles crush
and puiverized- Every once In a while
dos got caught on the edge OF a d
peller and sliced neatly In two SIN
urchins had a habit OF leaving their r
and hands strewn about where they /
no business TO be and getting bruised 3
pinched. In course OF time It was
termined that where large and |
sophisticated tranlc was prevalent
tendants were needful TO direct the ope
lions OF the revolving doors They ,
still in great favor In hotels and many oil
places