Evening star., 1941-04-22
War Department
Tells How 10 Build
Bomb Shelters
Materials for Family
Size Cost $3.50 to
$3.50 Per Unit
BY JAMES FREE.

The second or third floors Of many
steel or concrete framed buildings
in this country would be well suited
for adaptation to afford air-raid pro-
tecticn.
Materials for family bomb shell
ters may be made available for from
$3.50 to $3.50 a unit
All shelters should have at least
two entrances.
If possible, air-raid shelters should
be designed for utilization in peace
time-as storerooms, repositories for
valuables and the like.
These statements are contained in
a special bulletin prepared by the
War Department for distribution to
communities and civilian engineers
through the Defense Commissions
Division of State and Local Coop
Grafton.
Not Signal to Start Work.
II is entitled Civilian Defense"
with the subtitle, Protective Con-
struction: Bulletin No. l."
In the opening paragraphs, the
anonymous authors-who said their
data was obtained from British and
other European sources and that
still other data is being collected
and tested in the United States-ad-
monish the reader that:
In no sense should issuance Of
this bulletin be construed as a
signal to start work Immediately on
any of the protective structures de-
Scribed. Nevertheless, it is deemed
essential that responsible civil au-
thorities and civilian engineers
should give thought to methods,
plans and especially procedures
that can be followed in their re-
| spective localities should such pro-
tective structures be necessary"
The military authorities declare
that splinterproof shelters, intended
to provide reasonable safety at low
COST" should be designed to give
complete protection from:
l. Blast and splinters of 500
pound bombs exploding not nearer
than Is feet.
2. Direct hits of light incendiary
bombs.
3. Debris from adjacent falling
buildings.
4. Earth shocks from 500-pound
bombs exploding nearer than Is feet.
Danger of Falling Buildings.
1t is stressed that structural dam
age from earth shock may be more
serious than that from the actual
blast. Buildings of masonry and
brick, in which the walls bear the
weight of the roof, fare very badly
from earth shocks. the bulletin
warns.
When all the effects of q bomb
are considered" the bulletin states,
"steel-frameh structures are much
more resistant to collapse than any
other type" And framed buildings
of reinforced concrete construction
also are relatively less affected even
by direct hits, than those of wall
bearing construction.
In general, 1t is pointed out, shell
ter entrances should be numerous,
with at least two means of escape
to prevent shelter occupants from
being trapped in case debris bars
one Of the doors.
Ventilation systems should be
provided with Alter units to provide
gas-free air.
Most modern ONCE buildings, 1t is
said, offer suitable locations for In
side shelters.
Smaller Shelters Urged.
Easements may be good, accord
ing to the bulletin, while in some
steel or concrete framed buildings
the intermediate floors are suitable
for adaptation into shelters. In an
eight-story building, for example,
the second or third floor might be
used.
In any event, large buildings
should have several smaller shelters
in preference to one big shelter.
This, it was explained, prevents
loss of life if one shelter is hit"
The bulletin describes four types
of recommended family or six-per-
son shelters for which materials
may be obtained for from $3.50 to
$3.50. All are gas-tight and with
out ventilation facilities, but would
have sufficient air for one hours
occupancy. Their design was based
on current European practice, and
further tests are being made In this
country.
The cheapest shelter, costing about
$3.50, would be built of corrugated
iron and plywood. The next, $3.50
model. is described as well designed
for mass production and would be
entirely of corrugated iron plates.
Somewhat similar shelters, with
the addition of ramps, would cost
$500 and $3.50.
All underground shelters, it is
emphasized, should be equipped with
shovels, picks or other excavating
instruments to assist in digging out,
if necessary.
Subways Not Deep Enough.
While construction Of large shell
ters is suggested in parks or similar
areas, the bulletin warns that Lon
don subways, unlike most Of those
in the United States, are usually
tunneled through clay and are deep
enough to give adequate protection.
But there is warning that 'in gen.
eral, subways in the United States
could not be employed as bomb
resistant shelters owing to the shall
low depth of cover, which would be
insufficient protection against a
direct hit of bomb"
Shelters should be designed, if pos
sible, with view to use in peace
time, according to the bulletin. Null
history garages are suggested, in
which the lower floors may be
utilized In wartime as shelters. And
factories may install underground
storage sheds. Shelters near banks
and in financial districts, it is
pointed out, may be used as vaults
or Repositories for precious metals.
With these proposals, 1t is admon-
ished, however, that provision for