The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-06-17

Reno. Nevada, June Z, 1922.
To the Honorable Trustees of Eureka
School District No. /, Eureka, Ne
vada.
Gentlemen:
In compliance with the request by
telegram received June 2, from H. G.
Bremenkampf, visited Eureka Sat-
urday. June 8. and inspected your
school building and herewith report
the results Of my investigations and
make recommendations.
The building is a two story brick
structure approximately So feet east
and west by 63 feet north and south.
by "a feet high above ground on the
south, and 38 feet high on the north,
the ground sloping in a northeasterly
direction.
The school rooms at the north and
south OF both first and second floors
are separated by Railways eleven
feet wide extending centerally from
east to west with double doors open
ing outward at each end of the first
floor hallway, the front entrance be-
ing to the east. The stairway from
first to second floor is one straight
fight located at the south side of the
Railways
All interior partitions are of frame
and plaster construction except where
of more temporary type.
The foundation is on a rather soft,
whitish rock which is all right for a
foundation when protected from the
disintegrating action of water. The
foundation walls of rubble masonry
were apparently layed up with a very
poor grade OF mortar.
The poor condition of the mortar
joints is noticeable on the inner face
of the north foundation wall where
basement was excavated for most
of the length of the building. Rub
BILE masonry walls are also located
under the partitions along each side
of the first floor hallway and these
walls where accessible for inspection.
are also in poor condition, the worst
condition being found by inspection
under the hallway. Here 1t was found
that the waste pipe for the drinking
fountain sink merely passes through
the floor. discharging on the south
partition foundation wall whence the
water trickles down the north side
of this wall, saturating the ground
in that part of the basement.
The janitor stated that a break in
one of the water supply pipes under
this hallway remained unrepaired
for a month or more. one Winter,
causing much leakage and the for
nation OF large mass of ice. The
moist condition in this vicinity In ad-
dition to disintegrating the mortar
in the masonry joints has promoted
the serious decay of the ends OF sew
eral of the floor joists resting on
these interior walls.
The floor joists under all Of the
school rooms have "a feet span ex-
tending north and south from out
side walls to interior partitions. The
first floor joists that could be seen
from the basement are spaced q 16"
centers, part of them being 3"x12"
and the rest 3"x14". By tearing up
little of the flooring on the second
floor, south east room. 1t was dis
covered that the second floor joists
are 2"x16" @ 16" centers. Compu-
tation indicates that none of these
joists II in good condition would be
over stressed when the rooms are
used for ordinary school purposes,
but that q crowd of adults would
stress them beyond what good prac-
tice permits. but not to the danger
point, II the crowd remained quiet
refraining from dancing, marching
etc. However. the long span of "a
feet causes the floors to be too timber
to inspire confidence.
The roof, as stated by Mr.. Hooper
and Mr.. Nostrosa, has been recon
structed twice and Is now in better
shape as to strength than formerly
1t is a fiat roof and at last recon
struction four y" round tie rods
were inserted passing clear across
from north to south outside wall
faces. being hooked in the center
Also. the "a feet spans were trussed
to increase their strength.
This roof while rather flexible ID
probably not dangerous except in case
OF excessively heavy snow loads, but
the roof covering of tarred paper has
been neglected and is said to leai
badly In several places.
The condition of the brick walls Il
probably the most serious feature Of
the building. The first story WALL
are IT" thick, and the second stor,
IS" thick. The south wall is de
fiected inwards from a true plane
surface and the north wall bulgel
outward. The west wall also bulge
to some extent. but Mr.. Nostros,
states that the west wall was so con
structed due to faulty workmanship
but that complaint caused more carr
in the construction OF the other walls
All are agreed that the uneven con
| dition Of the north and south walli
developed later and It is general,