Evening Star Newspaper, April 24, 1930, Page 23

FIRE SAFECUARDS " NTLCALUREED Peak Says Smoke Would Make Unlocking Upper Tier Cells Hard Job. In the event of fire in the District Jafl, such as snuffed out the lives of 319 convicts-in the Ohio Penitentiary, at Columbus, the lives of 500 men would depend upon the resourcefulnes of a small group of guards, who would have to ‘unlock more than a hundred indi- vidual cells. . | Inquiry at the jail today disclosed | that prisoners lodged in cells on upper tiers would have no hope for escape in | the evént of fire, except as guards fought | their way through smoke and unlocked | 11, cell. The fire hazard at the jail is not eat, Col. William L. Peak, the super- tendent, said, but in the event of fire the danger from suffocation would be great. In dense smoke, which inevi- tably gathers under ceilings and presses downward as it displaces colder air, the task of unlocking cells along the upper tiers would be a formidable undertak- ing. Col. Peak said. 2 Hundreds of highly inflammable blankets are stored in the jail in Sum- mer in rooms not frequently visited. Fire resulting from spontaneous com-= bustion, accident, carelessness or in- cendiarism would send dense smoke billowing along the cell tiers extending north and south on four floors. Only two sets of keys are available for each block of cells, one set in op- eration and one for'émergericy. Urges Automatic Cell Locks. Col. Peak said today that in the last few months there has been talk of in- stalling automatic fire alarm systems in the jail and other District buildings. He advocates the installation of an au- tomatic cell lock system, by which a guard could stand at the entrance to a tier and with.one simple movement spring the locks on every cell in the block. He said today he thought the disaster at Columbus would center at- tention on suggestions made for im- provements here. | “Some additional safety devices are absolutely necessary,” he said; “if the lives of prisoners are to be safeguarded in any possible contingency. «“It would be fairly easy for a guard o hold his breath long enough, even in dense smoke, to dash to the entrance to a ceil block and swing a lever that would release ' every prisoner in the bloek,” Col. Peak sald. ‘“Heavy smoke suffocates in a very few minutes. Imag- ine the anguish if a guard had.to fight his way to each cell, especially along the upper tiers, where the smoke gath- ers first. It would be impossible to open all_the cells in time.” 4 Pire was discovered in a storeroom on the fourth floor of the jail at one time three years ago, Col. Peak recalled. Policemen Mobilized. “We realized then that suffocation presented the gravest danger. The fire was soon under control, but dense smoke gathered to a depth of 10 feet under the ceiling. We did two things simul- taneously—put in a call for every avail- able policeman and detective in Wash- ington and ordered the prisoners re- leased from the upper cell tiers into the rotunda, on the first floor.” Policemen were marshaled because there was no place to take prisoners ex- cept outside to uninclosed yards. Any disturbance of serious proportions ne- cessitating an emptying of the jail would bring into being a ring of steel about the brownstone building. “We have never had fire drills among the prisoners,” Col. Peak said, “but the ml are instructed what to do, of . ‘The building is practically fire- proof, but improvements are absolutely necessary. “We must have a new jail or mod- ernize the north and south wings. ‘These two wings ought to be torn down and modern cell blocks fitted with au- tomatic locking devices erected. The cells in these wings are dark and open l‘l‘:‘h’tgx block instead of toward the Overcrowded conditions are not in evidence at the jail, Col. Peak sald. About 500 prisoners ‘were - quartered there today in accommodations that may be made to care for 600. One of the needs made more pro- nounced by the architecture of the cells s fresh air, he said. Three Get Commissions. mmissions in the Reserve Corps of the Army have been issued by the War rtment to Herbert A. Whitney, 17 New Hampshire avenue, as a major and specialist; to Guy T. Bolton, 1627 R street, as a second liéutenant of Infantry, and to Edward G. Bowers, r_ College, as a second lieu- UNSTYLISH STOUTS RESOLVED TO| THE EVENING Women Will Gather in New York to Select Committee to Wage Style Battle. By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, April 24—The unstyl- ish stout is on the rampage, and some- thing is going to be done about this business of trying to cram a battleship figure into a cruiser-line gown. A brand-new line of clothes will be displayed on Fifth avenue next Fall by the ladies who tip the scales at 175 pounds or more. Next Tuesday afternoon women who confess to being “mighty sick of trying to wear their daughter's clothes” will gather at the Homemaking Center of the State Federation of Women's Clubs to select a committee to wage the bat- tle. And for perhaps the first time in their history they're going “to see themselves as others see them.” To show how much in earnest they are over this business of getting clothes to suit them, a number of women have offered to display themselves as “horri- ble examples” in a style show. ‘They're going to don tight coats that | 2 hug no-longer-slip hips, belted frocks | that pinch portly diaphragms and ruf- fled dreams designed for slim 16-year- old misses who have never tasted a cream puff. And they're going to march back and forth and show the assembled multitude just how terrible they can look. Won't See Themselves as They Are. “The great trouble has been,” one of the leaders of the movement declared, “that women who haven't streamline figures any more just won't see them- selves as they really are. “When