New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-24
RESPONSIBILITIES or COLD WEATHER

II has already been shown that tho present sea
on yill proyo no execution to the rule Of marked
increase In fires upon tho arrival OF cold weather.
our large fires aro invariably followed by much
uost-nortem discussion Of faulty construction IN the
bnildinps burned 10 which Inspector Esterbr0oks
usunl reply s that any radical preventive measures
m this city arc rendered impossible both by legal
obstacles and by the smallncss Of the force AT MS
control Some such reply was made. we belleVe'
when the largo ilat-honse IN Stnyvesant square
was burned. luckily for It's inmates, in the day
time. We shall probably hear moro of lack OF
means In the Building Department when the next
ureot iat-housc fire occurs So much has been said
regarding u O theatres of the city that they have
received unusual attention aud IN the event of loss
of life by tho burning of n theatre there would be
mo- difficulty In fixing direct responsibility upon
carolcss or entity officials. With the lat-honscs
the case ia different. The majority of second-class
dats are constructed with wooden stairways ana
boists sheathed in wood. With fire well under
way In the basement the destruction of the house
10 only matter Of few minutes. hundreds oi
such cheaply built lighthouses are scattered through
the city. and since they were unfortunately ho,
made fireproof az the outset, we are not aware OF
any means for rendering them perfectly saie'
since only palliative measures remain, we recon-
mend the most careful supervision by the Buiulhg
Dpna,tmpnt of these Herond-cass and thnh-class
flats Not only should the security of the lire 90
rapcs ma in the tenement houses, he constantly
maintained but aniots aud inmates should I've
made 10 feel that they bear Share of tho iesrohsi
h,iitv. Each family IN Nat house owes duty ~
watohfulnrAs which might 10 carried "ht WIN
create, care fof occasional onclal hdmohltohs
IA npy oasa Il IL clear that synem fnlleihl Vi77
aion would nofeaae The vigilance of tho too often
,sfeess oass from whom tho ianiofa or small Nat
housed are selected,
The respons abilities of ooid Weather ara equally
shared by tho Health Department, This Is tho SEA-
son when windows arc kept closed and people
crowd closely together in heated rooms THIS IL inc
time when we may look for cases OF smallpox and
other contagious diseases, readily impaired under
such conditions. Tho overcoming or lodging
houses and tenemenls is q matter when demands
the attention Of tho Health Board officials Itnay
seem impossible that any contagious disease should
nreva,l largely among u.s. But it is well to remem-
her that all kinds of people, affected with every
variety of ailment compose the changing popula-
ton of this great city and the cold which draws
them closely together III unventilated rooms may
deveIoD uususpected dangers. But yigilant super
vision ON the part of officials and physicians may
prevent an increase in contagious diseases conci-
dent with the arrival of genuine winter
More unsefsh than these various winter duties
ia our enhanced responsibility as regards the poor
If is TO be hoped that the possession OF home com
forts and Injuries will induce no one to forget the
homeless. the sick and the unemployed. New-iork
Is rich IN noble charities, thanks to her generous
citizens, but the bitter cry of the outoast" VIII
be heard more loudly this winter than ever before
Those who have support d the fresh-Air Fund and
similar benefoent undertakings viii not allow ms
CRY to pass unheeded. We look for qmek ana
more general response as individual cases of want
and The needs Of our great charitable organizations
are fiom tine 20 lime lnale knoWn' Already Tho ena
tomary Christmas appeals have been made IA behali
Of lbs desmla aud afflicted 10 refuse Ia 20 lnenf
the responsibility at bollng onl all The sheer and
loyfuMesa fNn Tho Christmas day ~ H1me over
butdeupi uuinliHualp fellow creature