St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-21
Labor Commissioner Powers
Reports on Protection
Against Fire.
The State Law Regardin e
Fire Escapes Requires,
Strengthening.
A Hot Fight On Over Vacat-
ing the Old Market
House.
Jerry Rusk and a Wind Ma
chine to Divide Honors.
at the Fair.

Labor Commissioner Powers has pre-
pared another and perhaps the most i'll
teresting chapter for his annual report
to the legislature. The chapter is en-
titled "Protection to Human Life"
The commissioner refers to chapter 1873
OF the Statutes of 1888. an act for the
preservation of human life. He reviews
its provisions for escape from buildings
ill eases of fire, and makes the following
comment upon it: The foregoing act
is on the whole admirable in its prOvis-
ions. AT the time it was passed it was
one of the best laws to be found on the
statute books of any state in the union.
The experience of humanity with fires
since 1888 suggest, however, the neees-
Sity of some minor changes in the act of
ten years age. The most important of
the changes, thus suggested may be
summoned zip as follows:
The fire escape now demanded by law in
Minnesota for most buildings is metallic
ladder attached above the first story, located
upon the outside of the wall, and extending
above the root, and SO situated as to give
access to or exit from each story ana roof
above the first In addition to the forego-
ing there is required in the case of buildings
used as factories. when they arc more than
two stories i'll height, and employ more than
forty above the second story. instead of the
stairway located on the exterior Such
stairways may also he ordered by certain
officials upon lheaters and like buildings.
n metallic ladder, sEeh as is described in
the law OF Minnesota, IS utterly valueless as
protection TO hIman life in case of fire.
This was demonstrated in the burning of The
Tribune building i'll Minneapolis some years,
ago. Men rushed to the ladder, and, reach
ing ii, found it 40 help. DaZed with fright
overcome with smoke, file / with strange
excitement or affected by the great heat of
the ladder itself, men fell therefrom to their
death. This experience has been duplicated
in every state OF the Union where such lad
ders have had place on burning buildings
It viii try the nerve of the average man not
belonging to one of the building trades,
TO descend perpendicular ladder for 10
or 100 feet even where there is no cause for
fear and no Excitement. But think of num-
Der of women compelled 10 descend such q
ladder from burning building. In every
ease where such all attempt has been made
some person becomes nervous, misses her
hold and is precipiiated to the earth to meet
a horrible fate. This is repeated until those
who are TO follow become SO frightened at
the lot OF their fellows that they jump from
windows to meet certain death below.
A fire escape is something that is seldom
required, hut when 1t becomes necessary to
use one IL is needed indeed, and unless a
sufficient number of suitable escapes are pro-
vided all efforts are bat mockcry. THINKER
twenty, or even ten women i'll the upper,
story of the Tribune building at its burning:
Every one of them would have perished
unless some other help were at their COM.
mand besides that furnished by perpen-
dicular ladder. Such ladders have in recent
years been condemned by every body of~ih-
tellIgent men who have investigated the sub
ject. The present law of Minnesota should
be amended in some way to require the
construction of metallic stairways for all
buildings used for factory purposes where
ten or more persons are employed above the
second story. In this connection the word
ing of the laws Of some few of the other
states are given.
The laws OF New York and Of Massachus-
etts, quoted in the'report, and most ether re-
cent legislation OF the same order recognize
a great fact about buildings. These buildings
exhibit wide diversity of foreihought in their
construction. and of adaptation to securing
the safety Of human lives within their walls.
Some men erect great factories ana work
shops and arrange them with such care aid
good judgment that their inmates are as safe
without as with external Stairways. Other
buildings are so badly constructed and ar
ranged that they must needs be distisured by
a half dozen of such StairwayS. Laws must
be framed TO recognize this fundamental diff
ference i'll the character of buildings.
This can be done only by giving
large discretionary power to the in
it is to enforce the provisions of the statute.
The Minnesota law of 1883 vests some dis
cretionary power with certain officials in the
case of few buildings. In the laws of New
York and Massachusetts,, and other progress
siye states, this discretionary power extends
10 all buildings, and IS otherwise enlarged.
This provision of law makes it necessary to
have honest and trained men in office. But
with such men set TO enforce their pro-
visions, these laws can be made 10 guard the
lives of all. and with no hardships unnec-
essarv expense to the men who have con-
structed their buildings properly. In amend
ing the law of 1883 this discretionary power
of the proper odicers should be enlarged and
the requirements relating to external fire es-
capeS made to conform substantially to those
enacted in the laws of New York and Mas
sachusetts.