The Park Governments of Chicago 159 



New Administration Building, Washington Park. 



A one-and-a-half-story and basement building, mainly of reinforced 

 concrete construction. The roofs, however, are of ordinary timber con- 

 struction, being tile-covered wood sheathing on wood rafters. The ceil- 

 ings of the first floor also being of ordinary wood joists, with the plas- 

 tered metal lathing on the under side, there is formed a practically con- 

 tinuous blind attic under the peaked roofs of timber construction. A fire 

 originating in this attic would be difficult to extinguish, and would prob- 

 ably result not only in much damage to the roofs, but, on account of the 

 great quantity of water used by the fire department, in considerable dam- 

 age to furniture, fixtures, and interior finish. 



The vaults in basement, while substantially built and well designed to 

 protect the contents from any exterior fire, are so filled with wooden 

 shelving, racks, and furniture that an almost total destruction of the 

 contents from fire could occur. 



The dry-powder fire extinguishers which are distributed throughout 

 are an unreliable fire-fighting device, practically discredited by fire-insur- 

 ance engineers. 



Recommendations. 



(1) Fire stops of tile or plastered metal lathing on steel framing 

 should be provided at various points in the attics, so as to at least 

 limit the area of any attic fire. 



(2) All wood shelving and furniture in vaults should be replaced 

 by metal. 



(3) Remove all dry-powder extinguishers and substitute stand- 

 ard three-gallon chemical fire extinguishers. 



The Stables, Washington Park. 



A large-area brick building, mainly one story but part two story, the 

 upper floor being the hay loft. A four-foot unused basement extends 

 under a greater part of the building. Interior construction is of ordinary 

 joisted type. The main pavilion roof is supported by radial wood trusses. 

 The building, therefore, on account of the large area, the combustible 

 class of construction, and a highly inflammable upper floor occupancy, 

 is subject to practically a total loss in the event of a serious fire. 



The fire-protection equipment here is extremely scant. The building 

 is fairly well supplied with standpipes, but out of the half-dozen or more 

 hose connections only two or three are supplied with hose, improperly 

 hung. There are a number of more or less useless dry-powder extin- 

 guishers distributed, which gives a misleading feeling of there being fire- 

 protection available. 



Recommendations. 



(1) All hose connections should be supplied with at least 100 

 feet of 2-inch rubber-lined canvas hose, properly folded on a well- 

 made rack. 



(2) Dry-powder extinguishers should be replaced by standard 

 three-gallon chemical fire extinguishers. 



(3) On account of the large values under one roof and the 

 necessity for immediate discovery of fire, the premises should be 

 equipped with the regular A. D. T. watch service system, with a 

 night man making hourly rounds. 



(4) "No Smoking" signs should be posted throughout the 

 building. 



