Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-26
NEW BUILDING URGED
Old Government Printery De-
CIared Unsuitable.
SAFE WITH PROPER LOADS
Frequent Inspections Should Be Re-
quired.
REPORT OF ENGINEER OFFICERS
Weight That May Be Placed on
Each Floor-Danger of De-
struction by Fire.

COL Leach, acting ch eff of engineers
| of the army. today received a report from
| Col. Bromwell. the engineer officer in
| charge of public buildings and grounds.
giving the results of his recent inspection
of the new governm ant printing office
building. the old building. the II street
annex and the engine and boiler rooms
These inspections were made by direction
of the acting chief of engineers, at the
request of Mr.. Leech, the newly ap-
pointed public printer.
"While the old building is safe" says
Col. Bromwell. lit would seem to be
economy to replace it by building of
modern fireproof constructor such a
building could be designed to carry twice
as heavy loads as the present one. while
avoiding the danger to the employees from
fire and the destruction of valuable pa
pers." Col. Bromwell adds that he dis
cussed these various points with the pub
lie printer while engaged in the inspection
of the building.
Col. BromWell calls attention to the de-
fects mentioned in the report of Assistant
! Engineer Gillen and says he concurS In
the recommendation OF that officer that
an official should be named by the public
printer with authority to inspect ana
direct the floor loading. .'All of the build
safe if attention is paid to the proper dlS-
/ tribution Of the floor loads
Proper Distribution of Weight.
A more detailed report of the inspection
was made by Assistant Engineer F. F.
| Gllen, who was associated with Col.
Bromwell in the work. He declared that
| the old building was safe for the follow
| ing uniformly distributed loads:
H street section, 100 pounds per square
| foot for the third and fourth floors and
| no pounds per square foot for the second
| floor. The ground floor in all the build
| ings can be loaded 10 any extent.
| North Capitol wing, 100 pounds per
square foot for all floors. Thisload can
be increased to 400 pounds between the
two lines of posts down the center OF
| building.
The Southwest fireproof section. l5O
| pounds per square foot for each floor,
| with the exception of the points where
the floors have been strained. These
| arches should be taken out and rebuilt
| before the floor can be regarded AS safe.
| Engineer Gillen refers to the charts
that hang in the different floors to indi-
| cate heights to which the paper may be
piled, and says they are all right. but that
| care must be taken to load the floors
with reference to the beams and posts
supporting the floor SO as not to cover
| the weak parts of the floors with twice
| the allowable load as indicated on the
| charts
| In that connection he says that COM
| petent engineer should be placed in charge
| of the building to make frequent insoec-
| tions and see that the loads are properly
| distributed for safety.
| All of the walls, he says. with the eX-
ception of one, are in fairly good condi-
| ton and safe for the allowable floor
| loads. The wall that shows signs of weak
ness, he says, is being strengthened with
| tie rods. The freight elevators which also
|
engineer says there is serious danger Of
| some one being hurt.
| These elevators. he says. should be pro-
vided with cages to prevent any one be-
| ing caught between the floor of the ele-
vator and the shaft walls.
| The engineer says that the old building
has been greatly overloaded. and still is
| in some parts. and that with few excep-
| the best.
Danger From Fire.
The report declares that the old II
street and North Capitol street wings are
not fireproof and that there is great dam
ger of destruction of all materials stored
there. ''The building covers valuable
ground" says the engineer that should
| be used to better advantage.
These two facts coupled with the press
ing need of a fireproof building with stor-
asc capacity to meet the pressing needs
OF the printing office would be sufficient
| reasons for asking Congress to condemn
| the old building and tear ii down, and ap-
propriate money enough for a building
similar in design to the new building
! The new building Is declared to be in
very good condition, the floor loads being
| considerably below the allowable loads.
| with the exception of a few points Part
/ of these heavy weights have been placed
| in the best possible position on the floors
/ and are declared to be safe, but there are
points in the hand composing division.
! the foundry, a part of the third floor, e.
! street wing, and the loft that should be
relieved If possible.
| There is no danger from these weights
says Engineer Gilen. but they reduce the
! factor of safety allowed in the construc-
| tion which. he says, should not be done
| There again. he says. is the same neces-
sty for continuous inspection by a COM
petent man with authority TO change the
weights when they get excessive.
| The suggestion is made that the air.
| compressor in the loft should be placed
in a different part of the building and
that the electric wires should be removed
| from the loft.
One Wall Cracked.
There is Il small crack in the east boiler
room wall. but that wall the report says
weight.
Although there is absolutely no danger
| from that wall. the engineer recommends
that it be watched, and if il continues to
! settle that necessary steps be taken to
remedy the condition.
The arrangements of the sewer con-
/ nections is declared TO be defective, in
| that the storm water and the sewage are
| carried off by the same pipes. instead
| of by separate pipes. 1t is very likely.
| he says. that the new sewer pumping
| station has relieved the back water con-
| ditions at the building. and that there
may he no necessity for an extra sewer.
| but it is the engineers opinion that
| some such connection should be made
to prevent probable future damage.
Centenarian Commits Suicide.
| LEXINGTON. Ky. June 26.-Henry Mil
ler. aged 1d4 years. grew tired of life at
Harrodsburg. Mercer county, and commit
ted suicide today by taking paris green.