The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-01
LOCAL MATTERS.

LDAJAh M ~ L l. LIlkC.
DRILLING THE HooK-AND-LADDER TRUCK
MES.-In order to render the IIook-and-
Ladder men expert in the use of their lad
dcrs and other apparatus, the Chief En-
eineer OF the Fire Department has lately
directed the commander Of that company to
drill the men once or twice 4 week. lcs-
terday afternoon there was drill in rear
OF one OF the brick buildings south OF Main
in the alley between Ninth and Tenth
streets. The two heavy ladders were put
up and jonted. being, when put together,
sixty-fve feet long. The men made as good
time as could be cNpccted-that is, the lad
ders were placed upon the building and
| iointed in about ten minutes; but
! it must be remembered that they are inl-
menSely heavy and difficult 10 manipulate
even with full complement OF men and
under favorable circumstances. What will
be the result in case of fire in one of our
large hotels with Il number Of people call
ing for help from the fourtil-story windows,
the fire making rapid hcadwav, and thou
sands OF people below crowding the men
and insisting upon offering all sorts OF suS-
gestions, it is hoped Richmond may never
be called on to witness. The truth is,
these ladders are too heavy and unwicldy,
and ought to be replaced by lighter appa-
ratuS.
Superintendent Adams, OF the Depart
lncnt OF Buildings, of New York, says that
all the hotels there are carefully inspected
from time to time, and that many alterations
to increase their safety have been made
since the general inspection of public build
ings after the fire at the Fifth-Avenue Ho-
tel IN December, 1872. New stairways' have
been cut in some OF them, and fire-escapes
have been added in others. The depart
ment does not permit even mere lodging
house to be kept as such unless there is
occupants. In nearly all the hotels fire.
alarms and detecterS have been provided
which would rouse all the guests as soon
as fire occurred.
The hotels, Mr.. Adams says, do not re-
quire outside fire-eScapes in the same de-
gree rs tenement-houSes, for the reason that
the former contained so many separate stair
cases. No hotel in the city, he thinks, is so
unsafe as the one burned in st. Louis, which
contained, he understood, only one stair
way, had no tirc-cscapcs, and was unpro-
yided with enunciators. ....
The danger that elevator shafts would
serve as flues to carry flame and smoke to
the upper stories when fire broke out be-
low was one which could scarcely be obvi-
ated. Another peculiar danger Of hotel
fires was the fact that no matter how many
stairways there might be the guests were
generally accustomed to 90 to and from the
ground floor in the elevators, and in n scene
of peril and confusion did not know where
! to look for the other means OF exit.
lie approves OF fire-eScape consisting OF
IN endless iroa chain running to the ground
| fr l,a of r.
| ing. All Il person had to do in order to
come down by it from any height was to
firmly grasp the chain, and his own weight
would slowly bring him to the ground in
safety. He had tried it himself, and, though
heavy man, felt sense OF absolute Sc
curity in descending from n lofty building.
The objection had been made to its utility
in case Of fire that women would not dare
to trust themselves to such support, but
the ST. Louis fire had proved that they would
risk themselves on ropes made from strips
OF bed-clothing. AS the weight OF single
man moved the chain but slowly, large
number OF persons could cling to it ut once
and come down with only moderate speed.
At trial OF the apparatus in Chicago sixty
five persons descended by it from the top
story of hotel within four minutes.
Mr.. Adams says that he had had this fire.
escape applied to number OF factories and
other buildings, and that he should try to
secure its adoption by the proprietors OF
some of the hotels.
In regard to the great height oisome hotels,
which in case OF fire would OF course in
crease the danger to the occupants OF the
upper stories, Mr.. Adams says that his de-
partment had no power to limit the height
of any building, provided the walls were
OF sufficient thickness.
President Perley, OF the New York Fire
Department, in regard to the present appli-
ances for rcscuing persons from lofty build
ings, says that the Fire Department has four
aerial ladders of the Scott-Uda pattern
which could be raised q hundred feet. They
are not taken to every fire, OF course, but
could be called for at any time by special
alarm. There was no difficulty in elcvating
a ladder fifty feet, but the work OF raising
one to height much greater required the
use OF machinery. A siXty-fiye-foot ladder
was carried on every truck in the depart
ment.
These views OF New York tiremen will
doubtless be CT interest and value to the
managers OF our department.
Next week the Hook-and-Ladder men will
try their apparatus upon the rear OF the
American Hotel.
THE CITY VS.. THE BUILDING FUND ASSo-
cIArI0Ns.-The continued cases of the city
against the Mechanics, East-End. and Per-
petual Building Fund Companies was called
in the Police Court at 2 O'Clock yesterday.
The counsel for the companies moved to
dismiss the warrants upon the ground that
the time required of them to make their re-
turns had not yet expired. The Court dis
missed the cases.
THE MOFFETT REGIsTER.-lt is expected
that the commissioners OF the revenue for
the cities of the State will meet at the office