New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-12
6PENEW-YoRK HoTELSsAFEi
/, o,rsr1oN THAT MANY ARE ASKING.

,.. a.s+ruct,on of the Newhall House was the
-. 20 ,snaral d,.cussion among New-York fire
S,~nrance men yesterday. They had little inioriha-
a. racard,ng II. however, as the insurance upon
an hr;ldinq was placed to only small extent In
EMS c,tv The policies that were written here are
a. email aeuarate amounts so that 10 heavy loss IL
A said. will fall upon any single company Many
New.York agents were we'll acquainted with the
hotel and without exception they described the
bullding as death-trap" or rabbits burrow.
at must have been built twenty-five OF 'niy
wears ago. said prominent agent, ana IL iaoAou
all the modern improvements for precautlon asai"oV
fire and means of escape in case OF nre. iio'onoe
An incident of some little interest in connecuoh
18th II when heard Abraham Lincoln make
mech there long before he was thought
~ for the Presidency 1t was just a1ter
no had been defeated for the United
states Senate by Mr.. Douglas. He MADE
bs sneech from the balcony Of the hotel 10 great
crowd and I had gotten in close beside him VIVID
hoy nlaymate of mine. He told one OF the stories
which he was famed for telling IN MS lnlmitapio
.trle He said he had been asked how he felt about
h,s defeat for the Senatorship Why he declared,
81 feel lust like an Illinois boy who was travei-
ling mp a hill very fast when suddenly ne s'uooeu
his toe against stone. " Pm too big poy 10 cry
he said holding his hand over his foot, put INC
u.cQueH thing hurts TOO lHuCu lOI ibc W id"th'
The condition of the hotels in New-York as re-
cards safety from fire naturally was talked ABOUT
by insurance men, As rule they agreed that thers
had been some Improvement In the protective meas
ures adopted since 1875, when disconraging re-
mort was made on the hotels of the city TO the New
York Board of Fire Underwriters. At that time an
effort was made to establish standard for risks OF
this kind in which rates could be fixed according to
the variations from that standard in the different
buildings The matter was in charge OF the Com
mittee on Rates and Surveys. and a thorough IN
snection of all the hotels in the city was
made by Superintendent Harrison of the local
board. OF sixtv-nine hotels examined tho
following were found to be seriously defective III
the points mentioned: Frame mansard roofs, 20
hotels; wooden cornices. 3S; open elevators, ~;
swinging gas brackets. 90; unsafe steampipes' -;
boilers without Prevails "a; incomplete laundry
and driving rooms 4S; uncovered lights, 90; repair
hops attached to the buildings, q unsafe fues IN
furnaces, 20 and outside exposures. IA Great
excitement among hoIel proprietors was caused
nv the publication Of these facts and in many cases
,le defects complained of were remedied. In many
otbers the correction of defects recommended by
the Insurance Committee could not he made without
practically reconsr ctirg the entire buildings IL
was found impractcable, however, TO attempt 10
establish standard for rating hotels, and now the
taking of these hazards is left entirely TO the us
grafton of the individual insurance companies. Few
large policies are written however, by any compan-
es On thai in case of fire the separate losses would
no smaI Tho fortunate exemption from fire which
the hotels here have enjoyed for some years has
made the companies willing to insure this class OF
prouerty at low rates The rates however are said to
be considerably higher than the rates In England on
hotels All but the lowest class of hotels III the
city are said to be well insured Insurance men in
the main agree that the condition of hotels. as re-
CARDS liability to fire, has been improved somewhat
since 1875. 1t is admitted. however, TO be far be-
low the standard which the companies then sought
10 establish.
SUPERINTENDENT Harrison, of the New-Y0rk Board
of Fire Underwriters. said 1T would not do
TO judge the hotels now by their condi ion in
1875. Our report then the occasion Of the
making of many improvements in
their heating and cooling apparatus
In regard to swinging gas brackets and
uncovered lights great deal was done toward
ducing the chances OF fire. Of course the evils of
frame mansard roofs end wooden cornlces remain
a. they were before. think that in the matter of
tn III laundry arrangements the hotels are safer
tnan they were several years ag'. IL is doubtful
whether in the of outside exposure there has
been any change. Many hotels also since 1875
have added 10 their facilities for extinguishlng
fires The hotels that have been built since then
gard to security against fire. On tine
whole l should say that the con-
dition OF this property is better than beiorh the
yey has bcea made. The examinations 5v orr Board
having oes undertaken only in particular cases as
the 0cc ,sion required
risOn as to the reduction in hazards on lhe hotels.
There is scarcely one motel however" he added.
"taat could stand a critical inspection"
John h. smith, vice-president o. the Star Fire
Insurance Compiuy said: Z" beheve that us a
rale our hotels have increased their precautions
again ire since 1870. lLer furnaces nea iG and
cooking arrangements have been greatly Iinp owed
great ueai of money was S. eDt 81 thai lime III
making the alterations recon- ..ended by he Board,
and every respectable hotel proprietor responded
literally % the movement for preventing fire and
protecting life"
a RUE, hotel property was less liable to danger
from e e than several years ago. Faults OF con-
struclion In man. cases could not be remedied and
the enlargement Of hotels Ivy the alterations of adj
Joining bui0iugs had increased the niger in some
cases The tenueDcq TO increase the height of hO-
tells diminished the chance OF escape to mir occu
pants, and The use OF part OF tlI" hotel buildings
as stores aided TO The haz rd of fires.
air. MulvIl.e of Mo,drose e. Muvllle's agency.
SAID: tie condition of the hotels Of New
York. as re pects their liability to fire. ould
not say was much chanSed from seven eight
ars ago. But believe the hotels here to be the
SAFEST he country. The best security is TO be |
found in the lI-interest Of the prOpretOrs, and
their watchfuness and care are shown in the small |
number or large hreS tDat occur IN |
our large hotels A man who gets a lea,e |
Of a New-York h0tl tn nss that his |
fortune is secured, and accordingly ~ takes every
preeaution against the possibility of fire. The |
means of escape az rule are excellent the fire
hngnishing appaiaiu Is good, aad in every respect
the New York hotels are sup 'rior 10 any in the |
country
Another well-knOwn insurance man said: Il |
believe that Their: are only two hotels which would |
come up 10 the tt'Dcard-they are the Bucking ham
aud Ea les Hotel All OF the others are more or less
liable TO ire-generaly more. The general intro |
duct0n OF steam Or heating purposes has reduced |
the chances of fire in recent years There |
has also been impruvemeut IL the servants |
qua tcrs, the gas, rocking aud laundry arrange
ments. The hotel BULL or rebuilt since 1S73-say |
tue " ndsoi the Buckingham. the Park Avenue. |
thr Brunswck-bave been constructed with close |
regard TO the law and to precautions not dictated |
by the Law. 4 he dang nas been increased where |