Fergus County Democrat., 1908-03-10

! tacking the stairways, which are on
the outer sides of the walls under con-
sideration. The two main stairways
from the assembly room are thus sep
arated widely by a large room en-
closed in stone walls; consequently a
fire involving one stairway might run
a considerable course before envelop.
ing the other. Each recitation room
on the lower floor is separated from
adjoining rooms by stonework. 1t is
apparent from this explanation that
there is no possibility of fire en-
veloping the interior of the high
school building SO quickly that escape
would be cut off, no matter in what
part of the building it might originate.
A fire starting in the chemical labor
atory would for a time be confined
| by stone walls, and if after a time it
| should involve one stairway leading
downward from the assembly room,
the other stairway being far removed
| by a large room enclosed in stone
walls would offer ample means of re-
treat. | can not imagine that in the
event of even the tiercest fire there
would be occasion for serious accident
| in connection with fire at the high
school building.
Let us consider the central or Haw-
thorne school building Those ia
miliar with its construction know
that it is enclosed by exterior brick
and stone walls, which stop with the
exteror, the interior being wholly of
woodwork and mortar A building OF
such construction invariably becomes
a "fire-trap" in event of accident;
+l,n< &c u,hn,, fac ha
basement or on a lower floor, there
through the attic, the cold air pres
sing in naturally to take the place Of
fered by the rising heated mass Of
air Hence it is that fire sweeps
through such a building with SEEM
ingly unaccountable fury, as it did in
the case Of the Collinwood catastro-
| phe, enveloping the entire interior Of
that building in about three minutes.
In the Hawthorne building the stair
ways are both in the main hall,
through which the draught would
sweep in its upward course; and in all
probability fire involving one stair
way would involve the other. At any
rate, there is no escape for pupils on
the upper floor except through the
two stairways practically side by side,
in one main hall, always a most un-
fortunate situation in event of dis
artrious fire. There being no interior
supporting walls which the fire could
not quickly engulf, in case Of fire
originating in the basement it is ex-
pected that there might come a
speedy of the entire interior, involv-
ing both stairways and all concerned
in terrible disaster
What has been said regarding the
Hawthorne building applies with
greater force to the smaller building
on the hill In event of a basement
fire gaining headway undiscovered,
the entire interior Of the building
would be speedily enveloped, and as
the stairways occupy the main hall,
the natural course of the draugh,
would in short time cut off the
means Of retreat for pupils on the
upper floors. No school building
should be considered safe which has
only one hall for stairway, unless
there are strong walls of masonry to
uphold the stairs and oppose the pro-
. gress of the fire.
, There are various means OF safe
, guarding the lower floors from fur
mace heat, and all such precautions
should be used All said and done
however, there ever remains the llkll-
hood of disaster if fire really gets a
start below The buildings are con-
structed as they are and probably
must remain as they are in their in
terror arrangements. There is a fire
escape ladder, it is true, from the
upper story of the Lincoln building
but in event of serious emergency
. such contrivance would be quite in.
adequate The writer still adheres tc
his original suggestion, an open stair
: way or two from the upper floor o
\ each of the two school buildings. Ii
the Hawthorne building, window il
. the east front should be transformed
into door opening out upon an am
pie platform, leading down from
, which should be a stairway of suf
: ficient capacity to insure egress TO
t many pupils in case of need. In tn
r same building there should be sim
liar stairway constructed outside o.
y the west front, SO situated that fir
: originating in the furnace room woul
d not endanger its use in case q
y emergency. A similar arrangement
t on the east front Of the hill buildin
i, is imperative, and if opening fror
# one of the windows near the middl
/ of the building would probably serv
i all purposes; it should not be on tn
! same side of the building as tn
e present stairway.
" Whatever might be the cost of sue
safeguards against catastrophe shoul
really have no weight against the cor
G sideration of possible disaster invol,
S ing the lives of any number Of ou
children. There might be questio
of such an arrangement interferin
with the dignity and appearance {
! the buildings. However it might loo
n to stranger or a visitor, such an a
/ rangement would certainly look GOO
\ to parents who have children attenc
IS ing school in the upper rooms of tt
d. buildings
~ P. NJ. SILLOWAY.