New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-17
LONDON FIRE ESCAPES.


d,es of Yankee inventors are racng their brains TO
find some way Of satisfying the demand brief de-
scr;ptou of the means employed In London may be Of
sarv;cs There Is In that city an association known az
"Tbe ROYAL Society for the Protection OF Life from
Fire. II was organized in 1896, but not until alters
treat sacrifice of life at fire in 1S43 did the public be-
CONS thoroughly awakened on the subject. Ine o0-
ect of this Society is solely the Preservation OF e
they pay no regard to property Their plan Is 70 nam
tain an organized body of men, provided with puonc
fire escapes stationed in different parts OF the CITY, LID
charge Of these escapes are men called Conducsors'
who are thoroughly drilled in the working OF their
machines
The fire-escape on which they place the most reii-
ance consists of seres of ladders arranged on two
wheels as to be easily run to fre-where the truck
forms frm substantial footing for the ladders The
main ladder reaches from 30 TO IS feet high and can
be instantly applied TO most second-fioor windows.
Another ladder is attached about midway Of the main
one folding nicely inside of It, which can be nstanta-
neousy thrown to upper story by means OF rope,
or series of pulleys on the carriage beneath To this
again can be attached another light ladder, in mo-
ments tme thus reaching to hight of from 60 to 30
feet Detached from the main ladder is still another
one designed for first foors Under the whole length
of the main ladder is trough, or baggng, made
of stout sacloth which is protected from the flames
by covering of wire gsuze. The sail-cloth is also
rendered fre-proof by being soaked in solution OF
alum.
Having arrived at the scene Of the fire, the maiu
ladder is thrown up against the building s mounted By
the Conductor who goes up from one to five stories, as
he may desire. Entering the burning building by the
window, the Conductor conveyst to the ladder such
persons as he may find inside places them in the can
vass trough, and they slide in safety to the street.
These machines have been in since the formation
of the Society but have only reached their present
perfection after many alterations and improvements.
Their cost is from $3.50 to $780, In l543 the Society
commenced operations with six of these escapes, and
during that year they attended ll6 fires, and saved Is
lives This experiment showed 80 conclusvely their
excellence that the Society used every exerion to in
crease its usefulness.
Being maintained entirely by the voluntary contri-
buttons of members Of the Society persistent effort was
used to add new names to the list "Her most gra-
cious Majesty the Queen came forward asparon with
the annual contribution Of flOl0I. Her example was
followed by the Mayor Dukes Aldermen, andcvilians
who all became members Of the Society," and each gave
q certain sum yearly. Now the Society numbers up
ward of $4,000 MEMBERS and the contributions to the
fund for the year 1859 amounted to f7,5lO ga. The
disbursements for the same time were t6,5oS 81,
of which f3, 1877 III was paid to 90 conductors and
assistants The Society have now 20 re-escapes, sta
toned in as many different redistrcts and more will
be introduced as soon the funds will warrant. Dur
ing the year 1852 these escapes attended 4S2 different
res and 60 lives were saved by them. Since the for
nation of the Society," SIS persons have been rescued
from burning buildings by their means.
When we think Of the awful nature of fre-its
audiences breaking out at dead Of night awakening
startled men, women, and children from profound
seep-t is not surprising that they bereft OF con-
scousness and wholly unable to think act for them
selves. In such emergencies their only hope of saliva
tom remains with those outside. person inside
burning building cannot be expected to know or DO
anything. These reescapes early on the ground,
are worked by cool-headed, intrepid men, who are
drilled to the service like so many soldiers 1t is their
business and they paid for doing it, In addition to
the salaries paid Them the Society substantially reward
such persons instrumental in saving lfe During
the past year the Society rewarded, either by money
or medals, fortyfv different persons, among whom
were conductors, policemen, and civilians.
This serves as a special inducement for the con-
duetors to display their daring and activity, well
to make them ambitious to be early at a fire. On
number of occasions large purses have also been made
up and given the conductors for their bravery by the
people of the neighborhood, that they have every
inducement to attend faithfully their duties. In
necton with the system Of ladders, they also use,
occasion requires long bag, distinct from the ladders
reaching from the upper stories to the street. through
which persons reach the ground in safety. An
escape similar to this latter exhibited here in the
Park short time since. Each conductor is provided
with light ak, and such other implements as he may
require for the purpose of bursting in doors blinds
He also carries rope to let himself down with in
an accident should occur to the ladder in any
other emergency.
This whole London system of paid company Of
men to work public fire-escapes has proved
full that it is being introduced into other European
Cities the time that it is being extended in the
city where it originated. Human life is there consid
cred sufficiently valuable to warrant those who have
money in expanding portion of to save their fell
lows from the flames. The result is so perfectly salts
factory that the public would not do without it any
considerations in fact, few of the fire districts
have assumed the entire expense of purchasing and
maintaining their own escapes subject to the rules of
the Society.
The system of rewarding individual cases Of daring
anu nuePiuJ LAS Pro'ou such stinuiint w enoIgcuO
action on the part of Conductors that the Society have
resolved to encourage wherever it is to be found in
England Last year they gave number Of medals
and heavy sums of money to persons living in other
cities and towns for saving human life at fires. AS an
instance of the daring of these fearless London
fe-preServers we will mention two exploits of Sam
uel Wood, Fre.Escape Conductor No. IL:
At midnight on the 3lst of January, fire occurred