Evening star., 1937-11-07
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

One Of the biggest housekeeping Jobs
IN the country is nearing completion
that OF getting the Capitol and three
ONCE buildings ready for Congress-in
spite OF strikes and other untoWard con-
dltlons which threatened lack of heat
and water for the special session which
starts next week. The air-conditioninp
Job on the four buildings, costing more
tnan S2,OOO,O0O on which the strike oc-
CURED calling out more than 400 work.
men, mas been the biggest item in the
monster housekeeping job, but all four
pulldlngs nave been thoroughly reno
Vated under the general supervision of
Davld Lynn, architect of the Capitol
ABLY assisted by Admiral" Gus (Arthur
E. COOK, supervising engineer. All walls
nave been repainted, more than 1000
once rooms and about 100 committee
rooms thoroughly renovated, marble
walls, stalrWays, corridors and statues
washed. close to 100 elevators carefully
overhauled and steel cables renewed.
something like 5000 windows washed, etc.
ALI requiring activity Of paint, carpen-
ter, wood working, electrical, machine.
plumbing and furniture repair shops,
with extra help recruited.
To get bird's-eye view of a he-mans
Job OF housekeeping, consider what Is
being done by Edward Brown. who. serv-
ing under Architect Lynn, is superin-
tendent in charge of the two House
once Buildings. and keeps in close touch
with myriad details, and is a big brother
helper to all the 435 Members, Delegates.
Resident Commissioners and their secre-
taries. He has been 81 years in service.
and knows his Congressmen-and most
OF those who have been around any
length OF time know they can depend
on Ed" Brown. He has charge of more
than 500 office rooms in each of the two
buildings. with 304 regular employees, in
Guiding janitorS, the mechanical force
etc. There is a complete heating room
system in each building, which is in oper-
alton "a hours day and seven days a
week; carpenter shop with four Jour-
neymen, a paint shop with two painters
regularly employed, an electric shop with
two electricians, two wire men and two
helpers. There are 14O charwomen whose
job 1t is to clean more than 1000 rooms
IN three hours-between $50 and $3.50
am. Besides this there are eight all-day
women in charge of the women's rest
rooms In both buildings There is a
f1rst-aid room in each building In charge
Of trained nurses.
ED" Brown works" both buildings as
one unit-that is, from central office
with branch Offices in each building for
the convenience of the members. He has
q complete storeroom to take care of all
requirements Of both buildings, which he
stocks up the first of each July. This
storeroom carries heavy and varied
stock Of hardware. lumber. paints, TOOLS
ropes-anything that may be needed.
There are $1,000 square feet of marble
to be cleaned daily in the old Office
building alone. There are 18-foot CELL
ings on two floors of the old building
and 16-foot ceilings on the other two
floors, whose walls and ceilings have all
been washed in readiness for the return
of Congress-and border has been
painted around the cement floors to set
off the rug. Besides the four floors In
the old building occupied by the offices
OF members there are also basement and
attic floors. In the new building there
are eight floors occupied by members,
and basement and sub-basement. All
machinery is in the basement in both
buildings except that in the old building
the elevator machinery is in the attic.
There are IL elevators In the old build
ing and eight in the new building-one
elevator in each building is held for
freight. There are 1,150 windows in the
new building to be kept washed and TOO
in the old building, with 400 awnings
used on the old building, while the new
building is furnished with Venetian
blinds.
Here is some idea of the quantity Of
supplies on which ed" Brown keeps
books-a careful record-with supplies
charged meticulously against each office
making requisitions 1000 towels day
in each building, which necessitates pur-
chasing about 800 dozen towels a year;
one year he had to buy 10000 pounds
of paint; it takes five tons of lead and
oil to paint the corridors Of the new
building alone; soap powder Is one of
the big items in the Job Of keeping the
buildings clean-and this is bought in
five and 10 barrel lots: fully 5000 feet
Of boards are used in making boxes,
Grating files, etc., for members. The car
penter shop hangs all pictures and at
tends to minor repairs In any room Of
. member.