The Washington times., 1908-10-17
War Over Schools at a Climax;
MonoB Gives out Hot Reply

Continued from First Page)
cess time, but which would certainly
never be used by the children in case Of
hurried exit IN the event Of fire
Three Main Exits.
There are in this school from the
main floor three main exits In add
ton 10 this there Is one exit, intended
to accommodate the two rooms recently
added on this floor, from the south side
Of the short corridor, connecting the
annex Of the building with the old
building This exit is four feet six
inches wide. The total width OF exits
from the main floor is twenty-One feet
ten and a half inches, which is above
all requirements as 70 exit width for a
twelYe-rOOm building. as laid down by
any authority on school building con
struCtlOn.
These exits are the ones which in
all school constructions are regarded as
FIRE exits They are the ones where at
tentiOn IS devoted TO providing for free
passage Of the children. They are the
ones that are, or Will be, used in all the
hre drills, and, when completed, as VIII
be the case in very few days, viii be
sufficient TO empty the school OF children
If the school is filled TO its utmost ca
pacity OF fifty children per room. in
some such time as fifty seconds. The
children could not be gotten out Of the
times as many doors
Five Basement Exits.
In addition to these exits, however,
this school is provided with five exits
from the basement, as follows: One
leading directly outward at a level at
the fourth main exit described. two
leading outward and at a level from the
back end Of the building. and two lead
ing upward and outward, one under
each Of the two side exits. Those exits
have a total width Of seventeen feet
two inches leading out from the biuid-
ing at the basement. None Of these
exits would be used in case OF fire by
any children except those in the play
rooms in the basement, because, in or
der to reach any Of these exits from
the main floor Of the building, the class
would have 70 march directly past a
door opening right out int the pen air.
II is believed that this basement IS
more than amply supplied with suf-
hcient exits 10 get such children out OF
the basement as might be IN II II a fire
alarm were sprung, even were IL pos
sible TO get every child in attendance
at the school in the basement at one
time.
Stair Platforms Good.
Reference is made to the stair plat
forms being too small This is en-
phatically denied. The width OF these
landing platforms IN the middle Of the
flight is more than the width OF the
steps. which is certainly all that Is nee
essary. In other words, any column OF
children passing down the stairs could
get around the turn and down the next
flight without any possibility OF con-
gestiOn upon the platform The plat
form would not increase the safety or
the children a particle with any in
creased width. And II should here
properly be stated that all OF the stairs
in this building are Of freproOf con
structiOn.
Reference is made to confusing cor
ridOrs. II should be clearly stated that
the corridors referred to are in the
basement and can hardly be called
confusing IN case danger should arise, ,
as there Is hardly a place IN the base /
ment from which an exit door cannot |
be seen.
The Commissioners have nothing 10 |
do with the janitor service The jani- |
tors are under the control OF the Board |
Of Education over which board the |
Commissioners have no control I do |
not believe the conditions are as bad I
as certain persons are attempting to |