New-York tribune., 1873-01-23

reveal. we mu5I, Juon, VVn"i""o '''" '
body is TO blame, and the responsibility ought
to be fixed by proper authority.
Let us summarize the revelations which
these several inspections have made First as
to danger in buildings largely frequented.
One largo hospital,-of class OF buildings
usually constructed with especial view 20 Sc
curity as well as cleanliness,-was tound 10
be without means of escape in case Oh nre
for its $50 inmates. One theater out or nve
which were inspected was without adequate
means of escape or for extinguishing nre.
Seven tenements were reported as positive
man-traps. Eleven out of fourteen hotels
were practically no less dangerous TO their nu-
merOus guests. Half of the sixteen public schools
inspected were without broad entrances ana
wholly without fre-escspes and facilities 1or
extinguishing flames. And of the one hund-
red and forty-s seven manufacturing establish
ments each employing from twenty-five 10
five hundred men, women, and children all
were found to be unprOvided with means Oh
escape. There may have been other buildings
of this character inspected and found well
supplied with escapes, but ii so they are
unrecorded. Literally accepted, the reports say
that every manufacturing establishment which
the officers visited was found dangerous.
Take again the healthful condition of the
places inspected The report now published
is the first of series, and if the tales which
the others are to tell read as horribly as the
first, the aggregate of woe recorded will be
something appalling. Twenty-six cellars and
Easements have been found unfit for human
habitation, yet we are left to infer that Sanitary
Inspectors have permitted them to be occupied
Two printing houses and Two tobacco factories
in the business heart of the city were
found in an indescribably filthy condition,
detrimental TO health" "the ventilation bad"
and the floors and stairs incrusted with
" filth of gradual accumulation" In twenty
school buildings inspected the reports declare
the ventilation bad, the drainage defective, the
light deficient, and the buildings "unft for
"school purposes" OF course these defects
will be remedied, since popular fear and In
dignation have compelled the distressing dis
closures; but this will not be enough.
What assurance is there that the delinquent
officials who have permitted them to existthus
long will not allow them within the year to
lapse into the same foul and dangerous cOndi-
ton We must be assured Of good. regular,
constant supervision before we can be certain
that the evils now complained of will not be
repeated. There is no other present cure and
no other means of prevention. We must have
a different set of officers, or the officers we
have must be inspired with a different notion
of their responsibilities.
There is some suggestion Of remedy in the
action of the American Institute of Architects,
which we record elsewhere. Certainly any
combination of authority, experience, and
science such as is suggested which secures
us wise direction in the construction of all
classes of buildings is desirable. At least it
is worth contemplating. No class Of men,
unless it be the Insurance Underwriters, have
a greater interest in perfecting our buildings
and the means for their protection than the
architects; and the union of such experts with
public authorities in the supervision and
inspection of buildings, as well as in codify-
ing laws regulating the construction of build
ings, is one of the happiest suggestions con-
tanned in Gov. Dix's late message.