Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-27
Commission Continues to Ex.
anime School Buildings.
VISITS FOUR STRUCTURES
Members Note Condition Of the Fire
Escapes.
THE EASEMENTS
INSPECT :
Paw Attention to Wooden Partitions
and Stairways-Cau to See
Supt. Stuart.

Making examination to determine the
condition of public school buildings, the
commission spent three hours this morn
ing inspecting the Franklin. Sumner, Ma
gruder and Force structures In the north
west section of the city. Three are larger
than any visited before, and are equipped
with fire escapes. The efficiency of this
equipment was given special attention.
The commission. however, did not make
public their observations.
In addition to examining the fire es-
capes the commission spent considerable
time in the easements of all the schools.
looking into ash bins, coal vaults and oil
storage closets. Senographer Fuller. who
Is acting as secretary of the commission,
was kept busy making notes.
After a short conference at the District
building the commission entered carriages
and drove quickly to the Franklin build
ing. 18th and X streets. The stay there
was for more than an hour. A. T. Stuart,
superintendent of schools, was visited.
Storage Of Supplies.
The basement of the Franklin building
is used for the storage of supplies. which
are kept in large quantities to be sent to
the several schools as needed. The men,
bers of the commission carefully inspected
the large quantity of paper books. wood
en- boxes and other inf1ammable material
in the basement of the building. In one
corner of one of the storage rooms are
two bins, one containing ashes. the other
waste paper. In several of the storage
rooms the wooden beams are exposed
and the floors are of wood. Adjoining one
OF the storage rooms large quantity of
wood and other material was piled high
In the supply rooms the shelves are of
wood, and paper boxes and books were
found piled close up to steam pipes.
In the furnace room it was noticed that
a wooden partition was built near the
furnace. and group of steam pipes en-
cased in a wooden box.
The members of the commission examin-
ed the hre escapes carefully, going up
and down them and looking at the win
dows leading therefrom. There are three
fire escapes on the building, one on the
north end running perpendicular, one on
the west front like a ladder with slight
slope. and third on the south end with
narrow treads and very steep. Those on
the north and west sides are over area
ways. The fire escape on the south end
was built the past summer. The commits
sion members NOTED a radiator in front
of a window which leads to the fire
escape.
At the exit doors of several of the class
rooms. it was noticed. were wooden
closets in which are kept paper and SIM
liar supplies.
Sumner and Magruder Schools.
From the Franklin building the MEM
bers of the commission drove to 18th and
NJ streets. where are located the Sumner
and Magruder schools for colored. chill
dren. The Sumner school Is three-story
brick structure with two fire escapes. On
the west side is a perpendicular ladder
with iron landings opposite each floor.
That on the east side Of the building Is
steep iron stairway, with. narrow
treads.
The stairs are Of stone, but there is
high wooden wainscoting on each side
And the stairways are inclosed in brick
walls, which. 1t was stated. would act as
a chimney for smoke should a fire occur
in the basement.
In an exit passageway to 18th street
a large square piano was found.
In the Magruder building 1t was noted
that there are wooden stairways from the
second to the first floor. The landings
are wooden. 1t was found that in put
ting a new flight of iron steps from the
basement and from the first floor to the
exit a wall was built, narrowing the exit
from the basement to about three and
one-half feet.
At the Force building there is only one
exit from the building and
that at the front In the rear Is a wind
ing exit through a narrow door to the
Although the stairways are
iron and wide 1t was noticed that there
is high wooden wainscotng. The build
ing is three stories high, but has only one
fire escape, which was put up during last
summer. A radiator Is inside at one of
the windows leading to this f1re-escape.