The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-03-12
FIRE DEPARTMENT
INSPECTS SCHOOLS

At the request of several members
Of the school board and others inter.
estsd, W. II. Sheets, chief, and Arthur
Clarke. assistant chief of the fire de-
partment, accompanied by A. s.
Blowers and Chas. N. Clarke, visited
he several sbcool buildings in the
city Tuesday evening and on the
whole we're very we'll pleased with the
arrangement of the exits and the ia .
oilities for emptying the buildings
promptly; and they were particularly
pleased with the fife DR. lis, which
were called by Prof. Grouse without
any OF the teachers or scholars being
aware of what was coming.
At the high school building when
the gong was rung by Prof. Grouse 1t
seemed that instantly, and could not
have been more than five or six sec
onds, until Bert Jayne, the drummer
Of the school, was out OF his room,
down the stairs and had started the
long roll In double quick time, and
Immediately the scholars commenced
filing out OF the rooms, and without
any excitement or confusion passed
out onto the school grounds, and in
less than 80 seconds from the sound of
the gong the building was entirely
emptied of its 800 scholars. Then at
the signal given by the teachers they
returned to their respective rooms
again and resumed their studies.
The committee then went up to the
Hill school and after inspecting that
building thoroughly the fire drill was
called there and while there was a
slight delay !n getting the driu start
ed the youngsters more than made up
for the delay after they we're start ed
and that, too, without any confusion,
and the building was emptied In 70
seconds from the tap of the bell and
in 40 seconds from the time the march
This building has only
about one halt as many scholars as
the high school, but they are all
young children.
The committee then came down
town and inspected the State street
school, which is not at all dangerous,
as the rooms there are all on the
ground floor and windows open both
on the north and south sides, and
their opinion Ia that In the Hood
River schools It would be almost i'm
possible for fire to gain sufficient
as to endanRer the lives of
the teachers and scholars before being
Uncovered. However, they have sub
mitted a few recommendations to the
school board, which, should they te
adopted, would minimize the danger
still more. These recommendation
are as follows:
That the high school building DO
equipped with four three gallon fire
extinguisheIs of some standard make.
That the furnace be overhauled aud
the heating capacity inci eased, as 1t
Ia difficult to keep the rooms at any.
way near a proper temperature In vety
cold weather, even by over taxing the
furnace.
-Four swinging fire escapes, consist.
Ing OF regular steps leading down
from platform placed at the win
dows where the present ladders are
affixed; these steps to be hung on
weights so they oaa be raised or low
cred as the occasion may demand !;
also that the windows opening onto
the platform be always unlocked
For the Hill school, One ten inch
tire gong with rope from up stairs
hall extending down through the low
er hall to the basement
Two standard Ere extinguishers, OF
three gallon capacity. A swinging
door at the head of both stairs lead
ing into the basement from the hall ;
and also that the windows opening
out from the first landing OF the
stairs leading to the second floor be
always kept unfastened.
At the State street or primary school
that the door now in the southwest
corner Of the wood shed be changed
to the northwest corner, thus making
two exits from the shed.
The committee would also like to
add a few words of oommendation tor
The teachers of the different rooms
on the excellent manner In which the
ire drills were carried out.
Signed VIM. Sheets, Chic
Artbur Clarke Asst Chief