Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-16
SAYS MORROW ERRED
PUBLIC SCHOOL OFFICIAL COR
RECTs COMMISSIONER.

r.
Oyster. president OF the board of educa-
ton. which has been made public by
him. Percy M. Hughes assistant super
fntendent of schools. calls attention to
testimony given before the House commit
tee on appropriations by Maj. ]. ]. Nor
row. Engineer Commissioner. and de-
clares that official made many erroneous
statements The board OF education has
asked for appropriations for certain re-
pairs and the testimony Of Engineer Com
missioner Morrow indicated that the
money was not needed. To justify its
position in asking for the money. the
board has forwarded the letter of Assist
ant Superintendent Hughes to the SEN
ate and House committees on appropria-
tions.
The letter states. In part:
Il find several errors in the statements
made by Maj. ]. ]. Morrow. Enginee-
bia. the most serious of which are the
statement at the bottom of page five. in
reference to the fireproof condition Of
boiler and engine rooms. and the state
ment at the close of the hearing. on page
eight. In reference to the Central High
School.
ION page five Maj. Morrow states:
The boiler and the furnace. and the
little gasoline engine which runs the ven
tilating apparatus. and everything that
is connected with that installation. Is
Enclosed in what may be called a fireproof
box. The walls around them are thick
masonry walls. and the roof over them.
which is the main floor of the building Is
flreproof floor. concrete floor
Gasoline Not Used.
Gasoline is not used In any of our
schools. All engines used for ventilating
are run by gas, steam or electricity. The
engines in the following school buildings
are not in fireproof rooms. as stated by
Maj. Morrow. Some Of these are upon
wooden floors, and are adjacent to wooden
partitions:
Morse school. Banneker school. Brent
school. Wormley school. Cook school.
Twining school. Maury school. Amidon
school. Blair school.
I'm reference to Maj. Morrow's state
ment concerning the Central High School.
permit me to call attention to the follow
ing errors
"The entire first floor Of the building is
not fireproof. as stated. The only Sec
tons which are fireproof are the corridors
and the ceilings over the two main boilers.
The third. that is. the central boiler. Is
under a wooden floor. which, however. of
recent years has been protected by a
metal covering. The ceilings of the play
rooms, toilet rooms. cloakroomS and
storerooms In the basement are not fire.
proof
Central" Not Remodeled.
II particularly desire to call your atten-
ton to Maj. Morrow's error In the state
ment that the Central High School has
been entirely gone over and remodelled
inside This is not the case. The build
ing has been tinkered at In the way OF re-
pairs for the last twenty years. 1t IL In
very bad condition. and will require con-
siderable money to put 1t in a proper
state. 1t was on this ground that the
board of education asked for $4,000 for
it's repair This building houses 1000 high
school pupils. There is no building in the
city worth repairing which Is more in need
of repairs than the Central High School
MAI. Morrows remarks seem to have
applied generally to the new buildings
now under construction. He did not dis
cuss with the committee the numerous
buildings with wooden stairways and UNI
protected basement ceilings. besides other
dangerous features. all of which have been
complained about by the chief Of the fire
department.