The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-01-13
CHIEFS recommendations

Report Of Chief Thayer Submitted 10 Police
and Fire Commission Regarding Our
Public School Buildings.
To the Police & Fire Commission
ers of the City of Virginia, Mimi.
Gentlemen:
submit the following report of
inspections of the various school
buildings in this city, and which
we're recently made. l would sug-
gest that you communicate to the
School Board setting forth some of
my recommen and that this
be done as soon as possible as I
consider the present situation at
the buildings named in condition
that requires immediate attention
for all concerned.
My inspection report of these
buildings follows:
PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDING
Inspected January 4th, 1911, found
that the north end of this building
was provided with narrow wooden
stairway leading from the second
floor west and that this stairway
was not properly taken care of in
case of hasty exit, on account of &C.
Communication of ice and snow and
that there should be provided some
suita BILE escapes at all times for
teachers and children from the
second floor of the west wing of this
building.
Found the electric wiring in the
basement to be inferior. On this
and several other visits, found the
boilers fired to good head ofsteam
and no one in charge nor looking
after the same, the ianitOr or engi.
neer having been called away on
some other work.
This is contrary to the state laws
and our local ordinances and there
should be some one in constant at
tendance at the furnaces, during
the school hours, so that in case
anything should happen, sufficient
warning could be given.
! ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL
Inspected January 3rd, 1911. Found
that the Auditorium on the third
floor was provided with badly ar.
ranged fire escapes inasmuch as
the exits leading to the top of the
escapes are by windows only and
would recommend very forcibly
that fairly good sized doorways be
placed where the windows are now
and that these doors should swing
ont. Also that some suita BILE screen.
ing or wire mesh work be provided
at the top of the escapes on this
school and leading down consid-
cradle distance as precaution to
the saving of lives in case of hasty
exit and the constant dangers from
excitement, which always ensues
through alarm or smoke. The doors
when provided, as above, should be
level with the floor.
Found the electric wiring on the
stage absolutely contrary to the
Underwriters rules. Found no fire
hose on the first floor of this build
ing as is customary in buildings
having the floor space this one has
Also while there may be good
sufficient reason for the system, il
is deemed by the law to be pool
policy for the doors of school build
ings to be locked during schoo
hours, the doors of the Roosevelt
School having been found CLOSED
and locked on the date of this in
spection.
JOHNSON SCHOOL BUILDING
Inspected January 4th, 1911, Found
the same condition at this building
relative to fire escapes as at thu
Roosevelt High School, inasmuct
as exits were found to be from win
dows, the casing OF which is con
siderab hi her than the floor ant
that the escapes are in bad condi
ton from accumulation of ice ant
snow and doors should be mad
aud wire screens provided a. recon
mended at the Roosevelt. Also OF
this inspection found that classes
were being held in the basement o
this building and the only meant
of escape in case OF fire would b.
through the door leading past tn
boiler room, which is deemed to be
by common sense alone, yer,
dangerous position for human live
to occupy daily, looking at it from
a safety point of view; if fir
should start in the boiler room
which is the usual place in build
ings of this kind, there would be n
possible chances for escape and tn
death list and sorrow in the man
families represented would b
something terrible.
Sincerely yours,
, CHIEF OF FIRE DEPARTMENT FIR
WARDEN.
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