The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-25
MEBACES MANY LIVES.
No Fire Escapes in This
City and No Chance
Of Them.
WHAT THE STATE LAW SAYS
1t Is Mandatory But UneompIied
With-Why the Ordinance
Failed to Pass.

I
inquiring as to what means Of escape are
provided in the big factory and Office
buildings here in case Of fire. aud how
the inmates are to escape should the
need arise.
They must 90 the best they can." said
one man to whom q News representative
addressed the question. and while the
answer seems nippant it Is really about
all the reply that can be made.
| There are many large buildings in this
city, either occupied as factories
or tor Office purposes, but. 50 far Is can
be ascertained, few II any OF them are
provided with fire escapes. There was a
law passed IN 1890 which says the Board
Of Aldermen "shalp' pass an ordinance
providing for the erection or IRE escapes
on certain buildings where number Of
people congregate at any one time IN
compliance with this law Alderman Max
Salinger prepared an ordinances for the
erection OF fire escapes on the crowded
buildings in the business section OF the
| city. but it mas rot yet been passed.
On JaDuary IS, 1891, the Alderman pre-
seBted TO the Board the act ne had
drawn. It Was laid over under the rules
At the next regular meeting. February
1 10. the ordinance was referred 10 the
| COMMITTEES on Laws and Ordinances, after
the war of words among the Aldermen
That Committee consisted Of Aldermen
Ealinger, Norton and Ke0gh. II slept / a
| their custody until July Is, and It was
then brought 20 light bY Alderman
Smith. who moved that It be put upon
fiual passage. There was great hustlinR
then for the ordinance. Ne one bad seen
| it: no one knew what had become OF Il
Finally Aldermen SahnRer located II
and stated that be Was ready 60 report
Aldermen Keogh and Norton were not,
however. and the matter went over until
July 28. Then Aldermen Norton refused
60 sign the report but SallDger and keogh
reportsa The ordinance. Is read as
follows
Section 1.-An buildings IN the city OF Jersey
City. or hereafter 70 be erected In WHICH
twenty or more persons live or co1grega.es or
are employed temporarily or Otherwise, above
the first ground hOor thereof. shall have one
or more, as the Inspector Of Buildings shall dr.
rect. external wrought iron FIRE escapes Of such
dimensions and character. and subject % such
regulations and construction as the said
Inspector Of Buildings shall designate and
direct
section Ar shall be the duty Of the oxner
or owners Of any such building or buildlnxs 70
erect such fire escapes Immediately against and
npon such building or build inEs. and 70 keep the
same In constant good condiEb6h and repaifs and
no person shall at any time plaee AIRY incufn-
branee Of whatever name or nature tAaeeen. ~
in anywise obsfruet the free passage Of the
same.
Section An persons o. corporations rlolat-
ing any Of the provisions Of thiz ordinances.
| shall be liable 30 penalty o. nffy doiias Ier
penalty of twenty five dollars for each dag
such violation shall continue after notice thereof
BY the Inspector Of Buildings TO the respective
owner, or owners, or occupants
Section 3--Said penalties shall be ree9ferec
upon complaint OF the said Inspector of Bu.is-
MN o5 say S'esr @ RsTs.a sg any one 'i s
The ordinance was rejected by vote Of
10 4. Aldermen Day, O'NeiA and Kaiser
being absent Since that Night it has
slept the sleep OF the righteous II hasn't
even snored.
To BE RoUsED.
Now TIE NEWS proposes 70 wake IL up
IL it still slumbers. merely; 70 resurrscI il
II 10 died during its sleep
what do yeu intend doing with your
fire escape ordinsnce?'' asked Alderman
Salinger last night.
"At the next regular meeting OF our
Board" 9e said. Il viii move 10 recon
sider the vote which knocked it out r.
it y voted down again it Is lost l VIII
then feel that have done my duty. ana
it the other members won't vote for Il It
isn't my fault"
Doesn't the law require such an ordi-
nance be passed." / asked.
s. The law is perfectly clear on that sab
ject." continued the Alderman. 1T does
not say We may pass such an ordinances
it says we shall pass IL.
"Why does il meet wlth SO much oppo-
sition," / inquired.
ssWhv. those devils" meaning the
Democratic members. will not vote for
anything unless there is something IN
IL, replied Alderman Salinger, as Il be
really meant what he said Some OF
them say it is taking the power from the
Board and giving too much TO the B1ifd-
ing Inspector. Wen, for ny part, I'd
rather Jim Clarke should have It bhaa
those fellows. II 1t does give the inspec-
tor power, what harm is acne lie Is
subject TO the rulings OF cur BoaId d. he
can do nothing unless We autnorize hlU 70
do it. He has to report 70 eur Board, and
If he does not perform his duties rsgatIg
We eau get some one that VIII"
Don't you think that such an oEdi-
nance should be passed." / asked.
DANGER AHEAD.
Il do by all means" be replied. There
are many big tenenents in this city. IL
fire breaks out in those buildings or Ia
many others down town. God only knows
how many people Will lose their lives, and
then those men who oppose such an ordi-
nance will have heavy load 70 bear
have done my duty; they can 40 as
they like This ordinance IS good one.
and know meets with the approval Of
the public have done my shares new
let the public do something. IL the or~1-
nance had been presented br Democrat
it might have been passed. but because II
came lFoln Tue opposite S41Ac tIc1 W4tA As@
support the measure, or any other meas
ure, good or bad"
at or about the same time that Alder
man SaliRger presented his fre-escape
ordinance ne submitted hrs limit ort.f-
nance. This was tabled April 81. and
since that time nothing has been hearyi
from il. II was as follows
Section mo frame or wooden building.
with front Of brick or other material, o.
frame extension. shall hereafter Be b1it<
or constructed within II following zecfs7a
OF the corporahs limits Of Jersey City begin-
ming or coinmenein AT the Intersection q the
Hudson River and the Morris Canal basin
thence runniug west along the centre linz Or the
Morris Canal 70 Jersey avenue. thence running
north along the centre Iine OF jersey avenue 70
Golden street. theoc- west along the centre hl.s
Of Golden street % Varick street, thence nortn
10 Bright street. thence west to brnasNtek
north Division street north aEain TO t1tte7tufh
street 10 Coles street; 10 Eighteenth stfeet
thence east 70 Hudson River and thence % the
piace Of reglaning-
Alderman Salinger viii have this o<sii-
nance taken from the table et the ne<t
meeting. bat be savs be feels pesl lfixe
that the devils viii kill i bscarse 4
was introduced ny Republican,