The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-06-04
TO BUILD
MORE FIRE
ESCAPE Is

The school board met for their reg
ular monthly meeting last night, the
matter of the fire escapes for the
city schools being the principal mat.
ter up for consideration. The report
of the building committee ~incorporat-
ed practically the POINTS tentatively
suggested by the committee after
their inspection of the buildings a.
forum at that time. The report fol-
lows:
To the Honorable Board of Education
OF the City Of Fargo, N. D.:
"Gentlemen: Your building COM
mlttee begs leave to submit the fol-
lowing report:
Pursuant to instructions from the
board your committee first investi-
gated the conditions of the city
schools in regard to fire escapes Your
committee, together with City En-
glneer Anders. and Fire Chief Suther-
land, visited the different buildings in
the city, noted the location Of pro-
posed places for fire escapes and
found that the previous plans sub
mitted to your committee for the
grades buildings were correct and
feasible and gave the same to the city
engineer for use in preparing plans
and specifications.
Fire Escapes Inadequate.
Your committee found the fire es-
capes On the central and high school
ulidlng p~erilously inadequate, very
difficult Of access and the number
should be increased to four and the
width widened. All these matters the
city engineer has taken under advise
ment and is now engaged in prepar-
ing plans and specifications to con-
form to the city ordinance and the
state law.
Agassiz Building.
Your committee regards the Agas-
siz building as fire proof and believes
the state law to be a reasonable law
and hat it was never the intention
of the legislature to place additional
burdens for fire escapes in buildings
that cannot POSSIBLY burn and that are
easy Of access and exit. We recon-
mend that no escapes be put on this
building and that this feature of the
law be called to the attention Of the
next Legislature.
Central School Dangerous.
The Central and High School build
ing is, in the estimation of your COM
mittee, a veritable Under box and I'M
der certain conditions would prove a
death trap.
Your committee recommends that
bids be secured for these fire escapes
as soon az the plans and specifica-
lions are received from the city engi-
neer and this work be pushed to COM
pletiOn in order to be completed at the
oIening of the new school year.
Your committee also called the
janitors of the different buildings to-
gether to consult with them about
the Value Of different fuels and at
that time requested each janitor to
furnish a list Of needed repairs for
his building. These should be here at
this time. Your committee recon-
taken up and completed as rapidly as
possible.
New North Side Building.
your committee further met with
Superintendent Of Schools Hoover,
and discussed the question of a new
school house for the north side and
recommended the erection of a build
ing on the site recently purchased in
block II, Hector addition, to be in
readiness for school use Sept. 1, 1915.
Building to be absolutely fire-proof,
or the same general plan of the Agas-
siz building, to have a large gymna-
SUM, room for industrial training and
domestic economy, and provision made
for the accommodation Of the first
year Of high school work-the num-
D5I Oh pupllS u ne PROVIDED lOE, DS-
tween eighty and 120-together with
the necessary class room. This can be
done with a building the size of the
Agassiz by a little different arrange !
ment of the interior.
Temporary Quarters.
"In the matter Of the temporary re-
lief of the crowded conditions on the
northern side your committee recon-
mends the purchase of two portable
school buildings that car be placed
on the school grounds, practically con-
nected with the school building for
toilet purposes and janitor service:
the cost of which will be approximate
ly, the same as would be paid for rent
and janitor service in a rented build
ing. Two Of these are now in use in
Devils Lake. this state, with fairly
good results.
June 3, 1914.
e. s.. Elliott,
*. M. Hagen
e. F. Ladd,
"COrmittaa |