Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04

certain the temperature Of the outside
air. OF the air in the House or Senate
chambers the attic over either cham
Der and elsewhere.
II was found by experience that the
cold air settled from the ceilings and
along the walls, so coils were placed in
the spaces over the ceilings to warm II.
The ceilings of the Senate and House
chambers are fun OF small holes con-
cealed in the decorations. for the WITH
ated. impure air to pass through In
order TO assist the escape OF this bad
air a pair of fans is placed above the
ceiling under the protecting skylight
spanning each chamber. To draw II
away and force IL out OF the building.
Supporting the Ceilings.
To digress for a moment. II has doubt
less caused many persons To wonder how
the ceilings OF the legislative chambers
are supported. There is a steel frame
work OF trusses and girders supporting
each ceiling. and over the steel frame
work is a huge skylght of glass. under
which is a strong network Of iron wires
which would prevent anything from DROP
ping through the glass ceiling onto the
heads of the senators and representatives
when in session. The Lighting arrange
ment is also placed above the glass cell
ing. and includes l.6Oo electric bulbs dis
tributed around the glass panels. There
are no lights in either thu Senate Or House
chamber. bath being entirely lighted
through the ceilings. by which method "A
soft. mellow light is obtained.
The iron work above the ceiling and
supporting the glass roof Is all painted
white. or some soft shade, and the entire
place Is kept clean and bright. although
ii is little seen. The floor Of each cham
Der is composed of'white tiles. which can
be thoroughly cleaned daily and the
space under the foor about four feet
high. is also painted. II is cleaned with
damp sponges every day during the ses-
sion. The floor is covered with a carpet
for comfort, but in the manner stated alb
solute cleanliness In assured.
The heating arrangements OF the House
office building require 1900 linear feet
OF 1h-inch iron pipe for the distribution
of warm air to the desks. There are 4O0w
square feet OF space to lie heated by hot
water. 1t is possible TO place go cubic
feet of heated air a minute into each Of
flee room, and tts Temperature can be reg
ulated from -10' to 100. The total sup
ply Of aig amounts to 200, 900 cubic feet a
minute. supplied by six blower fans and
exhausted through the roof by four ten
foot disc fans. The quantity OF pipe used
to distribute hot water IL 5000 linear
feet. The water Is heated by steam and
is circulated by centrifugal pumps cleo
trically driven. having a capacity Of 20 =
ooV gallons an hour. The hot air and mot
water systems are independent OF each
other, and either can be used alone in
case an accident should disable one
or them or repairs become necessary.
IL" an. however, Is intended chiefly for
ventilation. The radiators are placed m
der the windows to take the cold air from
them and warm II before ii can chill the
rooms. The same kind of heating and
ventilating system is being installed in the
Senate office building
Under the direction OF Prof Wood.
bridge the installations have been eco.
nomically installed In both the House and
Senate office buildings. Ordinarily II is
estimated that the heating and yentila-
ton plants will cost 10 per cent of the
entire cost of a building As the House
building cost approximately s3DO.Oeo
these systems might have been expected
to cost 100000. The actual cost has
been Under $50 0oo-about syOoDO for tbe
AeatinS system and between So5Oan and
$4,000 for the ventilating system.