The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-29

BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
The PTkK MaRsHAI,s sym- AnxuAr aryoY-

VI cay Now receiver, 0VV copies
ordered to be printed The following ia abstract Of
the report
To IHK MAYOR, COMMON COUNCIL AND PoLu JUsrr6ss or
a THE Crr AND COUNTY or NEw YoRx:- f -#
Ia lsyirg before you my third ssmannual report for
the period embraced between the 3st May and
Of December, 1856 again have to press upon tue
Of passing Law for tue safer construction Of
the main of my last report AID expert
eLce only confirms the views which taen expressed
The Iumersos dsastes traced in that document to the
ncaes Of the present fire laws having reference
the const.ucton Of houses and the additional evil
d.nce which we have had since Of their insfi-
the .pubic to the necessity OF demanding ct your
hands the passage Of some enactment 70 remedy
sake that the present fire laws eec i've for the
objects aimed at there would still be pressing necessity
tsou oDlr s4ts"d. must 2. sns opera
second street This Limitation was deemed comprehe
eve enough at tbs time these laws framed the
rapid increase OF population and the vast improvements
which, OF ate years have taken place In the upper por
ton OF the city have converted Thirty second street
into the CENTRE instead of the boundary, Of city life
The consequences Of this delay In adapting fire lava
70 he ncsreng exgences OF progress is that
ne x IlS ana ns We see
tie of the beams In the different houses touching
Zach o.hsr, and rmiDg certain meaus Of commuaca
tipn In the event IRE. The mason work H. generally
speaking put mp 10 the isest spd most unsaosautis
MANNER ai to this cause Is to be Attributed many Of the
stcted to attendance fires withia the legal limits
these casualties would not be likely to occar bat
the erection of brick baidipgs every des ion
throughout the island There is necessity, no wever,
for theft being made to apply to frame buildings whore
communicating fire TO a6jaceot premises.
DEFECTS OF CONSTRUCTION. s.,.s
also feel my outy to cali your attention again to
the faulty system of constructing chimney ues
From the numerous fires occurring from that use my
experience has Convinced that Le to carry of the
heat OF furnace or 81 ohen range BALL in twelve
u Oh wall without any breast work, and having only one
hich either sce unsafe and that or later
he mi no GVad hr Tho hoan h..ar
across IT. sotn becomes overheated and charrtd and
combustion Is the result Independent Of this there are
ready prey to the flames In very mary Of ,dern
dwellings, which butt after called the Eoglish
syi-1nree houses being erected on fifty foot front
to the strength Of the ding The great ma
o ofthsss houses built byspecuators ssIe like
tue snowy-lookng bogus watches of the Peter Fupks
An attractive finish Is given to them, but there no
substance beneath and they catch FIRE, 1t will be
extremely difficult to them. By way OF illustrating
IT, ese II marks, viii mention soGle that have
lately fallen under my observation. In West Thirty
sect nd street. between the Eghrh and Ninth avenues
ands block Of some teen houses built the style
have just cesc,bed. with hot air furnace extensive
who occupied the dwelling No ESQ and VIII seem was
lis first tenant, disco vered unusual snell ia the
bouse, but tibuting it to ihs cooks putting light
about II O'Clock, without any further apprehension
Between and In the morning, of lhe children
awose, almost suffoca ed with smoke, aid gave the
alarm. On staring from his bed, Mr. Srdt found the
he, sc filed with thick fmoke sea5h being made
TO discover the cause ascertained nat the paru
ton Tear the furnace Was on fire. Toe plaster
down, AID with little assstan 20 Mr.. ;m,dt sue
eesded in extingu,shng the flames ssde smina-
ton Of the premises Immediately after and found that
the end of beam had been inherited ce to the
smoke ue About twelve inches OF it bad charred away
un'l it reached the lath aud plaster par tion where
coming in communication with current Of air rapid
combustlCn took place. Another case nearly similar
character occurred in Ninth street block Of three
houses Nos 40 AZ and "A, had been commenced there
by builder NAMED McDermott, utbecomipg emoar
raised before he rooted them they purchased and
prettiy flushed and attractive t, he eye they sold
readily at SIS 900 eachs Mr. Hutton urchased No. a.
