The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-07

Keperf % Danger From Fire rrsps-
The Auxiliary Alsrm System
~ the regular monthly meeting Of the
IRE commission last night the committee
appointed last October TO report ways
and means for the prevention Of ire and
loss OF life and properly in hotels and
lodging houses gave its opinion that loss
Of life. such as that ON West street.
might occur from faulty construction.
ard recommended the appointment OF a
f,rs marshal aad electrician, one man to
nil both Offices. The connGttee, which
consisted OF Jones. Kahaiey and Meek.
submitted the following report. which was
referred to the city council:
..Your committee has visited nearly all
the hotels antf lodging houses in which
in our opinion loss OF life might occur
BY reason OF faulty construction or in
adequate methods of escape. While our
Investigation has been confined only To
such IS were considered most dangerous.
nany other hoAsas occupied In part or
in whole as lodging houses would. In our
opinion. warrant a thorough investiga-
ton. However. the examination 50 far
made has convinced US that the proven
ton OF such occurrences as the IRE on
West street ON the night OF October y
necessiIaaes that an Authority be vested
in some person. whose duty IL shall be
TO not only report. but to have the power
to enforce such restrictions, alterations
or requirements as In his Judgment may
be deemed advisable. This can only be
done by ordinance and the creation OF q
fire. marshal While that power is now
in part assumed by the board OF public
works and by ordinance assigned TO that
body. we feel that. like ether response
bilities shared by two or more. the serv-
Ice can never be satisfactorily performed.
Again, in the matter Of electric wir-
ing. competition necessitates, when there
are no provisions to the contrary. or
where these provisions are not carefully
guarded. cheap work, and cheap electric
wiring Is the most prolific cause Of fires.
While these things may go on for q while
without danger cheap installations do not
last, and are from the nature OF things
imperfect. Then when from any cause
moisture comes in contact a ground Is
formed and the result Is a fire. Ordi-
nances regulating electric wiring are on
the statute books. but no person Is au-
thorixed to superinfend such, or. IL au-
fhorized. has no time TO attend to such
matters.
.srhe only cure for the evils set out Is
the creation of the Office of fire mar
shal, to whom shall be delegated full
authority to compel q rigid adherence
to all the ordinances now created or that
may hereafter be created. While econ
omy may be pleaded as an excuse for
not creating such an Office. In our Judg-
mcnt the creation OF such an Office. II
given wide scope. such as right to
make investigation into the cause OF
fires. with power to summon witnesses.
etc.. will have tendency to prevent
many fires which are now only regarded
as Of suspicious origin.
San Francisco has fire marshal and
also aacity electrician. While ordinarily
a ire marshal might not be Quahfied as
an electrician we know or no reason why
an electrician might not be qualified as
fire marshal. While we have not gone
into details as 70 what fhe duties OF q
fire marshal or electrician would neces-
sariiy be. It IS enough at this time. IN
our judgment, to snow the necessity Tor
the creation OF such an office. Then, II
In the opinion OF the constituted author
itSSS suSu al oiiitS saFouau NC SiSaeSAs VIC