Evening star., 1934-03-25
TRANSIENT HOMES
PASS FIRE TEST
Two of Buildings in District
Fireproof-0thers
Labeled "Safe."

Although only TWO OF the eight
buildings used by the more than
1000 wards of the Transient Relief
Bureau are actually fireproof, all Of
them come up TO the safety standards
OF the fire department, Marshal
Calvin G. Lauber said last night.
None of the buildings is ideal, 4"
he said, but all are about as good
as can be expected, under the cir
cumstances."
The freproof structures, located at
2125 G street and at lexington
place and @ street northeast. pro-
vide shelter for approximately $50
homeless men each night, according
to officials of the bureau.
The other places, which house
more than 800 wanderers. although
not f1reproof. are safer. from a fire
standpoint, than similar buildings in
most other cities" bureau officials
declared.
Inspected Monthly.
"All the structures are examined
on an average of once a month by
fire department inspectors" said the
fire marshal. Every one of them
meets with the legal requirements,
and We consider them passably safe,
anyway"
Possibility the blaze that swept the
transient relief shelter at Lynchburg,
Va, would result in Federal inves-
tigation OF safety conditions in the
buildings in use here was seen in
some quarters last night. However,
no inquiry has been instituted thus
far. officials said.
Addresses of the buildings used by
the Bureau. together with the num-
Der of persons for whom they ordi-
narily provide shelter. follow:
2125 G street columbia Hotel), 100 :
lexington place and @ street north
east. $50: 479 C street, $50: 232 Third
street, 80: 422 Fifth street infirm-
ary), so; POLL Georgia avenue. l80;
1920 Twelfth street, 80; 1925 Thlr-
teenth street, Is.
Infirmary adequate"
The infirmary. although not fire.
proof. is considered adequate" from
a safety standpoint. officials said. All
the structures except the ones on
Georgia avenue. Twelfth and Thir-
teenth streets are for white persons.
ARRANGEMENTS for caring for ap-
proximately 100 boys will be COM
pleted by Tuesday, officials said. Serv-
ices to be rendered young transients
under the new set-up, they added
will include those of dietitian pro-
vided by the United States Public
Health Service.
There was a slight increase in the
number of persons given shelter by
the bureau last night. Officials at
tributed this to weather conditions.
Altogether, the Bureau has cared for
approximately 1900 boys. 1000 other
individuals, and 600 families since its
establishment several months ago.
Fire Prevention Enforced.
Tightening up the fire inspection Of
quarters housing some $50 900 tran
sient men and women in every large
city of the United States was seer
last night by Federal officials here as
the immediate result of yesterday
disastrous fire in Lynchburg.
Morton Milford, public relations as
sistant to Harry L. Hopkins. the Fed
eral relief administrator, said last
night that in every transient center
over the country, officials here have
insisted upon two main things-ade.
quate fire preventive facilities ane
regulations and sanitation. He fore.
saw Tightening up of fire control a.
an outgrowth of the Lynchburg disas-
ter, just as out of the Knickerbockel
Theater tragedy here came more
stringent building regulations anC
from the Iroquois Theater horror II
Chicago came the requirement fol
asbestos curtains.
In Lynchburg, Mr.. Milford said. or
the basis of reports now at hand
there were not only fire escapes, bu
fire extinguishers.
AS soon as news of the disaster
reached Administrator Hopkins, ht
sent his field representative, Alar
Johnstone, who was in Washington, Il
the scene.
Aid Is Ordered.
Mr. Johnstone is expected to re.
port back to Administrator Hopkins
probably tomorrow. He is instructed
to see that the victims receive a de.
cent burial and to do everything pos
sible to assist the injured and rendel
any other service.
The Federal Relief Administration
is now engaged in conducting cen
sus of the number of transients owe
the Nation. AS an estimate, Mr. Mil
ford placed the number well over {
quarter of a million" and said that l
ranged between quarter and half {
million.
Mr.. Milford made 1t plain that thes
transients are, not buns" but are TO
the most part women and men Wit
are out Of .work-victims of the de