The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-01-23
Retreat Had Taken Up Mat
ter of Ventilation Before
Health Board Came
STATEMENT MADE
BY DIR. S. E. LAWTON

Boilers Delayed Plans Temper arily-
Fan Blast System Was Arranged for |
| Some Time Ago.
While admitting that the ventila-
tion system at the Brattleboro Retreat
is faulty and inadequate. Supt :. f.
Lawton of the institutions feels that
nothing was gained or added to infor-
nation the subject by the inspec-
tion hy the state board of health at
the direction of Governor Fletcher. The
report to the Governor bv the board
of health, which included the report Of
the boards sanitary engineer, was pub
ished IL The Reformer yesterday. Il
severely criticized the system and rec
commended that it be condemned.
: Informed Board of Plans
As stated IN The Reformer. the
: board Of health 5 report said: .'Dr.
Lawton informed the board that ar
rangementS were already in progress
for modern and adequate heating ami
ventilating system. Details OF such
work should be submitted to the state
board OF health for final approval.
This was during the inspection, and
Or. Lawton says the plans were under
: way at the time and have been con
tinued since and would have been cur
!, ried TO completion even If 40 inspec-
tion had been made.
+ Statement by DR.. Lawton.
The Rcformer spoke with DR. Law
: ron today with reference to the board
i Of health report. and Dr. L1wton said
). Il substance: Before Governor
n Fletcher made his Visitation TO the
5 Retreat, previous to the coming Of the
beard of health, We had made all ar
I rangements for putting IN a new venti-
: lating system but he did not bring up
; the subject and 50 was not informed of
y oar plans. We have always considered
K any suggestion from any of the gov
!. ernors IN the light OF a command, and
had Governor Fletcher made any sug-
eestion relative to the ventilating svs-
tenn We should have Informed him that
we already had taken up the matter
as we employ an expert engineer and
9 he was giving the matter his attention.
: When the board Of health came We in
formed them that We already had made
a arrangements for q new system.
Unavoidable Delay.
It was our intention TO have this
work completed before now, but we met
with unav oidable delay. When we
were all ready to install the new sys
TEN we found that we had TO put il
- three new boilers in the heating plant
!. at large expense, and the new Venti
=, = lating system was held up temporarily
We shall carry out the plan, rs We
have intended to all the time. III fact
m it is already in progress. At the same
~ time we shall make other changes rela
i+;, ~ srii, u
,d Of health report which was also part
he Of our contemplated improvements. 4
A Three Fan System.
st After talking with Dr. Lawton The
IN Reformer spoke with Jean j. Wander
id yeer. engineer for the institution. Mr.
W Nanderveer stated that a tinsmith shoy
OF had been erected on the grounds ant
N. THAI three fan ventilating system
T. ould be installed as soon a. possible
Us the fans to be furnished by the 3. F
n Strtevant Co. of Boston and the gal
Il vanized iron work being done on tn
grounds. Mr.. Nanderveer SAID:
aS The matter of ventilation of tin
= Retreat buildings has been under con
y, ou sideration Tor some time, and variou
~ plans have been submitted. all o
which were in some measure faulty
until last summer, when "A final an,
satisfactory set were made, and tn
work was to have been done at once
Unfortunately, just at this time
nd the Hartford Insurance Co, while no
condemning the boilers which were IN
stalled strongly recommended that
5h- new battery be installed, and this wor
to- took precedence over the ventilatio
:al work planned.
Sent Plans to Health Board.
. ''The plans for the ventilation wer
forwarded to the state board of healt
some time ago, and showed in detail
nm. thoroughly up-todate fan-blast systel
"a of ventilation. with a capacity *
nod changing the air in the various hal
,at five and one half times per hour. Tt
equipment, when completed will be
ner cent more efficient than that T
qured for schoolhouse work, whic
only demands three changes of air p'
TT hour In addition to this, there
IL planned the installation of an a
washer, which will wash and purify Il
nal air before it is delivered to the warrior
ihs halls.
ose 1.-The fans, of which there viii
:, no three, will be in operation both wint
the 1 ,n,,ar. :, y-;n+ar 5aEvar;,
}. warmed, fresh air, and in the summe
cooled air. For summer use an eleetT
. motor viii be used for the operate