The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-03-27
School Pupils Make Very Quick
Exit Sound of Gong.
RESULT OF THE FIRE DRILL
inspectors Examine the West Manka-
to and Pleasant Grove Buildings;
Recommend Changes.
From Fridays Daily.

!! From Fridays Daily.
Chief Kleinschmidt, Captain Funk,
Second Assistant Chief NJ. Hanna of
the fire department and Chief of Po-
| lice Osten yesterday afternoon con-
tinued their tour of inspection of
| the public school buildings of the city.
| They visited the West Mankato and
Pleasant Grove buildings, and were
kindly transported by W. j. Jewett
| in his automobile.
Basement in Bad Condition.
The party found the basement Of
the West Mankato building in very
| bad condition. frame coal bin full
| of coal comes close up to the furnace,
and there was a great deal of rub
bish throughout. The construction of
cement floors to replace the present
wooden floors will be recommended;
also the removal of the wooden cover
| ing over the cistern, and the placing
| of an iron or cement one i'll its place.
| A brick coal bin will also be recon-
mended, and the replacing OF the
wooden posts on top of the boiler
with new brick piers. 1t will be
recommended that the wooden stair
| way be replaced by an iron stairway,
and that all inhammable rubbish be
removed from the basement. 1t was
found that there is wooden storm
house at the main entrance with a
! narrow doorway. The exit to this is
through double doors. 1t will be rec
commended that this be replaced with
| a brick one with double doors.
Hurried Out of Building
The ianitor pulled the fire gong,
and the teachers and 100 children
came rushing out, only one minute
and thirty-fve seconds being consumed
in emptying the building. which was
considered very good. The teachers
are deserving of great deal of credit
for the way they handled their pu-
Ipils.
Next. the Pleasant Grove building
was visited, and the inspectors We're
shown through the building by the
iverv pleasant and accommodating jan
iitor, L. A. Radcliffe. They first visited
the basement, which they found in
very bad condition, with even more
rubbish than in the West Mankato
building. wooden floors and old boards
laid around for floor. Cement floors
will be recommended throughout, the
| removal of wooden partitions and
brick erected in their stead All
cold air ducts are now made of wood,
and should be replaced with galvanized
iron ones 1t will also be recommend
ed that the old stairway be closed
ND. and that, all rubbish be removed
| from the basement, as there is a
GREAT deal of it which is infammable.
Out in Less Than Two Minutes
The inspectors went upstairs and
pulled the gong and the more than
400 children and teachers made their
| exit in one minute and fifteen seconds.
| The three exits were used, one IN
| front and one on each side, which was
| considered a very good plan. 1he
partitions in the main building are
studded, lathed and plastered while
in the annex the partitions are con
structed of solid brick, which makes
that part of the building in very
good shape. The inspectors feel that
too much credit cannot be given the
| teachers for the efficient work that
| thew have been doing.
The inspectors will recommend that
al inside stairways be of iron and
no fire escapes OH the outside on two
story buildings. They feel that no
school building should be over two
stories high