The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-30
LIEE-SAVING APPARATUS.
The London Fire Netting and
How 1t Is Used.
A PROJECTILE SCHEME.
What the New York Fire Com
nisSioners Think Of It.

great catastrophe such as the Barclay street ex.
plosion where death in It's terrible form appears
Is always pregnant with lessons for tho community TO
ponder and take to heart When the first excitement
10 over theorists at once find employment for their
brains and no end OF schemes laid before the public
Tor tho saving oil life and property in tho or
recurrence Of similar disasters Unfortunately this
lover Is very transient II passes away quickly
and usually before any practical good Is effected by IT,
Now that another DISASTER has occurred and human
life has been lost the usual avalanche Of warnings and
suggestions may be looked for.
Alte.~gh the catastrophe in Greenfcld's confec-
tioncry establishment was sudden that its fatal
work was done at and tho bulk OF the Survivors
had means Of speedy egress, the tact that large
Der OF girls were employed in the upper stories, as
they are In numerous factories through New YORK,
makes II Iudicious to determine some or rem
dering assistance in case Of ire where ready means
OF exit Is not Afforded During the last few years
there have been numerous instances OF people beng
isolated from aid by Ares the lowor portion thor
housea The recollection OF the Southern Hotel at
ST. Louis, with It's upper windows swarning with
ilstarrcd inmates who had dreadful alternative OF
oashng themselves 10 pieces in the street below
OF pcrishing miserably in the flames. is strong
ready assistance IN such circumstances Tho work.
men imprisoned IN Hales piano factory and the two
children who some months ago were burned 10 death
in Ludlow street tenement house, after vanly i'm
plorns help from the windows, will also be r. men,
bered as tho results OF Inefficient means Of escape
from burning buildings.
Up 10 the present lime the equipments OF the hook
and ladder companies have been deemed ample
enough to insure the rescue OF people from the pcrs
described. But Of late fires have burst out sud
denly and made hcadwny rapidly that lie has been
menaccd before ladders could be erected Some other
means Of rendering assistance 10 needed and ono plan
which the London Fire Department have under
consideration seems TO be feasible.
NEW
Tho suggestion came from the London Graphic,
which, It's impression OF November "a has Illus
tration showing It's practicabilily the BACKGROUND
OF tho picture is blazing house. from upper story
OF which mother has just her child and is about
10 leap herself Their safety, however, is insured,
Tor on the street below netting Is spread to receive
them. IL is square sheet OF cordage supported
four upright poles, which are held by Tour police
attached to them keep th6M firm and steady Con-
corning this illustration the London Graphic has the
following explanation -
This engraving which taken from suggestive sketch
sem TO s y o r shows
fest that we venture predict that y will long be
widely adopted The idea is taken from the
minister aquarium aud aaray at tie Alexander Palsce
and ss mass n 81 dang
gerons as they apncar US the elasticity OF the netcouner
body The ouIy risk IS Of the performer aIns
as 70 BREAK his nees an eyentuy SO exsremsy
Improbable DO hardly confederation. Tue ai
Sy snsapsss; and s,mp'is,y Jhs sossass
a be ~ spikes 70 sT Ss
ground These would be held BY policemen, hremen
sosa the ''G"s saesay % .'Dii pas
difficulty in persuadns aged or nervous people TO jaap
from second or third story even to save the from
pcrilicd endowed with unwonted and many
capcd from great heights the arms Of persons below
even on TO the bare pavement, ut the risk OF life and
We therefore unhssitatnsy recommend the apparatus
may concern rs an Invaluable suggestion which ought at
CO be adopted
Tho lack OF some such apparatus as this IS without
doubt drawback 10 The efficiency Of the New York
Ere Department. great advantage claimed Tor
the new apparatus IS It's convenience; u could
readily be carried by the hook and ladder
wagons, IN fact on either hose cart or engine, and
II would require but minute TO Put u IN position.
Large factories, where numbers oil employees are en-
gagged on the upper storcs could also be provided with
some such contrivance.
