New-York tribune., 1913-07-29
POLICE STATIONS UNFIT
Municipal Research Bureau
Calls Many FiretrapS.
CONDITIONS UNSANITARY
Bad Plumbing, Bad Ventilation
and Overcrowding, Re-
ported Evils.

Tho police stations ~ tho city arc a
serted % b. unsan.t1rv. not equipped
with proper accommodations. and IN
many cases Are'raps 'n ID report based
upon an examination of station houses
by th' Bureau OF Municipal Research
The bureau recommends a programme
for the construction of now buildings.
Tho report was submitted to the alder
manic Committee on Police Investigation.
of which Alderman Henry n Curran IS
chairman. and has been forwarded 10
thr budget committee Of the Board OF
/ Estimate
The investigation was restricted 70
fourteen station houses iu Manhattan. one
/ iu The Bronx and four IN Richmond
total Of nineteen out of the li3 station
houses of the greater city The city
leases tvout five of tho buildings and
/ owns the others. or tho ninetecr stations
, Inspected. eighteen are reported 10 have
I no fro protection appliances. Ave TO bo
uuprovided with fire escapes. and ten 10
! have inadequate fire escapes.
other point, Of uui'ness enumerated
are bad plumbing damp wall, or footing.
inadequate heating and lighting appi-
anccs and bathing facilities overcrowd-
ing IN the dormtorics. bad ventilation.
insufficient recreation facilities ond In
adequate cleaning. The janitor service
is said not to be organized properly.
The report recommends that standard
lied designs Of station houses OF various
types be adopted the designs 10 be suit
able for different lot units. such as 80 by
lo0 feet and = by 100 feet. and comprls-
ing plans suitable for both interior and
corner sites With regard to existing
buildings. IT is recommended that fire ex-
tinrushIng apparatus be installed az
quickly a. possible.
"One Of tho most harmful conditions"
SAYS the report rs the presence of foul
air In the cellars. which pcnetrates 10
the other portions Of the house. especially
the first story. II has been well estab-
lishcd that buildings designed. as are
most Of the old station houses. with en-
open stairway leading from the cellar
TO the upper floors. derive at least one
half Of their air supply from the cellars.
I'm the OH station houses these cellars
are almost invariably In a dirty cond-
ton"
II IS stated that windows and transoms
that should bc kept open to insure proper
ventilation are usually closed. THE cure
for this condition" continues the report.
rs the application Of such rules as are
enforced In army barracks and well regu-
lated hospitals. where II Is made tho
definite study OF certain subordinate Off
GERS to carry out regulations requiring
the opening OF windows To a specified
extent. and. where adequate disciplinary
measures are In operation. 10 punish the
man who violates or the officer who al
lows the violation OF the regulation by
closing such means Of ventilation.
"The cell rooms are I'm some cases shut
in. but in most IT was found that con-
siderable attention had been given 10
providing large vcntilators I'm the roof
and access 10 these ventilators through
openings in the floor Of the upper story.
There are many OF these ventilators that
showed no signs Of having been opened
for long period. and the efforts OF the
ianitor TO open the ventilators In the 25th
Precinct rear cell house were utterly
fruitCss"