kindea FIRE in The IA, mace and Kitchen r.nae in order
70 test them On the following morningabou Clock
the house was discovered to be frethe base on
blaze. The alarm having bee given in time the FIRE
was promptly extinguished On inve igANg the facts
into the furnace fue and the mmedatcsu of the
fire.
specton canntt take place without t'anng down the
plaster TO ascertain the position Of the bms thereby
ois6guring the premises It is evident tat the exauina
tien should be made while the building in process of
subjected to no sort Of check, sthe law now e1
its faults Of construction BY fancy wor In order to de-
ceve the eye Of the vary purchaser 70 guard against
these dishonest and dangerous practices special eu
acuaent Is required. Every builder oDwner should be
compelled to send In to the Board s Fire Wardens q
specification framed in dance With the act Of the
fom should be visited with demofion Of the faulty
work, and heavy fpe imposed and should the ,ca-
Nothing but stringent law Of this Ind viii correct the
evils IF the present reckless system building. House
SPECTATORS ave become utterly ryardless of
locating ones self in powder mill The building may
escape harmless for time but in theni destruction L
sure to overtake it, and the lives eff tn inmates eopar
died.
TENEMENT HOUSES.
Within the last few years. class Old wellings known
as tenement houses, ard embiDg suewhat in their
construction, the Paris and Edinburg fits have become
quite numerous in city. Built howver, in far less
substantial manner and liable to equet accidents from
the mum Der Of families that crowdednto them there
reason to app ehend extensive destruction Of life in
the event Of fire breaking out in the liver part Of any
Of them Some of these dwellings, s and six stories
high occupied by from twenty to thiy fami ies On
the occurrel CO Of such contingency ashat which
rcr despair ard danger which would resu from the diff
Guilty ofgetting at the persons occupynthe top apart
collection the catastrophe which occursd fe years
since in Greenwich avenue. Owing to to houghtle5s
and careless plan on which the public scoolhouse
erected there being only staircase the doors be-
ing made to open inwards, near hundreceoor children
lost their lives that occasion sipcehen, prscsu-
lions have been taken In The erection Of ool houses
to prevent the recurrence OF similar calnities. II
necessity exists for them suoh cases. sey they
urgently called fer in tenement houses The lattcr
have generally letkirg narrow s'acase and on
this, Ic haps, lie SAFETY Ut hundred lives each build
irg Is tepsneent. vii ion which the
dent On he rght u october 10 fire bike out 10 the
cellar Il one Of thee houses in Cherry str The build
siA occupied AZ harWaIe StOre on |
the first floor, and the arartu by ufards of TWEEN
~ lies. On the Grs slar the perrin in charge of
the pr.mife. rnn nom loor to floor locking at the
Some had retired 70 rest while othersere, f,rtunate-
y, oniy preparing for bed BY the eeatest exer.ons
tha wto of the creons in the house saved after
narrowy ESCAPING suffocation. One POE woman In the
extrsniy of her terror rushed with Dr. infant out
the roof an remained theI freezing vii cold until the
1e txtipguished. Had II destlyed the buildicg
she ust have inevitably perished asbe house stanis
Two stories higher than those immeciasy adjoining =
These hcts suggest the Necessity omeAsures beiag
enforced upon the propretors Of eneents houses to
provide for the safe egress Of their nmas in of fire.
The ost simple and effective Of compshing this
would, In my opinion be to erect outse each building
an iron with landings and does At each story
The whole Of this staircase should be me of open iron
work. 10 ~ to prevent the smoke from cllectng and
sufocsting those escaping by It. cannotsoo strongly
press upon you the Importance Of mmedte action In
this matter. stand In daily apprehensioAhst the me-
gect of CHI piecauton win lead TO extensive
and fearful calamity.
STORAGE OF FRHw0RK1- |
The storage of Gre works for sale within II fire limits
49, - C.i~>