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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. 
