New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-29
MEANS or ESCAPE FRoM FIRE NEEDED.

Complaint was made recently by an exam
ncr of the Of Buildings against the large seven
story cigar factory OF Krrbs Spiess, at Second-ave
and Fityfourt St. because tho factory was not pro
viled with fre-escapea whlch deemed necessary
for the escape OF abolt 400 employees In OF fire
Inspector Ester brook sent notice to the owners Of
the factory directing them place treescapes on the
Fuyfourth-st side representative of the firm went
to- see EsterOrook yesterday aud SAID that there was
no need ircescape., the building was safe with
ont Them Tie Inspector said thar there might be d
ference of opinion the subirc, but the hree'capes
must be- put on The who held tho notice then de-
elred the firm wOul irather make nsAt III court
than comply with he notice
The factory was visited yesterday by a
TRIBUNE reporter. Mr.. Hcr05 said that steps had
been already taken 10 pr,yile the fire escapes as
recommended by tho Inspector Four hundred persons
men aud women aud children above fourteen years of
agc-are At present employ a in the binding. The only
external means Of escape above the first door are by
single lad Ter from the seventh floor 10 the root aud by
another ladder the roof o tenement house adjoining
the building and owned by the irm Two narrow stair
cases run through the building In an irregular manner
one being the front AT one side aud the other
following the elevator shaft at the back otthe building
abov. the furnaces and boilers The elevator shaft Is
provided with automatic appara ~ by which series
of traps may owered. cutting oil eacn floor from the
ones above and below IT, Upon each floor there Is coil
Of hose connected with water pipe and fire buckets
hang near each coil There IS fire at any time in any
other part OF the building than the furnace room II a
fire started there ana gained mucl headway escape by
the back staircase would he OFF and the oir hundred
NEIL women aud chi dren would nave 10 escape as they
mgt by the single ladder the roof or by the narrow,
irregular staircase III the front of the building.
At tine large factory OF II. wall ch sons, ar No
800 East Fifty thr st where alarm Of fire on ed
pe,day caused slight pane among tue 800 men and
girls employed ia the place, the reporter was told That
fire escapes would be placed on the building II nspec-
Tor ESterbrook ordered them to be- There are no e1or
nal means OF escape whatever on the building. Tue
structure consists Of two hyestory buildings connected
by series Of rooms at and by three iron
bride on the upper floors. There narrow wind
ing staircase in each buildings. door opens
inward into each room from each flight OF tae two stair
cases Ext IRON part OF the structure 10 lhe Othtr
by means Of the iron bridges would be adut and slow
process Tor the 200 persons each upper nOOr
as the doors leading the bridges are encmoered with
worktabes machinery ana boxes. Under the pest as
cpinc only one person at time could 20 out upon one
o. the bridges fire In either building or the factory
would drive The crowds Of employees TO the other build
ing where he one narrow staircase. blocked with the
frrquent doors, would be already clogged with the
throug OF employees struggling to escape from that
building Boon narrow .tarcaSes are al one END or the
structure, both parts OF watch arc long and narrow