New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-13
THE NET-YORK HOTELS.

THE NET-Y YORK HOTELS.
II may readily be conceded that such catas-
trophe as that which has overwneiheu h'n
waukee with Indignation and grlet cahh"'
occur in this CITY. There is not single iafge
hotel here which bears so unenylaDle rep"'"
ton as the Newhall House has had for many
years. Not only had all well-inforned lnSui
apce companies declined risks upon thar hoCe',
but its dangerous condition was matter Oh
common nOtoriety. Travellers have warheu
one another not to remain over night under lts
roof, and for years prudent residents OF MIL
| Yankee have been in the habit of advising their
acauaintances to 90 to a safer hotel. Imam,
mable as finder, as it was admitted 10 oe vi OH
| sides, it was most inadequately protecCeo ii"ii
| the outbreak of fire. The only night watchnia"
employed in the building was the man II,
charge of the elevator, and he could nave hau
little leisure for inspecting the halls ana oase
ment. He did not know that the building was
| on fire until the smoke poured into the elevator
| car in which he was descending from the
| si1th floor. and there were only two men, the
engineer and the night clerk, whom he could
| summon to his aid at a moments notice. 90
| unprepared was this small force for the emer-
gepcy that the fre-bell in the inner court does
| not appear to have been rung, and only Small
number of guests on single floor were warned
| of their danger 1t is almost needless to add
| that in respect to the prevention of fires pre-
| cautions are not neglected in New York hotels
| as they we're in the Newhall House. In the
great hotels there is a Waterman OH every floor,
and in one of the largest houses is night force
| of twenty men, amply supplied with appliances
,chi nd
| in the performance of their duties. Hotel pro-
prietors have materially reduced the risks OF
| fire by instituting an adequate system OF super
vision, especially during the night hours, ana 10
| their vigilance is to be ascribed not only their
remarkable exemption from losses during re-
cent years, but the lower rates OF insurance
which are now granted to them.
The New-York hotels are not to be placed on
a level with the Newhall House. They are not
80 faulty In construction and are more
vigilautly watched and protected. But are
they reasonably safe On this point the asser-
tons of the hotel propretors as class must be
discarded and anappeal be taken to a more trust
worthy tribunal. Inspector Esterbrook, who
has never undertaken systematic inspection of
the hotels, speaks cautiously OH this subject.
Int evidently is not satisfied with their con-
dition. He admits that many changes, which
he has not the power under the present law to
order, are needed in some of the large hotels,
and is anxious to have thorough inspection
made of this class of property. In insurance
circles there seems to be only one opinion,
namely. that the rates for which risks are now
granted on New York hotels are altogether too
low. 1t is conceded that during the last eight
wears there has been a marked improvement
IN the supervision of hotels, especially at night.
and that many minor sources of danger, such
"a swinging gas brackets and landry and
kitchen arrangements, have been removed; but
few if any well-informed insurance men are
ready to admit that the hotels of this city are
as safe as they ought to be In order to be secured
against the risks of fire at the present rates.
There is general impression in insurance
offices that another investigation similar to
that ordered in 1875 would disclose many
listing sources of danger in quarters where
they are least suspected and enable the COM
panies to reach trustworthy standard tor
rating hotels. The talks which TRIBUNE re-
porters have had with influential and ex-
perienced insurance officers reveal clearly the
prevailing sentiment on this subject.
Inasmucb as Inspector EsterbroOk is over
whelmed with work in his department. he
would welcome any organized action on the
part of the Fire Underwriters which would re-
lieve him, temporarily at least, from the neces-
sity of inspecting the hotels. Can the NewIOrk
Board do wiser thing than to repeat the ex-
periment which was attended with snch ex-
celent results in 1852 The losses which have
been experienced during the last year-with
the exception of the years of the Chicago and
Boston fires the most calamtous year in
twenty-five for the companles-haye had a
SOLDERING effect upon insurance managers. Is it
not convenient season for revising the pres
ent schedules of rating buildings of all classes,
and of establishing standards whore none are
nou'recognized Here is a class of property in
which the public is vitally interested. III 1t be
rated too low, as insurance men openly charge
il must be because it is not so safe as 1t ought
to be. A thorough inspection of hotels under
the direction of the Committee of Rates and
SURVEYS would be an unmixed good.
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NIPPED IN THE BUD.
This appears to be an unhealthy season for
Democratic Presidential candidates. Of the
nro,nisinp lot who took the field with so much