The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-02

slructlon OF the town ana ltS DeautuuI wire
bridge is threatened. Will not some of the
authorities at points thus menaced try the
simple experiment of can of nitro-glycerine
on one Of these ice dams? Our opinion is
that a charge of the New Jersey rendrock would
open way for the water, and that the dam
would disappear. If one would not half a
dozen would, and town like Port Jervis
seems to us worth the experiment.
The Neglect or the Building Law
The Duty Of the Mayor.
The accident at the Duane street church is
now piece of sorrowful history and as such
will soon pass out Of the memory of all ex-
cept those who are suffering from injuries in
ficted or mourning over. the lives that were
lost in the calamity. 1t is to be deplored that
such vistations make but a transient impress
sion on the public mind and that the interest
they excite for the moment is soon lost in the
rapid succession Of events. The press may
do its best to point out the carelessness that
led to the fatal occurrence and to warn the
people of the dangers to which they are ex-
posed from similar recklessness and neglect,
but churches, theatres and other public build
ings that are little better than traps for human
life continue to be we'll attended, and in q
week the warning is forgotten Nevertheless,
the Mayor cannot be excused if he should fail
to promptly punish the officers intrusted with
the enforcement of law to the disregard of
which the accident is directly traceable.
The duty of the Superintendent of Build
ings is very clear. The wall of the Shaw
building was condemned as insecure after the
late fire, and the pastor of st. Andrews
church received notification of the danger.
If the owner neglects to secure or remove
condemned wall or building by noon of the
day succeeding that on which he is notified by
the Building Department of its insecurity,
the law empowers and requires the Superin-
tendent of the Department to step in and do
the work necessary for the public protection.
Immediately after the fire Of the 18th Of jan
uary the Superintendent became officially
aware Of the danger in Duane street and
gave the required notice to the owner
of the Shaw building; yet the wall
was left standing until the fatal even
ing when it fell, six weeks afterward. It
is idle to say that it had been ''braced." The
fact of the insuf6ciency Of the means taken to
render it safe is shown in the terrible result.
If the Superintendent of Buildings believed
that the bracing was sufficient he is an in
competent officer and unfit to hold his posi-
ton a single day. If he lent himself to the
cheap way of repairing the damage adopted
by the contractor his removal is even more
imperative.
It is not in this instance alone that the in
capacity or neglect Of the Building Depart
ment is shown. There is general disregard
of those portions of the Building act that are
particularly designed for the protection of
large gatherings of people. Section 20 of the
law, which will be found in another portion
of the HERALD, points out the precautions for
egress, which are enjoined under penalty,
necessary to guard the lives of those
within places of public assembly. It
is the duty Of the Superintendent of
Buildings to sec that this law is faithfully OBJ
served. The LET already published in the
HERALD shows that out of 1859 churches ex-
amined by our reporters q only have ex-
terror doors opening outward, 10 have sliding
doors, while 1913 have doors opening inward,
which are so many traps for human life in
case Of panic and rush for egress 1t is
notorious that the managers of our theatres
frequently block every passage with chairs
and camp stools, rendering the escape of the
audience in case of fire almost an impossi-
bility. It is not practicable, probably, that in
all cases the heavy exterior church doors shall
be made to open outward. But in the few
instances in which this cannot be done there
should be two sets of outer doors provided.
The large doors should be made to double
back against the inner WALL and should be
securely fastened in that position during ser
vice, while the extra DOORS such as are used
in theatres and saloons, of baize or cloth,
should be used to exclude the cold and noise,
and made to swing outward. Nothing is
more certain than that a wise law, framed for
the protection OF life, is shamefully disre-
garded by those whose duty it is to enforce it,
and there is no safety for the people in such
a case but in the removal and punishment of
the unfaithful or incapable officers.
Common Sense OF Rapid Transit.
The position of the HERALD toward the
rapid transit discussion is this: I've are in
favor of every plan that can possibly be sug-
gested of solving the great problem of quick
( communication. The way TO obtain rapid
transit is to utilize what we have and begin at
the beginning. We have steam railway