The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-30
DANGEROUS FIRE ESCAPES.
SOME OF THEM BEING MADE OF
CAST IRON.

r,,. Material 10 Regarded as Useless for
suen a CHARACTERIZATION of Uuiity
Laid Aside, However. For the Sake OF
Economy.
,rAa State Legislature at the last session
nassed a Law providing that horoscopes be
,,.ced ON certain buildings, leaving The de-
tails 10 he arranged for by The authorities OF
tho several communities In the state IN
aocordance with this law the Cry Council
nsssed an ordinarse last year to the erect
,h., a fre-escape be placed by the respect
AGO owner, on the outside Of each factory,
,,ork.shop. hotel. school building and hos
initial OF over three stories in height me
same provision has been made for each the
o,re and public place o. amusement IN TINS
city The fre-escare is 10 consist OF iron
s,airwaVs with iron hand-faiis, leaulns
from platform at each story, and II has 10
have an easy access from the passage-"S!s
of each story. -,., ..,..,r,,o,;or
hall he subject 20 the approval o. the Chiel
81 the Fire Department, and the Board oil
Fire Commissioners are requested TO make
II The duty Of the Chief Of the tire Depart
p,ent 60 zee that the PROVISIONS ~ lhc Or
dinance are carried out.
The last clause Of the ordinance provides
that anv owner Of any such building wn'
shall fail TO comply with the provisions OF u (
ordinance by the first day OF January lo'l
shall be dned not less than twenty-five hOl
more than one hundred dollars LOT eac,
month that they fail to provide such III
escape.
cAsr IRON.
Quite a number Of these fire escapes haV'
already been Put up, while others are Oeln'
constructed AT the present ume' re re
sentative Of THE TIMES on ms wandering
through the business part ol TINS city, iOOl
occasion Yesterday o. inspect NUMBER o
,bese newly erected structures. IL appear
thai some Of them are made IN very sul
stantial manner. while "a few OF them seen
10 be placed on The respective Buildings no
40 much 20 give a safe cgress in case q
fire. but TO meet the requirements Of tn
law.
The great trouble is. as man puts
who has made the construction OF fire %
capes study, that some people think tina
they have done their duty as soon as the
nave carried out the law TO tle letter. 70
such reasons, apparently, some people ar
satisfied with putting up cast-lrOn tr
tNfhlts Muli' ANAt hlHat aus 'hFNAa'
made out Of wrought iron. The fCrme
Kind does not give any safety al all. and
would actually be better 10 hay
no dre-escapc than one out Of cast-iror
This Kind Of material is especially DANCE
Gus in winter time, for i'm frosty weathel
whea heated suddenly by fire m It's pro-
unity, it - very apt 10 break as soon as
person steps on 1t. Wrought-irou, on III
other hand, can be exposed 10 any sudde
changes in the temperature, and while
may bend under certain degree Of hea
IL certainly will not break.
FOREIGN NAMES.
II seems that some Of the manufacture
of fire escapes IN this city furnish son
very fine work and only in ins ances whe
for some reasons firms from other citi'
have been permitted 20 do the work, eau
has been found for much complaint. Viii
il is true that a cast-irOn apparatus can
constructed with saving OF about % =
cent on the expenses. il would be certain
more judiciOus TO pay IA little more and o
tain a fire escapeswhich will be safe and !
liable in all emergency.