Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07
Law n. 10 Firc-Escnpes.

~, attention has been called to the fact
,ho, the city ordinances do not require
&C. ascapes to be put on hotels, factories,
niaces OF amusement. and other buildings
~ more than three stories IN height until
January /. 1891.
The above clipping from an editorial
in sundays DISPATCH creates, i think, q
wrong impression, inasmuch ms it seems
N fix the first OF January as the time for
@, Getting fre-escapes. l am not familiar
with the ordinance which was passed by
the Council on the subject. From
the oct as passed by the Legis-
lature, published below, it will be
seen that the sole duty of the Council
was 10 designate "the character and de-
sign " which should be used, and not to
pass any ordinance about the matter at
all. The State law provides for that
and i, above any ordinance which the
Council may pass
Below will be found the act as passed
by the last Legislature
81. II shall be the duty OF the owner
or owners OF all factories, workshops, ho-
tells. school buildings. and hospitals in this
State of over three stories in height, thea
tres. and other places OF amusement TO
provide for the safe exit Of the occupants
thereof in case of fire by the erection Of
fire-escapes of the most approved modern
design.
-. The character and design of said fire.
escape. shall, in cities and towns, be Sc
lected by the councils of said cities and
towns. and where the buildings are not To-
Gated in cities and towns by a board CON-
posed of the county judge, the. county
school superintendent, and the chairman
of the Board of supervisors.
80. Provides that owners OF such build
ings may require the Council 70 designate
the character and design of such fire.
escapes. and in case of failure TO do so
shall be compellable by mandamus.'
~. ANY owner or owners of such build
1nes who shall fail to comply with the first
section of this act by the LIST day of January,
1891. shall be deemed guilty Of inside
meanor. and upon conviction shall be
fined not less than s25 nor more than $50
for each month they shall fail to provide
such fre-escapes.
rs. This act shall be in force from its
passage"
At the meeting Of the Council in March
last. | think it was, joint resolution
was introduced to designate the "charac-
ter and design" of fre-escape for this
civ. and a committee was formed which
promptly responded. Its report was
adopted by the lower branch, but for
some reason hung up in the board, and
was only recently acted on. So If any
DELAY in the erection of fire-escapes be-
longs anywhere it should be placed
there.
The State law states expressly that
these escapes must be in place before
the LIST Of January and fixes the penalty
for noncompliance.
1t might be well for you at this time
to call the attention of the county au-
thorities throughout the State to the
fact that they have something to do IN
this matter. There are number OF
houses outside the corporation OF this
city, in Henrico county, which Will re-
quire fire-escspes to be placed on them,
and the same no doubt applies to other
counties in the State.
1t would seem that the city. too,
should provide them for all of her pub
ic-school buildings, for they. too, come
under the operations OF the law.
AITcH.
OF course it is not intended by the or
dinance to do moro than aid in the en-
forcement Of the State law which fixes
the penalties. The Attorney for the
Commonwealth in Richmond is the Off
Ger who will prosecute our citizens who
fail to comply with the requirements OF
the law, The names of the violators
will be given him by the Chief
Engineer of the Fire Department,
who is directed by the Board Of Fire
Commissioners to see that the "designs
and character" OF the fire-escapes are
strictly adhered to.
This is a most important matter.
Every section of the Commonwealth
is interested
The State herself must provide her
asylums and other eleemosynary institu-
tons with these life-saving devices. She
should set the example at once.
AS to Richmond, her officers will
doubtless see to it that no complaint can
be made OF her.