PREVIOUS FAILURES OF INVENTORS.
Tho Scoli-Uda ladder, II was thought, would be
equal to any emergency, and on Its adopiio by the
department IL was believed that any building however
high. could be reached by IL, ami that II could be
erected IN space OF time short enough To meet any
danger however urgent The unnappy results OF tho
experiment II by which three lives were lost served
10 emf It's usefulness coroncr's jury condemned IL
and the Fire commissioners had the ladders put out
the way and refused 10 allow any further expert
mcnts to be- made with them. A machine which
expected 10 greatly Increase the departments ell
cency was in this way disposed OF, and with the
cep,ion OF a sectional ladder which some companies
are provided with only the ordinary ones are in usc
A suggestion was made time since to
have propelling machine Introduced
tho department Tor the purpose OF throwing
into impcrlllcd buildings Il neavy object with a
rope attached the Same principle AS cables arc
conveyed TO ships IN distress at sea by this means
COMMUNICATION could 90 established between Inc
upper stories al burning houses ana the ground, SO
enabling their occupants 10 escape The suggestion
LAID before The Commissioners but the propeiling
machine has never bccn seen ut a fire.
OPINION FIRE EXPERTS
HERALD reporter yesterday called upon several OF
the Fire Department officials 10 ascertain their views
concerning tho Introduction OF the LONDON net con-
tryancn and such other equipments for the forco
would better enable them to save lite.
commissioner German SAID. ~ nave rcaa oil the
IRE notung, but am inclined 10 DOUBT It's efficacy
Il 1t be the sort OF cordagc trapcze perform
use am satisfied that II would not be OF service
nfc Should man oil lao pounds weight iail upon
from inird story window IL would DO apt TO yield
Jx or seven Icct TO his impetus. Now surprising a
man OF my wcighu continued Mr.. German, referring
10 his own geodiy proportions, suppose should fail
tnat dstance tue netting would III all probability
give away entirely"
But said the reporter, at could DO made sulci-
emily strong TO sustain even that pressure"
"lruo,n the Commissioner admitted, "Dut II made
very strong aud drawn very tau iall upon tho net.
ting DC almost disastrous rs descent upon
pine board Remember, u Is no Pleasant matter 10
tall iulo tho elastic cordagc o. trapeze performers
netting / have known people 10 break their arms
and TO DO covered with bruscs by beiog precipaicd
into the cordage only short distance. Then think OF
lno lime ana trouble II would require TO erect these
poles wnercon the netting rests They would have 10
very tall and very stanch and there would DC
number oil people required to pull the ropes ~ hold
lhc.n steady. Now, urc begins very suddenly and
spreads very rapidly, ana the police instructed 10
clear the streets ia the ncghDornood Of Tue people
IN them, eacn man on tho force has bis auty
TO perform aud every fireman has nus
functions assigned him. that the erection
o tue netting would be fruitful cause OF confusion
Tucrc would bc no people by 70 pull on The ropes aud
secure tho urrgnts, qua the police and nrcmen could
not wei DC spared IRON their posts. by the timo The
netting would be got into position ladders could DO
srectcd, ana couple oil good disciplined men have
.hc threatened occupants OF house out OF danger IN
atwlnkIng. What we want Tor emergencies OF this
tall ladders and experienced That Is
the real dcsiucratum At present have very SER
vceable ladders Tor ordinary ires IN special
have sectional ladders sixty five feet length.
lncsc would be amply tall enough 10 reach tue upper
it0r,cs Of most houses. However | am oil opinion
mat the aerial ladder, which Is also known tue
Scott ida ladder, might BIO made great avail.
1hcrc were four OF them purchased by the
city before the unfortunate accident In East
broadway square made them obnoxious a coroner's
Jury condemned them, you know, and the Commits
soners, that, have been chary Of using them.
wo have them stil, and am certain they could be OF
advantage II properly strengthened ami handled. |
should ike TO submit them Tor examination to
mitec oil experienced mcntakc, Tor instance. Charles