New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-15
DINGrRoUS HOUSES And INSURANCE

DANGEROUS HOUSES, md INSURANCE.
Whatever vitality affects the Insurance in
terest affects business generally; and whatever
does that touches the pockets Of everybody,
the couDtIy through. On every account, there
fore, il is most d, siIable that the interest in
our modes Of building which the Boston fire
has freshly aroused, should not he permitted
to die ont till the reforms which all see to be
needed should be fairly enforced.
! But we shall only do harm by ndisuimuate
/ ccnsure. 1t Is idle, for instance, 10 Tail at
! high buildings They are q necessity Of most
! city architecture; are especially necessity in
New-York and, if made really fre-proof, are
nOwise Objectionable. The higher really
fire proof building is carried, in fact, in
a dangerous locality, the better, since you
thus inteIposc an obstacle to the rapid
spread Of The flames SO it is idle
70 rail al the MansaTd roof In itself il is
unohicctionaile 1t is only its faulty, its Grim
inaly reckless construction of iuAammable
material that has made the very name a ter
ror TO Insurance agents and propCrty-holders.
But the thoughtful man who looks through
some of our richest and most dangerous New
York streets viii note three facts:
J.. The houses are so doep-ofcn hundred
feet on morc-that from the ground a stream
OF water cannot be made to 20 one-iiith of
the length al the rooms on the third or fourth
story. 4 fire in the center of the building,
and IN the upper stories, is absolutely beyond
reach from the street.
2. The center is made the most dangerous
part of the building, by the well-hole for
light, which runs from the ground to the roof,
gives draught for the flames, and forms a
chimney 10y which they may rise above the
building to communicate with the next.
3. The houses thus cOntrived for the pro-
lection of an incipient fire give equal facility
for its rapid spread. If they are not sur
mounted by a pine framework Mansard with
one open attic without division walls, running
the full length of the block, they have fiat
roofs, with paTapet walls, too low to offer any
obstacle to the spread of the flame from one
to another or any protection to the fremen
who strive to cOntne them.
The first and second dangers we must en-
dure The third admits Of an easy remedy.
Let Insurance Companies refuse all risks on
"fre-proof buildings" crowned with lumber
ward roofs and let them insist that in blocks
covered by a connecting fiat. roof there shall
be parapet trails bet,ceen the houses eight
TO ten feet high, wih fer opertures'
50 arranged as to permit the free play Of the
hose pipe Through IL. That simple precautiOn
would, in majority of cases, make the diff
ference between the burning of a single house
and the destruction of a block. Behind
the parapet wall, fremen could work
effectively till the last moment IF
forced to retreat, his short ladder would
enable him to cross TO the next roof,
where be could determinedly renew the fight.
In few quarters here, and we believe also in
Brooklyn, this plan has been tried, and it has al
ways worked well. 1t affords safeguard that
can be readily applied now to mang Of our
most dangerous blocks, and the Insurance
Companies have ample means Of securing it.
They have equal power TO secure the re-
moval of infammaDle Mansaid roofs. One or
two such, and notably one on a conspicuous
Broadway hotel, might fifty provoke the i'm
mediate intervention Of law for the rest, the
Insurance Companies can correct the evils, if
they will I; and we cannot have safe insurance,
or safe business of any kind in New-YOrk,
until they 10.
The subject is fertile in suggestions to which
we may recuF but meantime it is worth
while, before closing, TO emphasize one point |
Tie tar Ia NeiG- York Las, for some time been |
peremptory in requiring that Mansard roofs |
should only be constructed on fre-pr0Of frame |