New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-12
FIREESCAPES on Old BUILDINGS.
A ELL THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY
WILL INTERFERE WITH THEIR ERECTION.

A ELL THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY
WILL INTERFERE WITH THEIR ERECTION.
Anxiety is felt at Fire Headquarters regard
inea bill which has passed the state Senate ana has
been reported fayorahy in The Assembly by the Com
rntee on Cities virtually making it impossible to compel
property-owncrs in this city 10 erect re-escapes on old
buildings Mr. Fndley, the counsel to the Fire Commits
sioncrs said 90 n TgEUSE reporter:
Under the present Building law when such buildings
rs houses. hotels lodging houses schools and
factories found 10 he lacking IN sufficient means OF
egrcss in case OF IRE. the fue commissioners ac'iHg
through tho Inspector OF Buildings can compel me
OF the buildings 70 erect hIecscalcs or !" uSh
niucr additional means OF cgrcss from the buildings
We lave modes ~ procedure IN the courts IN Sich
eases ana stand between the owner Of build
lne ana me i-,c'"l :" iirii'p rII,, ,e"ls
rcscape, for the protection Of the lives Of the inmates
the courts permit Ms 10 move quickly III bringing an Oh
snatc proPeryowncr TO terms pn, ue courts M9 1!
ON which they were not needed Ihe bIH Whlch no"
threatens to pass the Legislature would enable prop
cty owner to defy both the Fire Department and the
courts with the all of an irresponsible private socety.
In tat rosnert the hin il 20 outrageous that cannot
believe The Governor would sign II. Inc mode OF pro-
ccdlrc under the bill would he rs follows; When hIe
escape was needed on an o.H n,lllunS Iu' %vi INN,
with the Inspector OF Buildings ana inah appointed 10y
tIc Ncw-York Chapter OF the American Institute OF
Architects The decision Of the three men. or OF ma.
iorty Ct then would be- final If the vote was IN favor OF
un nppcai 70 the courts by Inspector The deciding
vote would be gT%r s by r&f le he ncGods th
society secret 50 far as the pubic Is comcrpnou ana
10 the public II the architect should side with the
Inspector the owner could si refuse under the pro
10 trial before jury Last year caused l,3OO build
iugs to he made safe 10y The erection OF f-escapes All
the courts tins county could not dispose OF l3Oo jury
cases in year asked for hearing before the Assem-
bly, Committee Cities and went to Albany prepared to
ApOse the Injustice of The measure but was prevented
by an apparent trick. The clerk OF the committee tOd
me- that The bin Mas not before the committee. After
ward learned thaJ the bill had been referred 10 the
eonI'ee s'ig o T ,nornhiy Tben tbe clerk made
tlp TAT |
,ern resen Mr. EooseYelt afierwari intinated that
he was opposed to the passage OF the bill and al his re
quest him brief, stating its worst features
Inspector Esterbrook made the following statement:
have Tor time known that some sucn law was 10
be proposed TO prevent the erection OF ESCAPES
where needed. All owners are not alike. Many nave
cnmly with the notices served upon thcm when shown
the necessity bu say that there some who
do mot ef 6 T4f o 70 5ed Sat f' Snan aS Gould not
gct ont OF the buildings they occupied then let them
on property erect outside Microscopes just to
save perhaps the lives OF ten persons annually THESE
pcOpc DO not recognize the fact that tenants nave rights
As well a. owners. Not than 193 tenants made com
plant 1853 OF the deficiency OF means OF esres from
practically put end to tic erection OF irc-escapes 1t
will take the examiners every day IN the week 10 pass
upon them at an expense TO the city OF $50 day. $500
per week and 81 20 per anHUm, and empower board
which responsible To no one to override Que OF inc De
partmcns OF the city government. In place ol snpu
lying the business OF the city, It Is compncathg IT, ana
making confusion worse cOnfoundcd. The Ieople are
can come OF this law. This Inspector OF Buildings or hc
Fire Department can compel 10 erect outside
fire escape he declines to do until an order OF court
is obtained and this canuOt be obtained until the In
encctnr of BUILDINGS shows to the in the ceareSt
manner that such escapes are necessary If tins does
not afford all necessary protection 10 the owners OF prop
crty do not know what can recent case was brought
before the courts compel the to erect frees
capes he brought witness who swoe that there were
more people killed by OF hre-escapes than were
sayed since asked him how many did lac know were
him that knew of over seventy that were saved solely
bY tho lire escape.