288 Field Columbian Museum — Reports, Vol. i. 



feet of hose which will reach every part of the building. A hose-cart 

 is located in each court of the main building, and of six hose-reels, 

 one is placed in the east annex, one in the west annex, and four upon 

 the gallery floor. In each court 2,500 feet of hose are distributed on 

 the various hose-reels and racks, together with ten ^-inch nozzles ; 

 three i-inch nozzles; four 26-foot fire-ladders; seven pike-poles of 

 various lengths; twenty-six fire-axes, and one hundred and forty-five 

 buckets. Eight fire-hydrants are located within the main building, 

 and twelve more just outside of the building. The water pressure 

 has been increased by connection* with the park system instead of the 

 city water main. The present system has a hydrant pressure of about 

 forty pounds, and gives a fair hydrant stream on the gallery floor, 

 but in case of fire higher up, the chemical engine alone could be 

 relied on. An understanding has been reached between the Fire De- 

 partment of the Museum and the City Fire Department that, in case 

 of fire, the Museum hose would be connected by the first fire engine 

 company, which would save delay in getting water higher than the 

 gallery floor. The apparatus for local fire alarm has been improved 

 by putting in an automatic mercurial fire alarm in the north, east, 

 and south balcony offices, auxiliary fire alarm boxes in the east and 

 south balcony offices, and a fire alarm box- in the boiler-house. The 

 daily inspection through the building has been faithfully performed 

 during the year. The Chief of the Chicago Fire Department, at his 

 annual inspection, reported the building in good order. In fact, he 

 had no complaint to make. The regular hours of inspection for danger 

 from fire through the basement are 7 and 11 o'clock a. m., 3:30 and 9 

 o'clock p. M. ; the main dome at 4:30 p. m., and the vaults at 4 p. m. 

 The balcony offices and the roof are inspected every Saturday. The 

 guards are drilled in fire drill, and the janitors have instructions 

 in case of fire. The members of the fire department continue to look 

 after. all the electric work of the building, trimming forty arc lamps 

 daily, keeping them in repair, and also keeping in repair the burglar, 

 telephone, and watch systems of the building. 



Attendance. — The total attendance of the year was 3,963 more 

 than in the year previous. The increase in paid attendance was 

 189, and the increase in the attendance of teachers was 45. More 

 persons visited the Museum on a single day than on any day since 

 October 4, 1894, the number being 6,220. An analysis of the attend- 

 ance during the entire year appears in another portion of this report. 



