The Washington herald., 1908-03-19
SOFALEXANDRiA
Jury Condemns Buildings as
Unfit for Schools.
FIRE AND DISEASE THREATEN
Instant Closing of Peabody school
Recommendations HaGdred RnS
Fifty Tots COOped Up There with
No Chance of Escape in Case rf
Fire-Other Recommendation.
WASHINGTON HERALD BUREAU,
lBeu Teienhoue eql


BEL Telephone Co.
5s King Street.
Alexandria, Va. March B.-A grand
jury, with Henry Strauss as foreman, in
its report on the conditions OF public
schools and other buildings in the city.
to-day declared Peabody School building,
for white girls. at the northwest corner
of King and Alfred streets, and Howell
School building. for small boys, on South
Washington street. adjoining the Wash
ington School for Boys. unsafe. The jury
that the buildings be con-
demned. The Washington School building
for boys on South Washington street.
was declared TO be in good condition. The
jury also declared both eolored public
school building in satisfactory condition.
but added that this could be improved.
a recommendation was made by the jury
that all school buildings be connected
with sewers
A number OF recommendations were
made by the jury for improving existing
conditions in several public halls and
places where moving pictures are dis
played
The report Of the jury on Peabody
building was as follows: This building
We consider unsafe, and we recommend
that your honor condemn the entire build
ing for school purposes. Certainly we
would be derelict IN our duty TO this
court. md false 10 our oaths as jurymen.
II We did not recommend the instant clos
ing Of the third floor. On this floor l5C
little tots. from seven to ten years Of age
are housed. and We do not believe that
the building can be made safe for these
little ones.
Cannot Reach Fire Escape.
In one room we found that they could
not reach the fire escapes. the window-slll
being above, or on a line with their heads.
The building is heated by stoves in each
room. with stove pipes running through
plaster and lath partitions Some doors
open inward and others outward, but %
keep these little children on the third
floor Tor single day is a responsibility
which this jury refuses to assume.
''The ground floor contains two rooms
opening on King street which have only
light and ventilation from transOms. not
windows. TransOms and doors cannot be
left open even on warm DAYS on account
OF the dust and dirt stirred up by passing
electric cars and vehicles. To sum the
matter up, King street Is not the proper
street for public school building.
"The sanitary arrangements at Peabody
building are far from satisfactory. there
being no sewer connections. The odor
from the wells. situated Immediately un-
"a. a
building proper by but a few feet. and
even on cold day ike Wednesday last
il was something fearful What il must
be IN warm weather can hardly be i'm
agined- These wells are constantly dis
charging their odOr from two small
wooden chimneys right in the faces OF
the children on both the second and third
floors Many improvements could be sug-
gested which would make this building a
little safer but nothing that can be done.
IN the opinion Of this jury. can make said
building suitable for a school
New Building Recommended.
I'VE, therefore, recommend that this
building. for school purposes. be con-
demned and new school building for
the girls be built. and that said building
be not over two stories high"
The report on Howell building for
small boys. was as follows: I'VE find
the walls badly cracked. stairway in
adequate for an emergency, cellar full OF
trash, ceilings very low, ventilation only
through open windows.
There are $50 little boys from seven 10
ten years OF age housed in this building.
Should the building catch fire in the stair
way, but few on the second and none on
the third floor could escape. This build
ing is unsafe in every respect. and while
an outside iron stairway from the third
floor would improve conditions. il is the
opinion Of this jury that the building
should be condemned entirely The
superintendent of public schools and all
teachers who use this building. or have
been in IL. concur with US in condemn
ing same. We recommend that this build
ing be closed Immediately, especially so
far as the use OF the third floor is con-
cerned."
Other recommendation Made.
Other recommendation made By the
jury were as follows: That fire escape
be placed On the east side OF the Brad
dock House. and that the stairway lead
ing to Fairfax street, now closed. be
opened; doors Of Belle Haven Amusement
Company open inward. but have been
changed since our inspection. Floor of
operating box should be lined with tin;
everything satisfactory at RisheH and
Curtin's moving picture show: that fire
escape be placed on Sarepta Hall.
The report made by the jury concerning
the Opera House was as follows: Stove
pipe which runs through gallery should
fua
widened and distractions at top eu;
away; hose on stage not long enough:
door should be placed in partition IN
southwest corner of gallery. making an
entrance to stairway leading to stage
giving people in west gallery an exit
by way of the stage fire escape on Pit;
street; place needs a general cleaning"
stove PrOpPed Up by Bricks.
The report on McBurney's Hall was as
follows: "Stove propped up by bricks
liable TO fall at any time: fire escape
blocked of by railing. We recommend
that this hall be condemned for public
gatherings until such changes as are sat
isf&ctory to the city engineer and chief
of the fire department are made. We
strongly recommend that all buildings
used for public gatherings be required
to have all doors open outward"
Teachers at both Peabody and Howell
school buildings received the report OF
the jury with satisfaction. and especially
at the Peabody building. as the teachers
there have been working for some time
past in the interest of a new building
The jury which rendered to-day's repor,
was summoned by Judge Barley some
time ago, and before rendering their re-
port they made a careful inspection OF
all the schools together with other public
buildings in the city where public as
semblages gather.
Judge Louis c. Barley. of the Corpora
ton Court. is in receipt OF a letter from
Robert r. Prentis chairman of the state