Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-17
Asserts That Published Story Is q
Gross Exaggeration.
SAFETY AT GAGE SCHOOL EXITS
ENGINEER Commissioner Proposes
General Inspection by Volunteer
Committee Of Experts.

Wnlcn the IIa8e ana MOL ScIlooi UuiiuihSS
are depicted as fire traps" and a menace
to children attending them.
Mai Morrow expressed his great regret
that the public mind should be infiamed
by such scare headlines as appeared in
connection with the story in question
without an effort to ascertain all the
facts However. in order to assure the
public that there is no cause for alarm
and that the conditions have been mis-
represented. Maj Morrow recommends
that a volunteer committee composed Of
architects and builders of known stand
ings be appointed to examine all the local
schools and report to the Commission
ers. Men will be selected to serve on
this committee he said who cannot in
any way be regarded as tainted with
malice nor tinged with favoritism.
Maj. Morrow's Reply.
In his statement Maj. Morrow said:
'In the first place. 1t should be stated
that the Commissioners have felt the need
Of an architect to supervise the prepara-
ton Of plans and specifications and the
making Of repairs for school buildings
and for all other municipal buildings.
and have so recommended to Congress.
but without avail. They have also rec
commended increased appropriations for
making the buildings freproof, and these
have not been granted by the appropriate
ing body.
"They also recommended last year the
appropriation of a considerable sum for
going over and overhauIing the old school
buildings in the District In order to make
them safer. The appropriation for this
purpose was about one-fourth of the sum
impossible to do all the necessary work
with this amount, although much has
been done
"A great many buildings have been
f1reproofed around the heating apparatus.
and in number Of buildings fireproof
stairs and windows have been built and
In others fire escapes erected. All this
to the extent of the $4,000 fund.
ITO take up the Gage School: 1t should
first be stated that practically all the
exits criticised by the article are base
ment exits-exits which are Of use prin-
cipally at recess time. but which would
certainly never be used by the children in
case Of a hurried exit in the event of a
fire.
There are in this school from the
main floor three main exits. one at the
end of the long central corridor Of total
width of feet 9A inches, and two others
at the sides. one on each side where the
stairs appear, each of which is of the
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 feet inches wide. The
total width of exits from the main floor
is q feet 1O1a inches, which is above all
requirements as to exit width for a
tvelve-room building. as laid down by
any authority on school building con-
struction.
These exits are the ones which in all
school constructions are regarded as fire
exits. They are the ones where attention
Is devoted to providing for free passage
Of the children.
"They are the ones that are, or will be.
used in all fire drills. and when completed.
as will be the case in a few days, will
be sufficient to empty the school of chill
dren. II the school is filled to its utmost
capacity Of fifty children per room, in
some such time as fifty seconds The
children could not be gotten out of the
school In less time II there were five
times as many doors.
Five Exits In Basement.
I'm addition to these exits. however.
this school is provided with five exits
from the basement. as follows: One lead
ing directly outward at level at
the fourth main exit deserted. two
the back end of the building, and two
each Of the two side exits. These exits
have a total width Of seventeen feet nine
inches. leading out from 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. be-
cause. in order to reach any OF these
exits from the main floor Of the building,
the class would have to march directly
past door opening right out into the
open air.
1T is believed that this basement is more
than amply supplied with sufficient exits
to get such children out Of the basement
as might be in 1t il a fire alarm were
sprung. even were it possible to get every
child in attendance at the school in the
basement at one time.
Reference Is made to the stair plat
forms being too small. This is emphati-
these landing platforms In the middle Of
the flight Is more than the width OF the
steps. which is certainly all that is neces-
sary.
passing down the stairs could get around
the turn and down the next flight without
any possibility of congestion upon the
platform. The platform would not in
crease the safety Of the children a par
ticle with any increased width.
And it should here properly be stated
that all of the stairs In this building are
of fireproof construction.
Reference is made to confusing cor
ridors. 1t should be clearly stated that
corridors referred to are in the base
ment and can hardly be called Confusing
in case danger should arise. as there is
hardly a place in the basement from
which an exit door cannot be seen.
Janitors Another Concern.
1.-THE Commissioners have nothing to do
with the janitor service. The janitors are
under the control Of the board Of educa-
ton, over which board the Commissioners
have no control.
II do not believe the conditions are as
bad as the article is attempting to make
out in regard to litter and fire danger
therefrom II SO. 1t is up to the board Of
education to correct 1t.
LAS to the keeping of the doors locked
or blockaded by cordwood. these are also
conditions for which the board of educa-
ton. through it's janitors, is responsible.
The criticism by Mr.. Parsons Of the
of two of the basement ex-
it's 1t is believed. will be acknowledged
by him to have been made without con-
sideration of the limitations of the site
at this school To have carried these two
exits straight out would have entirely
cut Off proper communication between
the front and the rear part of the school
lot.
1.-THE exit, If constructed as recommend
ed by him. would have given far more
dangerous condition than now exists
Had the lot been fifteen or twenty feet
wider on each side the exit would have
been built exactly as he suggests.