Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-05
VICTIMS OF FLAMES.
Arrangements Completed for the Fu-
neral of MIR. and Mrs. Irwin.
HUNDREDS VIEW THE CORPSES.
Coroner Mcdowell Impanels a Jury, Who
Inspect the Building.
AN INCOMPLETE FIRE-EsCAPE LAW

the victims of yesterday mornings Penn
avenue fire will be held at II 30 o'clock this
morning, at ST. Andrews Episcopal Church,
the pastor, Rev. j. C. White, D. D., oificfat-
ing.
All day yesterday, John D. Mckinley,
the Morgue Superintendent, was working
with the bodies, until he finally managed to
restore in them, to some degree, q re-
semblance to the human form divine. The
bodies, when received at the morgue, were
bloated terribly, and the limbs frightfully
distorted. Last night they had been re-
duced to their normal proportions, and
were wrapped in snowy, winding sheets.
The bodies were placed in handsome
caskets, bearing the inscriptions: Robert
Irwin, aged 30 years." and "Mary Ann
Irwin, aged AZ years." The caskets were
then placed in the chapel of the morgue,
where they were viewed by hundreds of
friends of the deceased.
| This morning the bodies will be taken
| from the morgue to St. Andrews s Church,
of which the deceased were communicates
and from there to the Union depot, where
they will be conveyed to Erie, and there
| inferred tomorrow.
The Funeral Cortege.
Accompanying the bodies will be William
Irwin, the 12-vear-old son of the deceased;
his Sabbath school teacher and member of
the church vestry, Mr.. H. c. Cam pbeli and
Mr.. j. D. Mckinley. When the remains
arrive at Erie they will be met by Miss
Isabella Phair, an aunt of Mrs. Irwin, who
will take charge of the orphaned boy. Mr..
Edward Godfrey, brother-in-law of DR..
John Dickson, the owner OF the burned
building, now in Philadelphia, but who has
been telegraphed for took charge of the
funeral and the necessary arrangements.
Yesterday morning Coroner Mcdowell
impaneled a jury, made an examination of
the burned building and viewed the remains
of the two victims. The inquest was then
adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow morn.
ing. The Coroner also held long confer
ence with Fire Marshal McFadden. The
inquest will be conducted with deliberation,
as the result may be far-reaching.
DR.. John Dickson was notified two years
ago to place fre-escapes on the outside of the
building, but neglected to obey the order,
and to this fact is attributed the loss of life.
This notice was sent by the Board of Fire
Escapes, composed of the fire chiefs and
the building inspectors. in accordance with
the act OF Assembly OF June II, 1885, which
reads as follows:
Severe Penalties Provided.
Every person. corporation, trustee board Of
education or board of schoo! directors neglect
ing or refusing to comply with the require
ments of Section of this act, shall be liable to
fine not exceeding $500; and also be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, punishable by impris-
onment for not less than one month more
than two months. In case of fire occurring in
any of SAID buildings in the absence of said fire
escapes approved by certificate of the proper
officials, the said person or corporation shall be
liable in action in damages, in case of death or
personal injury, and shall be deemed guilty of
a misdemeanor. punishable by Imprisonment
for not less than six months or more than IL
months. Such action for damages may be
maintained by any person now authorized by
law to sue as in other cases of similar injuries.
All buildings of three or more stories in
height shall be provided with permanent.
safe, external means of escape therefrom; such
escapes to consist of outside open iron stair
ways. of not more than 45o slant, with steps not
less than six inches in width and "a inches in
length.
1t shall be the duty of owner or owners in fee
or for life, of every such building, and of the
trustee or trustees of every estate. association,
society, college, seminary, academy hospital or
and of the Board of School Directors having
charge of any such school building. to provide
and cause to be securely affixed outside of
every such building, such permanent, external,
urinclosed fire escape
In accordance with the provisions of this
act the minimum penalty Tor the owner of
building where death results from lack Of
fire escapes is imprisonment for six months
Under the old common law it is held that
where the neglect of any law results in
death the negligent person is guilty OF in
voluntary manslaughter, for which the
maximum penalty is seven years imprison.
ment. 1t is question, however, whether
the act of 1885 does not supersede or abro-
gate the old common law in this instance.
Chief Evans, of the Fire Bureau, spoke
strongly yesterday on the neglect OF many
property holders in the city to put up fire
escapes when notified. He finds fault with
the law in that it does not provide Tor the
prosecution of offenders before fire. and
even then does not specify whose duty it is
to conduct tine prosecution.
An Incomplete Law.
Chief Brown, in speaking of the matter
yesterday, took about the same ground, and
thought the law should be amended so as to
give more power to officials for its enforce
ment. In this instance he saws he will pros
ecute if the persons affected bv the fire do
not do so, but Will hrSt consult the City At
torney in regard to the matter. He wishes
that the law was more complete, in order
that prosecutions could be made against
persons neglecting to erect fire escapes with
out having to wait until after the loss of
several lives has resulted.
Mayor Gourley was very indignant that
such a loss of life had resulted from neglect
to obey the provisions of law. He said
SIT is certainly the duty of someone to pros
ecute in a case OF this kind. The public |
welfare demands it. 1t is a great pity that
the act of Assembly is not more explicit in
stating whose duty it is to see that the law
is enforced and that no prosecution can be |
had until after calamity like this has over
taken u.s."
"The Board OF Underwriters will not take
any action in the matter of compelling
people to erect fire escapes" said President |
w. G. McCandless of :he board, Yesterday.
''The matter is not in our province. We
are here to provide against the destruction
of property, and while we depIore the loss
of life occasioned by the absence of means
of escape, it is hardly proper for US to take
any action. Thelaws in this respect should
be thoroughly enforced"