they go to buy their clothes. they either have to get things designed originally for their daughters and stretched out of all proportion for their own dimensions, or_else they have to get something that looks like a grand- mother. The designers just don’t make things for them “Every year they sit back and wait until the styles come out and then, when it’s too late, they begin to holler. This time we aren't going to wait until we see the fashions to raise heck. We're going to begin right now.” They're going to begin after the style show Tuesday by selecting a_committee to_tell the dress marufacturers, who U. S. BARS FRENCH NOBLE BECAUSE HE MIGHT WORK Viscount Ian_ls de la Basseterie Appeals to Washington as En- trance Is Denied. By the Assoclated Press. NEW YORK, April 24:—A. French viscount has been refused admittance to the United States on the ground that he might go to work. Arriving on the liner Westernland, Viscount Louis de la Bassetiere pre- sented a one-year visitar's visa. A spe- cial board of inquiry at Ellis Island de- cided he might be tempted to accept a job and ordered him excluded. What prompted this conclusion was not re- vealed. The viscount was said te be the son of a former Boston wouten who married into the French nobflity. He said he would take an appeal to Washington, and his deportation was deferred. are already interested, what they want in the way of colors and belts and hem- lines, and a few other things. Prominent Women to Aid. Mme. Helen Volka, style director of the Homemaking Center; Mrs. Frank Shuler, president of the New York City Federation of Women's Clubs; Mrs. ‘William Dick Sporborg, first vice presi- dent of the State federation, and other prominent members will be there to aid in that committee’s selection. The dress manufacturers have agreed to tell their buyers to bring back Fall models from Paris which can be adapted with some dash to hips which are no longer what they used to be. A num- ber of prominent New York shops have promised to take on and sell the re- vised models. And when Fall comes, the woman who weighs promises herself, she’ll be “as y to gaze upon” as her slim and Wind, Rain and Sun have no terrors for — WASH aoz FOR IT LAUNDERS Beauty and harmony of color need no longer be sacrificed for servical range of att: ve colors, every one of which is durable. “\WaSHade" launders easily without streaks, cracks, sags or frays. Look for the“Seal of Quality." Itis an emblem of perfection and is found only on shades e from Landers “WaSHade" HADE SHO HOOPER & KLESNER 929 H St N.W. National 4763 Ge J. Benzing, Mgr. des and awnings tailored to your windo Philipsborn = BETWEEN LEVENTH ST. FsGC Just a Limited Quantity Is Offered in This Special Sale of Crepe D’Orsays It’s chic to match your Boudoir Pajamas with a pair of these new crepe D'Orsays—and it's economical to purchase them in this special sale—they’re so smart, so beautiful and comfortable too with their padded elk soles and covered Baby Sizes won't last long at this price so attend Spanish heels. early. $1.19 Powder Blue Street Floor Army Was tenant of Field Artillery. ‘Philipsborn ELEVENTH ST.- = BETWEEN Fa&G Dis_tinctive New Millinery at a Special Price Is Featured in Our Popular Price Hat Shop . .. Tomorrow in Our Annual After-Easter Hat Sale Styles for Miss or Matron in Brim or Brimless Effects $ b 4.45 A sale that brings to you hats that you need most — Baku Braids, Lacy Hairs, Novelty Weaves and Lacy Straws —in ) Summer’s newest col- ors, including Beige Clair, Blue, Yellow, San Marco Hula Brown, Blue and Black . . . ‘beautiful hats at the sensational low price of $4.45. All head sizes — small, medium and large. Street Floor STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1930. Philipsborn . . . /or’ More Than a Quarter Century . . , Important Fash- ion Center for Women and Misses Flowered chiffon - _ Jjacket frock, sleeve, less .. ..812.95 from the I cause af o at $12.95. Jacket Frocks of Crepe . . . One-piece Crepe Prints . . . One-piece Plain Crepes . . . The Polka Dot Mode . . . . . . + « o in dotted chiffon frocks . . . ‘or chiffon dét ensembles . . . in tailored frocks of dotted crepe... or dotted jacket frocks. Dots in chuddah . . . in shantung jacket with pastel frock. Boudoir Orchid Peach Bloom Pearl Shell Pink Opaline Rose Azure Blue - Flesh Corfu Blue Hibiscus Pink Apple Green Apple Blossom Pink Jonquil Yellow Nile Green Aqua Blue Seafoam Green Twilight Blue® - hilipsborn ELEVENTH ST. = BETWEEN F &G Blue Shantung ‘qcm frock, em- roidered flesh blouse, sleeveless ...$12.95 batiste Eal i 0 selling of dresses with which we open the Summer season. In pre« his event fur buyers go into the New. York market ... with instructions to secure, s Houses the most outstanding fashions in their entire lines. -And be., r .und associations with these high-grade manufacturers...and our reputa- ling qudlity merchandise ... material and tailoring'. .. always...we are able to pro-: gredt purchises at concessions that make these sale values possible. EVERY DRESS BT SELLER!” You will want to select your entire Summer wardrobe in the Sale.., All the Important Fashions . . . in Silk . . . at 12.95 Styles that went “big” at Winter resort places Jacket Frocks of Shantung . . . Jacket Frocks of Georgette . . . Jacket Frocks of Chiffon . . . Sleeveless Chiffons . . . Long-sleeved Chiffons . . . The Pastel Washables . . . . . . + « . in pastel sleeveless frocks . . . or pastel silk ensembles. Cape type pastel silks . . . and pastels with cape sleeves . . . pastel ensembles . . . sleeve- less silk frock with long white flannel coat. Fashion Colors Sponsored for Summer, 1930 Buttercup Navy Off-whites And Pure White Choose for sports . . for the dance. . for the office . . for all daytime occasions! Frock Shop—Second Floor