New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-25
THE SAFETY OF BUILDINGS.
REQUIREMENTS AND VIOLATIONS OF THE
LAW.

partment of Public Buildings have pceh Drought n'o
especial prominence, and the matter Vi oSross iuN
buildings where persons congregate 10 "oi no 'ho '
posal Of unsafe buildings, both oil Whlch come unuor
their iusisdicton have exctot much comment ""o.
the present Superintendent, Walter W. Adams assumed
Denartmept three subdivisions were MADE
the Bpreau OF Construction Unsafe Buildings ana No-
o,ons and Iron Work and Fire Escapes The matter OF
eg1css from public buildings comes WITHIN the ast SUD
division and OF this bureau Charles X HYDE has charge
Attcbed 20 IL are abou: 20 inspectors, who are con-
sonty in attendance ut the theaters hotels factories
eto Immediately reporting all violations OF the law,
after which notice is servod and II the violation is not
abated suit is begun for the OF the fine imposed
nv law Tho law upon this subject leaves much to the
discretion OF the chief OF the Bureau and is far from
definite in its requirements. 1t Is as follows:
In all buildings Of public character already erected
or hereafter TO he built In said ety. such az hotels.
churches tneaters, schoOhouSes restaurants railroad
depots public halls. and other buildings used or ln-
tended TO be used for purposes OF puUc amusenen or
instruction. the halls doors, stairways seats and aisles
shall he arranged as 10 tacltae egresS Ill cases OF
fire or accident and to afford tho requisite auo proper
for the public protection IN such cascs
and ali ases and plssage-ways IN SAID buildings de-
voted purposes OF amusement or lhsrhct0h sIal DC
kent free from campIOOls chairs sofas and other OBJ
suctiOns, during any performance, service ehnOloh
lecture concert, ball, or any public as'emolagei Hnd
the superintendent OF Buildings may at any tlmo serve
a written or printed notice upon inc owner lessee, OF
manager Of any Of said buildings directing any act or
thing be done In or about the OF Tue sara
buildings, and the several appliances herewith CON
ssJes and escapes 80 as to afford the greatest possible
security 10 public in the uses to whlch they may DO
severally applied. (Chap' G25, Sec 29l
Every off,nse is punishable by hne OF $50 Tie De-
partment has been taking especial pains of late to
break up the custom OF using chairs and stools in the
asles of the theaters and elsewhere OIly suit has
been instituted for violations OF this kind, and that
is against Sheridan Shook Of the union Square Theder
Special the modes OF was paid at the
time of the first meeting in tho HppOdrome, at which
Henry Marley preached, the proprletors being dl-
rected to keep open all the doors while large number
of chairs placed upon the track removed, that
every facility might be afforded for gaining the en-
trance Copies OF the above law have been sent to
every place OF public TO which II may apply aud
1t has been generally complied with. Tue following re-
port from Inspector Ssbee regarding the theaers
report required weekly by Superintendent Adams:
have made Official inspections OF the following named
theaters, halls and places OF amusement win reference
guards ventilation, me tus OF rgreSS IN case OF hre
or other casualty and also with reference u hlfGons
of section 20 OF ne Buhdlng Law COl9sseuH; 1lppo
drome Buotus Walldck's Fifth Avenue Park, Olympic,
NIbio's. WOoG's Museum, Metropolitan Comlqu,
Bowery Germania, sIddi ItVOl Lyecun' ULT P
Square, Bryanrs and san Francisco Minstrel HANS
Argyle Rooms, Hs Varieties, etc, and nave no lhrac
lions Of the law to report In either.
Many precautionary improvements havo b2en re-
ouired in number OF the theaters during the past year.
Freesclpes ordered ia the Fifth Avenue Thea'er
connecting the stage with the dressinC-rooms Of the
members Of the company. The auditorium OF the Park
by order OF the Department while the changes were
making Additional means Of egress were provided, ana
the time required 10 empty the theater diminished
from eleven TO five minutes The stdirways IN the Met
ropotan were widencd four feet The Stadt Tneater,
the largest in the city, having capacity to seat 2i3
persons has been very extensively altered AMI placed
in q far safer condition than ever before There are
now nine means of egress and full house may be easily
cleared in four minutes The Germania may BIO
emptied in four, aud Waacks in two or two
and half minutes In raising tue seats
at Robinson Hall two doors were closed. bat
their reopenlng perampioriIy ordered by tho
Bureau. 1t Is believed by the Department. that
sufficient Of egress provided at all the thea
tiers and places OF amusement in tho city. Tne outer
doors during performance are never closed, and the
inner are usually either swinging doors of such light
material as to be easily removed in OF emergency
MANY changes have been made by the Department In
the main doors Of public buildings, aad now 1t Is under
stood all open outwardly THIS Is certainly the case
with all the schOOhOuses 1t was proposed 10 make the
same change IN the classroom doors, and nave them
omen into the hallway, but this course the teachers
enormously opposed arguing that II this were done tAey
coud moi control the children OF emergency as
we'll "a when the doors opened inwIrdY. For this rea
gon the changes were not made. Sliding doors 1t IS con-
sidered could be OF little use in any event. as tue pres
SIRE brought against them in Of rush would com
pletely prevent their use.
With very few exceptions, tho outer doors OF all
the churches in this city open nwardly. From time to
,no the matter has been discussed In the Department.
but never agtaed in public and with the understanding
that during church service tho outer doors never
closed, decided action has ever been taken In tho
matter Since Mr.. Adams has been In tho Department,
thorough examination has been made OF every church
In the city, as the general condition OF the roofs.
walls, etc. and plans Of construction furnished by tho
inspectors. Now, a number Of competent men
tha CHI rpg OF
DOORS the width OF tho Railways and the stairs,
complete diagrams Of the means Of egress will DO fur
nished at early day. II has not yet been decided
whether the congregation shall Do required to make
changes regard to the DOORS but the natter will 10
carefully considered. In large majority Of tho
prominent churches in this city the doors swing toward
the inside, and TO change them would render
necessary great expense aud at the same
many instances 10 would entail an almost entire
change Of tie work aEOund the entrances, par
tcuary those having arched doors An nuisance cited is
that Of one the churches in Harlem, 10 change
The outer doors OF which would iayolve great ex.
pense. Such change would completely reyOluJonizj
the appearance of the CHURCHES, anu IL Is proposed
stead law DO passed compelling those IN charge
TO keep the open during service As iu the
ters the inner doors all open outwardy swing either
way, OF such light framework as TO afford no
Obstruction In case Of any The usual copy
OF the upon this matter has been sent 10 church,
as we'll as other places to which appes but tie
that outer doors shall be closed during service
has never been strictly enforced.
The Department OF Public buildings Is put TO far
greater trouble in the matter OF remOyngunsafe build
Jugs or walls the law in this respect very clearly deu
ing what they do IN such the law provides
that when any building parts Of building snail be-
come gerOus unsafe they snail be immediately
tered upon the docket OF unsafe buildings, and the
owner lessee, agent served with notice TO remove
or secure the II he shall assent 10 this
shall be allowed TIL noon OF the following day to begin
the securing or removal, but upon MS refusal 10
comply with any of these requirements, then further
notice shall be served the effect that survey Of the
premises will be made WITHIN three days by three cOmps
tent persons of whom shall be the superintendent
or his deputy, another architect appointed by the
NewYOrk Chapter OF the American Institute OF AIcn
tecs this city, ana thlrd shall he appointed by
The person or persons receiving the notice, II
such premises then be reported unsafe or dan.
gerous the report will be placed before o
-. fnnn fhn I,tA.rn