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

80 xu,,c,no ,vb,ch has A frontage of nearly hal
hIo,L hstwesn BIeecker and Tbird.sts. On &C.
49,, -. ~. narrowness of Mercer-st, and tho
80. ho;oht ,f the hotel it would be difficult fof
tho remen to reach flames in the upper ssor'es c
The examiners recon mended that Mr. estarnsooS
nlaced on the MeTcer-st. 'front.' anu MI. bsIo ,.I
yasterdav wrote out the following 0rder aadreSeu
10 Elias s. Higgins, the owner OF the motel
you arehereby directed and irequired to place R1n
the Mercer-st front OF the Grand central III ,ndoo.
Inc iron balconies 10 take the two sOitherY WhoWs
Of each story similar balconies on each st9y 70 tEo ia
the fifth and sixth windows from the s9utnery e ~
liar balconies 10 take In the two nOrthery Whuo"s -.
ab tory with ladders TO connect each balcony WIN
the one below IL and iron drop laddersJroi tne ow,i
trncted IN accordance with the printed specifications
hereto annexed IN addition 10 the f0regolnRyou nie y,
tRese balconies the several stories by removing t
partition which separates the bils II9 sne t,nale
rooms ne shown by the diagram annexed so az 20 enoI
the inmates OF said hotel readily 10 reach the sa'a
balcony In case OF necessity.
Compliance with Mr.. Esterbrooks order VIII
caase the sacrifice of twenty-onc ie0s IA h so
of the firm Of Keefer q Co.. proprietor Oh .ne
were sad TO be away from the BUILDING YESTERDAY
Mr. Koeier said to DO IN "oiceser' UNIV
where he il building new hotel ....
ES Higgins the millionaire carpet manuiactufsr,
who owns the Grand Central Hotel was seen az ms
store No. 81 White-st.. By TRIBUNE reporter: io
was astounded " hen told about the report or quo
building Bureau, and said: IL does hot seeih
possible TO me that these men have aclusiy ie
lire escapes are necessary. We have only just nm
ished the repairs and alterations which Dir. Ester
brook said were necessary. Before ne came Iht99
office We com plied with the orders, crfnks anu
wrinkles OF tho thea Inspector. hen wnen a. sa.
Esterbrook had an inspection made ana o,a', ws
additional alterations for the safety OF guests We
made them There one thing which ne &c
clsred uecessary- the cutting down 70 the hoor OF
the parlor windows As thoy were not very niRn
and as we had put M balcony, as he ordered, we
thought It wa. ridiculous to 90 this. We couid bos
reason with him al all, and as soon as he began
suit to compel us To cut the windows down we did
no. not thinking that 10 was worth While 10 bghs
him Now look at the Inconsistency OF the thIng.
He declared that IL we did thus and so ne would 20
satisfied and pass the bnildlng. We have carried
out all his requirements and now because there IS
little panic among the people because OF the MI
waukee ire he orders additional hre escapes III ~
absurd | consider the hotel as safe building az
there ia in New York. There six staIrways, snd
two large water-tanks In tho attic oeh.ahhn ,s
10000 gallons OF water each There Is nose
connection each floor. In addition to DIS tDere
Is an en- CINE in the cellar which ~ powerful enough
to throw stream of water clear over the top OF te
uulldlng Then there are two men with portable
Neutrality-suspicious. who do nothing but guard the
corridors at n ght Tne building has been approved
again and again and it is certainly not consistent
to condemn 1t now. Why, YOU cannot burn the
hotels in NO York. Take for instance. the Time
during the war when the SOutherners sent on men
to the city Rooms were engaged 10 every
hotel The bedding was saturated with kerosene
oil and then set fire. But not one OF tue notes
burned down No, the tine has como when the
people will resist the autocraIy OF the Bulldlng III
spector Take the World Building for instance
Potter had no More to 40 with that FIRE than tiat
chair Ii was an ordinary binding like many 9TH
ers in New-York, and II they get on ire the people
must look out for themselves. Te suit the Depart
ment il miaht be better to tear down Eaf the
buildings in New-York and have no city,