New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-10
local MISCELLANY.
AB,Lr. TO 1NJuRE BUSINESS BUILDINGS,
suy rHr BnowsrNG BILL CONCERNING sLEVAroHS


mr., To INJIyRE BUSINESS BUILDINGS.
suY rHr BROWSING BILL coScERSiS" ShA A'0'D
SHOULD De DEFEATED. -
~. III, NOW before the Legislature when
t,odnced by Assemhlyman Brownlng anu las
hssn renorted fayorably by the insuranco az IN
zee o. tue hch elevators are used The bill pro
Sdss that In all cases substantial covers ins In
mt III by tho owners or lessees ioI etey asses and
ss these covers shall be so constructed as 20 pSe
- The approach and TO shut immediatey ms sbaII
Of the slsvaG b. so t tSs elevator passing
throuah IL is made the duty OF tne p;i. ~ afher
ment In this city and of the proper G to insnect
s .s N eyeSv three months all buildings using eie
y y to see that the provsiQaA OF the IA" Si0
opeyea ~ tina most extensive manufacturers OF ele
vators in the century said yesterday; a.tenti1n
nj the businsss community shonId De Sa.e1 W .Iv
svilsof this measure. 1t WOULD ~ hniid;nSs using
sia1ssors If some practical scheme had Deen
1850 Inv which such coverings could be used
while the elevators moved ian pn se
tested for this purpose hes been failure Inc
ornary speed Of an elevator Is from 1OOto 100 feet
which is 10 HGS iST bo1 500 feet
nor n,iuute Wehave tested many OF these devlcesIn
the last ten years, and with any o. Inen
ar elevator cannot iSot We are anxious to adopt
any practical plan to prevent sne ob S os
throueh buildings which IS the OstonslpIe OuJogS
This Bin. With this end in view we have examiner
Carefully ali the schemes for covering the tioor
openings in the way proposed. wnicn nsvo Dse af
brought to our notice. or which we nave nsaru Oh
anywhere. But none Of them works well; men IN
terested in patented devices for covering floor open
incs are trying to get The bill passed. A similar
measure was passed by the Legislature when GOV
crnor Robinson was IN ONCE, but was VeCoeu Wy
him. 1t did not attract the attention OF the DIs?S
community until after its passage. and TINS Dill IN
tyo.inced nv Mr. Browning does not seem 20 nave
been noticed If owners and lessees OF pullolngS
understood tho immense reductlen IN inc rental
value of their upper m9Srs wnaen and II feS.
ants and business understood the de,
Law and trouble which such scheme would
bring about, public sentiment would oe arousee ~
onnosition TO the bill which would certainly defeat
IT, These patented plans for covering moor openings
have been used in several buildings IN TINS city, as
for instance in that of II. B. Cahin Co., but have
boon abandoned as failures. :. H.. <-.
such bill. Under the present system In most ous-
ness buildings the hoor-Openngs are covered az
night. when the eivators are not IN use, Dy ugnC
ovcrs go that each aoor is Wholly G9E ON at nght
and under this system business buildings are SAFER
MT night than they would be by the use OF the covers
provided for by this BILL The elevator Iopes must
pass through the covers winch open as Cho nSe
are generally left at the tops ,,G OF the
elevator wells in business buildings. With the
elevator at the top the holes IN the oG OF covers
and thus afford draught for flames. Even il inc
elevator were left ut the bottom the space AROUND
the ropes in the patent-hoor covers woulu De
sufficient to cause some draught. Under the present
svstem with the elevator at the top for the night
The floor openings are sealed by air-tight covers
This bill is simply in effect scheme for the dement,
of men interested in the patented devices 1or covering
floor-openings. 1t is not urged by insurance men,
aud its effect would be mischevous. Business men
should try tu defeat II"