Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-28

appropriated the money for the purpose.
Elliott Woods, superintendent OF the
Capitol. has found out all about refriger-
ating large halls such as those In which
the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives meet. He has put it all down in "A
hook and has asked all the world TO step
up and bid upon the task of furnishing
the requisite amount of air at the desired
temperature. summer or winter. To the
most likely bidder will be given the task
and Congress shall forthwith be thrust
into an ideal temperature regardless OF
conditions out of doors.
When the thermometer registers a hun
bred on the streets of Washington the
halls of Congress are to be maintained at
even temperature of Seyenty-five.
When the folks back home are sweltering
in the sultry air that blows off the
growing cornfelds their representatives
in Congress will he shifting the air that
cools and buttoning their alpacas about
those protuberances that have developed
since they took to craftsmanship. When
other folk everywhere are hurryng to the
seashore these members of Congress will
be merely delaying the passage of appro
priation bills that they may remain yet
a while in that blissful atmosphere which
their benevolent Uncle Samuel, with their
own assistance. has provided for them
For Uncle Sam has found out how to
manufacture cold air and keep it where
it is most needed. OF course. 1t costs
money TO do it. but Congress is no place
to give an example of economy. Last
year Congress appropriated 500 to in
stall plant for the purpose of refrigerat-
ing the two halls. This is stated as an
insufficient amount and Congress stands
ready TO make up the deficiency. Just
what that deficiency will be Will not be
known until answers are received to the
advertisement for bids.
This business of refrigerating any of
the buildings sucn as man has come to
live in has proved most battling prop
osition. II is many times easier to raise
the temperature inside a building seventy
degrees than ii is to lower IL ten degrees.
While the problem of keeping a house
warm in the winter was long ago worked
out. that of keeping the same house cool
in the summer is still puZzler
The reasons for these conditions are in
teresting. In the winter houses are kept
tightly closed. Under these conditions if
the inside air is heated it remains
fined and requires only such additional
quantities as may be needed for yentila-
ton to maintain an even temperature II
Is likewise true that warmed air, being
lighter than that which i colder. rises
and permeates the house. The top of
room is. to a considerable extent, alright
and warm air Is kept in.
Just the opposite conditions exist in
summer and the opposite rules apply to
cold air. In the summer, houses and
public buildings are quite generally left
open. Were the air within them cooled
il would be almost Immediately blown
out the windows. An entirely new gem
Grafton of janitors, grown away from the
influence Of the janitors of today. would
he necessary before any other arrange
rnent could be put into operation
Aside from this. houses are not prop
ery built for refrigeration. AS a scien-
tific fact cold air is heavier than warm
air. When it is introduced into room
II Immediately sinks to the floor. Every