The Wilmingtonian., 1885-01-03
Fire Escapes.

The Wholesale holocaust, which recently
overlook the innocents at the orphanuge in
Brooklyn, will naturally excite anxiety in
reference TO the safety of large inhabited
tenements in our city. The law bearing ur-
on this matter is sufficiently comprehensive
to allay all nervousness upon this point
prooided its mandates are faithfully execu-
ted.
In order tlat our readers may know what
the statute requires, we will quote the Act
for the better security of life and limb
in case of fires.
SECTION l. That the owner or owners of
any building now erected or hereafter to be
erected, and being more than two stories in
height and which shall be used in the third
or any higher story, in whole or part as
college, seminary, school house, hotel,
hospital, asylum, almshouse, factory or work
shop or as tenement house, or when rooms
afe let to families Or lodges, or for the ac-
commodatiun of organized associations of
any description, shall be required to furnish
such building with sufficient permanent fire.
escapes from the third and all higher storys,
at which escapes shall be kept and main
tanned in good order. Such fire.escapes may
be by means of stairways or ladders outside
the building, or by stairways in a separate
tower or structure furnished with safe and
easy communication with such building.
Provided, that this act shall not apply to any
building whatever that is already supplied
with two or more independent stairways
leading from the highest story to the ground
floor, if said stairways shall not be nearer to
each o6her at any point than distance of
sixty feet.
SECTION. 2. That it shall be the duty of
the chief engineer of the fire department in
any city, town or borough where there may
be such officers, or if there be no such officer
therein, and in all other places of the clerk
of the school district wherein any such
building is located to examine such fire
escapes as to their suita bleness and sufficien-
cy, whether as to the quality, location or
number. Ifupon such examination snch
escapes be found to be sufficient and suitable,
the person examining shall give the owner
of such building or some one of them, IL
more than one of them, a certificate stating
such examination shall be had and a like
certificate shall be good for two years, at
the expiration of which time another ex-
animation shall be had and a like certificate
given. Such certificate of approval shall be
evidence of sufficient compliance with the
requirements Of this act and shall protect
such owner from any penalty herein pre-
scribed during the time for which it may
have been given. The fee of such examina-
tion shall be Jne dollar.
SECTION g. That all public school.house,
theatres, lecture-rooms, churches and pub
lie halls whore large numbers of people as
semble, If more than one story in height,
now erected or hereafter to be directed shall
be furnished with doors opening outwardIy
and hung in such manner as to afford the
most convenient and ready means of safe
and speedy egress; Provided. That any
building having doors of egress that open
outwaIdly as provided in this act may also
have outer doors on the front that do not so
open, if said outer doors are habitually kept
open during the services or performances.
SECTION 4. That every owner of any such
building as is specified in this act, whether
an individual or body corporate, who shall
fail to comply with the provisions thereof
shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor
and be liable to Indictment and upon con-
viction shall forfeit and pay to the State
fine not exceeding two hundred dollars, and
in case of corporation, payment of the fine
may be enforced by writ of yferi .faeias to
be issued out of the court where such con-
vietspn was had on the Judgment thereof and
continued by Uendittoni exponas as upon
judgment in the Superior Court.
Pissed at DoUer, AprR 1, 1881