The Washington times., 1908-09-05
GEORGETOWN.
SCHOOL FIRE-ESCAPE
MAY NOT Be SAFE
Ladder on Curtis Building
Said to Be Weakly
Constructed.

A new hre-escape has just been com
pleted on the Curtis School building.
II is on the east side. and runs 20 the
level of the third floor. From this level
10 the roof a distance of thirty-hve
or forty feet "a single iron ladder runs
up. This IS said 20 be for the use of the
hfemen So they may reach the roof
quickly ia case of fire.
no man as yet has climbed 10 the
roof on this ladder The man who
erected II used boatswain's chair lie
is said To. have made the remark that
be had been IN the steeplejack business:
that he had climbed to the tops Of the
highest masts. but he would not climb
on that ladder to the roof of the build
ing.
This ladder is fastened 20 the cornice
and again to the roof by what are
known as three-inch Iagscrews. With
any KIND OF pressure. Il would not be
dlliicuit 90 pull them from their fasten-
ings' lcosening the whole ladder
Ihe bottom of the ladder rests on the
ground When the Janitor is away. the
children of the neighborhood have a
me time climbing up the steps, The
urst hlBat, leading from the ground TO
the landing. on the first floor Of the
building, IS most used. The weakness
OF the construction is shown by the fact
that the children have pulled out the
guard rails on one side of this first
flight The guard rails were not even
screwed i'm or boIted Instead. the ends
were stuck in the empty socket, the
sockets not being threaded. There are
the same kind of connections on other
paris OF the fre-escape.
More than this The iron rods which
form the base OF the first floor platform
OF the nre-esCape, seem 10 be weak for
at the base OF the ladder leading TO the
seeonc iar1Ing. the rods are twisted and
bent Gus of shape.
Those who lave watched the construc-
ton regard Tie hre-escape as an safe and
dangerous
Police officer J. r. Norris. Of the
mounted squad, attached to the Seventh
preciLet. while performing duty along
NJ street yesterday, received z. bo1 fan
Dy being thrown from his horse. His
left leg was severely injured. temper
ariiy incapacitatiug him from duty
No. 8 engine company responded to a
local alarm yesterday turned in at box
ID ard y FOrty-trst street, owned by
Major Irving. and occupied by Jane
Riley and Charles Parker The fire YVES
caused by defective hue. Only a small
damage resulted.
At its regular meeting last night. at
it's wigwam, corner of Wisconsin ave
nue. and n street. Logan Tribe, No. g.
Improved Order of Red Men, transact
ed much important business. Two new
members, Lawrence Carr and Peter T..
Davis, were Initiated. Resolutions of
coincidence were adopted in memory of
the late Brother Robert s. Scott
After the routine business a motion
was presented and passed TO apprO-
pirate 500 Tor John Early and his fam
lily. which Is in response TO The Times
appeal to the people OF Washington. TO
contribute toward the leper's relief.
This win be the first contribution thus
far donated TO the fund by secret So
Ciety.
Many visitors were present. Among
them We're members belonging TO Tribes
so. 5 and IL. There were visitors from
Fh0ebus, Va, and Brooklyn, y. \.
Mrs Florence Fischer and two daugh-
teTs Misses Carrie and Ethel Fischer.
returned home from Atlantic City and
Philadelphia. where they visited friends
and relatives for a fortnight.