Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-03-18
PUBLIC BUILDINGS CONDEMNED

Tbs grand Jury OF the Corporation
Court which has been investigating the
conditions Of school buildings and other
places where public gatherings are held
10 this city, submitted The following re-
port this morning through their FORE
mao, Mr.. Henry Strauss. Copies OF
the report were ordered to be sent to the
City Council, School Board, and officials
and teachers Of public schools:
Hon. LOUIS O. BARLEY, Judge Corpo.
ration Court, Alexandra, Va.
Alexsndris, w., March Is, 1908.
9ir:-Iu compliance with your In
stFucuons calling our attention to the
necessity of immediate inspection of all
buildings in this city used for public
gatherings, which included public halls,
buildings in which moving picture
shows are conducted, hotels, and public
school buildings, sud to ascertain
whether proper precaution had been
taken TO Insure safety 10 case of fire,
and also as to The sanitary conditions,
we. the grand jury, beg to submit the
following, a report of our Investigation;
Washington Strest boys school
Ia good condition, all doors opened out
ward, broad halls, no danger to children
from fre or panic.
Howell Building for snail boys We
6nd Ine Sslls badly cracked, stairway To-
sdeo tate lar 40 emergency. Cellar fnll OF
trssl, sell,ug very low, ventilation only
through opsu windows.
There are I60 lttle boys from to 10
wears of age boused in This building;
should The bulldog catch he but few
on the second and none on the third
door could escape.
Tas building is unsafe in every re-
spees An outside iron stairway from the
snird floor, while it would improve con-
ditious. il is the opinion OF this jury that
the building should be condemned en-
lirely. The Superintendent OF public
schools and all teachers who use this
building or have been in 1t, concur with
as in condemning same.
We recommend that this building be
closed Immediately, especially 80 far as
the use of the 3rd floor is concerned.
Peabody Building-This building we
consider unsafe, and we recommend that
oar honor condemn the entire building
for school purposes.
O.ItSinly we would be derelict in our
duty + \ this court and false to our osths
q. iuryn ven if we did not recommend the
instant c,'osiug of the third floor. On
this Aoor $50 little tots from to 10
yeurs of age Ire housed. We do not be
iieye this built ling can be made safe tor
thsse little ones. Ia one room we found
that thew could no tresch the fire escape
The window sill b. ing above or on line
with their heads. The building Is heated
by stoves in each room with 3 owe pipes
running through plss.er and lsth parti,
tlons. Some doors open inward ana
others outward, but TO keep those little
children On the third floor, fC>T single
day, is q responsibility which t0lS jury
would refuse to assume.
Tbs gr0uod floor contains two rHoms
opening on King street which has Only
light aud ventilation from transomS; no
windows.
Transoms and doors cannot be lett
open even on warm days on account OF
dust and dirt stirred up by passing cleo
tic cars end vehicles. To sum the mat
ter w, King street is no. the proper
street, for public school building.
The sanitary arrangement of Peabody
building is simply q disgrace. There
he!ug no sewer connection, the odor
from the open well, situated immediate
IL under the windows, separated from
the building proper by but few feet,
even on a cold day like Wednesday,
was something fearful. What 1t must be IN
warm weather can hardly be imagined.
These closets are constantly discharglng
their odor from two small wooden
chimneys right in the fsces Of the chill
drsn on bath the second aud third floors.
Msuy improvements could be suggested
which would make this building little
safer, but nothing can be done, IN the
opinion of this jury, that can make said
building suitable for school.
We therefore recommend that this
building for school purposes be con-
demned and new school building for
the girls be built, aud that said build
ing be not over two (2) stories high.
Oolored School Buildings-Both the
colored school buildings we found to
be in satisfactory condition, except we
would recommend that all doors be
changed to open outward. Sanitary con-
ditions could be much improved.
We recommend that sll school build
iugs be connected with sewers.
Braddock House-We recommend that
a fire escape be placed on east side, also
that the stairway leading TO Fairfax street
now closed be opened.
Belle Haven Amusement Company
Doors opened inward, but have been
changed since our inspection. Floor OF
operating box should be lined with tin.
Risheill aud Curlin's moving picture
show-Egerythiog satisfactory.
Sarepts Hall-We recommend that
fire escape be placed on front OF this
building.
Opera House. - Stove pipe which runs
through gallery should be changed; front
stairway should be widened and obstruc-
lions at top cut awsy; hose on stage not
long enough; door should be cut in psrti-
tiou at southwest corner of gallery, max
Jog an entrance to stairway leading to
stage, giving people in west side Of gallery
exit by way of The stage fire escape on
Pitt street; place needs general clean
ing.
McBurbev'' Hall-Stove propped up
by bricke. ilsnle to fall at any time. FIRE