The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-23

be at once remedied by our legislature
As a general rule or large factories
fairly we'll equipped with this life saving
device, but our smaller mills and work
shops generally, are, in great majority OF
cases. without any means of escape in case
of fire except by single door, and that
often at the foot of a narrow stairway.
Our hotels are in still worse condition
particularly at the summer resorts along
our coast. Occasionally one is found where
we'll Quilt fire escapes are maintained, with
| printed cards posted in all parts of the
house. directing guests how to reach them.
and in tho night time similar guides by
| means of red lights. But where one is thus
| equipped. scores are found where no pre-
cautions are taken to give guests a means
| of escape il case of fire. When fire mas
| gained a little Roadway before being dis
| covered, as is almost sure to be the case In
night fire by the time the guests be
aroused, escaped is cut off by means of tho
stairways, andthey must either perish in the
flames else run the risk of breaking limbs
| by jumping from the windows. The burning
of the St. James hotel at Bangor, early in
| the year, should be lesson to hotel owners.
At that fire, though no lives were lost
quite a large number were seriously injured
/ by jumping from the windows, some of
whom were crippled for life.
s'Many business blocks in oul cities, the
upper stories of which are used as work
shops OF manufacturing establishments
where scores and perhaps hundreds of work
| ing men and women are congIegated are en-
| tirely withour proper means of escape in
case of fire.
| The report of the inspector gives illustra-
tions and descriptions of the kinds of es-
| capes best adapted to the various kinds OF
| buildings. The heavier and more expensive
kinds are familiar. being seen on hotels and
some OF the larger factories. OF more re-
cent invention just patented by Mr.. Angus.
tine Crosby, of Benton Falls. the report
| speaks as follows:
''To those who desire cheaper and less
elaborate fire escape. the following is rec
commended possessing much merit. The
Cable Ladder and Fire Escape Company,
of Waterville. Maine, manufactures the
cheapest and one of the most durable and
practical fire escapes on the market. Ii
| .They are made in the shape and style of
an ordinary ladder. the side of the ladder
being made of wire cable of any dimension
and strength required. That IN general use
with them is three eighths of an inch in di-
ameter and has breaking strength of two
and one half tons, and is practically strong
enough to hold all the persons that could be
got upon ladder on any building of three
or four stories high. The rounds in this
ladder made of seven Fights galvanized
iron tubing and placed one foot apaI
and are fifteen inches in length. They are
fastened to the wire cable sides imam inge
NOUS and novel manner. which has been in.
vented and pate nted and the patent RICH,
of which is owned by the aforesaid com
pany.
s'This invention consists in the use oil
an iron bullet place at the end of the pips
round, which is screw ed into a socket
through which the sides of the ladder run
and against which the bullet is pressed by
the round being screwed up against it. The
thread upon the rounds being cut with
right and left. SO that the bullet, when the
round is screwed up. fits into the coIruga
ton in the wire cable and makes the rounl
perfectly tight and secure.
This ladder is of the most durable char
acter, and can be put up at very little ex
pensive. The kind above described is man
ufsotuIed and sold by SAID company at thir
ty cents a foot.
ANY ordinary clamp, OF hook is sufficient
to fasten the ladder at the top so as t.
make it perfectly secure. and by the use OF
piece of 2x3 joist placed every ten fee,