Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-03
CONCERNING FlRFssCAPEs.
Schemes that Will Not WOrk-One that
VIII.


To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
Every catastrophe which causes the loss Of
human life IL succeeded by suggestions in that
number, intended preventiOns against a re-
currenee of disaster Laudable motives these
and proper appreciation greets them, but
because they are conceived on the very heels of
some horrible mishap the public opens wide its
ears and takes to heart any scheme or device
which may inhibit repetition Of danger. This
is natural enough, because when one Is In
trouble reason does not have the fullest play.
1t will be our purpose in this paper to give IL
lustrations OF the variety of certain schemes in
the nature of fre-escapes. and then append a
proposition of our own, to which we invite at
tack.
THE BALCONY SCHEME.
First. let Us notice the outgiving of a fireman
who lived several years in the east. His sug-
gestion is that all buildings erected for habita-
ton, which are more than two stories high.
should have balconies, with the floor just below
the windog-sills on each story running the
whole lengt.,, and width Of the building, with
stairs on each end.
The mind Of the fireman which harbOred this
plan was evidently directed by the sole idea of
protecting human life against devastation by fire.
He did not think of other ills which his de-
larry, with occasional murder and theft played
i'll human affairs-especally in the lar9er cities
and that contiagrations are of very much less fire.
quent occurrence than numberesS other dangers
which come to a house too open to the deeds of
wicked men. He forgot. too, the probable
danger to childTen-the real jewels of the house.
hold
1t does not SEEM either. to have entered into
the fremans calculations that panic-stricken
people would dread mode of escape which
az
or from 1ioors below Another point of obec-
ton and full OF moment Is the dampness created
in houses by such balconies, especially in the
winter season when the SHOWS are holding
Carnival, lending disease and death i'm the form
Oi rheumatism and pneumonia. To our mind
the firemans project substitutes a big danger by
taking away smaller one. If one should burn
up that is the end of him. Think of spending
ten or fifteen or twenty years on this earth with
iniammatory rheumatism OF q cough that has
degenerated into consumption.
THE BASKET SCHEME
Another scheme to which we desire to call
attention as being faulty to the last degree is
1.-The basket scheme" This device consists in
having baskets swung from pulleys fastened to
the highest portion of the house, and hoisted
or lowered to suit the exigency. The man,
woman or child in danger supposed to get in
the basket which swings in the air five or six
stories high on a dark night and sail to safety,
under the guidance OF an assistant On the
street below. The inventor of this
scheme has surely never acGuairt ed
himself with panic-strcken people or he would
be advised that not one of one hundred grown
men mot to speak of women. who lose their
heads In calamity, or children without the aid of
intellectual develOpment) would be deliberate
enough 10 venture into the basket. But for
arguments sake let US suppose this objection
lacked lOrce. We will appear in another shape
How many persons in an hours time could be
rescued by the basket scheme? Certainly bas-
kets could not swing from every window. and
II they did. what If the flames were leapinr and
Missing and the night was cold, and the fire,nen
al play with their huge streams of water Mem
DRY must serve you to know that all these things
are calculated upon by panic-strcken people on
me one SIDE and hlghiy-excited people on the
other.
ANOTHER SCHEME CONSISTS IN IRON STEPS
applied to the outside Of the house. reaching
from the street up from story to story But the
objections to this are the same as those made to
the balcony scheme. The human brain has indeed
tired itself by its ceaseless activity in the effort
to find mode of relief from such calamities as
fire sends US, but nothing practical has vet
iound issue Theories in prOfusiOn have been
the only outcome.
The proper remedy Is not found in make
eniIts OF any kind. but must be looked for at
deeper level. 1t Is the architect who must solve
the problem; he who puts up houses and whose
highest thought in their construction must be
protection and shelter To him the public must
look As ne pleases you in other things which
pertain to the building he is asked to design
ana superintend he will not fail you In this When
the body Is awry you send for the doctor. and
with the confidence Of child you permit him to
Dulld you up and make you whole again The
house Is the architects patient. He knows its
lbs ana outs, and where to plant the pin of
safety. Therefore look to him
As that the sun shines II ia Ohvinns fhat hv
paHic-stricken people greater or less injuries
must be sustained and there can be no remedy
against certain accidents, but great disasters
may be Obviated by little timely knowledge in
advance. Barring such accidents and inflrmities
That have the shape Of lameness deafness, blind
Ness. or Ills that deny to one the power of loco
motion. there is absolutely no excuse for loss of
life through the agency OF fire.
FIRE-PROOF PASSAGES AND STONE STAIRS,
The proposition is q very simple one and
would do much to save life in case of conflaora-
ton. Every hotel, hospital tenement house.
manufacturing establishment, in fact eyery
structure which is Intended to contain large
number of people should have it's passages or
halls, which the sole communicating me-
diums, made of perfectly fire-proof material, ex-
tending the whole length and width of the
building, and from cellar to garret and these
nails should be SO constructed as dreotly to
communicate with all the rooms on either side.
anu al the ends OF these halls there should be
stone steps provided in flights over each other.
These corridors or halls would not only afford
every hale man, woman or child free egress but
enable many sick persons to be moved or sound
seepers TO be awakened and saved Again. this
nre-prOof condition would operate az an effec-
tive check against the spread uf the fire, being
virtually fire-prOOf vault Of the length and
breadth. as well as height ofthe building. which
lays In the center, dividing the whole structure
anu preventing the flames ON one side from
striking across and going to the other.
further advantage appears IN this that the
nremen VIII have safe place in the heart of the
building to operate In all directions and in
Closest proximity to the seat of the fire.
There are many minor advantages gained bv
the introduction Of this fire-prOOf passage and
stone stair project too numerous to mention
Certainly 1t Is patent that it would establish the
safest place for Life and security in the heart of
the building. be under shelter and within most
convenient reach of every occupant OF a room
In the house. In connection with this sugges-
tlon the manner Of locating the elevators is
OF commanding importance placed as they
usually are. viz: In the very center Of the house
and surrounded by the main stairway, they
form q most dangerous fue in case of a
nre which Is raDidly communicated from,