New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-05
vised by desperate hotel-keepers lie. "S nop.
that the hotel-kcepers will think pet'er VI
before adopting this last resort
4 BJLL TO PROMOTE DEATH TRAPS.

A wcc,, oyo four people lost their lives IN one
tenement.house fire In this city, simply because
tbe owners of the building had failed TO provide
the frc-escapcs which the law prcscribes. since
tbat time several other fires and other disasters
IN tenement. houses have occurred in this city
and BROOKLYN. resulting in the loss Of some lives
and great peril to many more. Every one oi
those cases has with tragic force impressed upon
every thoughtful mind the urgent need Oh Mill
tanning and enforcing all existing laws for health
and security in the crowded dwellings, VI .ic
moor. and even of making the laws more strih-
gent And yet. by pervcrse coincidence "ni'u
would be amusing X it were not revolving III
this very time an organized movement Is aio''
in the LEGISLATURE ut Albany to relax the Iorce
Of the present law. and to sweep away WIFI
little protection to health end life Is no" III
fordcd to the tencment-house population OF our
cities.
1t is perfectly within bounds to speak OF inc
measure introduced by Senator ford Us pih
+, promote the construction ana opcraioh u
death traps Whatever the motives OF It's lraH-
crs. its inevitable effect would be 10 make 'i''
tenement houses Of NewYork veritaDic traps
for the destruction Of life by pcstience ana hre'
Last wear. it will be remembered, a law WIS
enacted regulating the construction or tenement
houses In accordance with the rudmcntary re-
ourcmcnts Of safety. II was the result ol Tue
Intelligent and painstaking investigation mauc
by the Tcnemcnt.FIousc Commission Wh'ch ma
been appointed by Governor Flower. anu was
regarded by all unparalleled and humane people
os m emincntlv useful and ut the same time
moderate measure Its chief defect was that IL
did not 20 far enough But IT did 20 far enough
to do a vast amount Of good The present bi
PROPOSES practically 10 repeal IT, and to remove
almost every safeguard TO health and life which
it established.
For example. the present law forbds the
buldng to cover more than 81 per cent OF the
area Of the lot on which ii stands. Surely that
docs not leave too large IN open space FOR light
and mir. But this bill would allow building 10
cover IS per cent Of the lot in any case ana
In most cases 10 extend over the entire lot. cx-
cepting 10 feet in the rear. The present law
requires fircproof starways in all houses more
than five stories high. and with more IMAM
three families on A floor. The Dill wohid
repeal that provision altogether SO fhit q
house might be built twenty stories hlgh
and crowded with dozen families on each
floor and yet have nothing but wooden
sta,rways The law requires the construction
of an open area. the full width OF the house,
giving free access 10 the cellar from the street
The bill abolshcs that Also so that covered
wcll-holc. three fee; square, would answer Ali
requirements
These are examples Of the changes proposed
by this abomlnablc bill. The net effect OF them
would be - make the tencmcnt-houSe region
more crowded and more unwhoesome than at
present. and 10 insure that every fire occurring
In such building would b. attended with whole
sale loss Of life II is a dclth.trap BILL pur" and
simple 1t would serve no interests but those
~ builders II the Buddensick class. who are
willing and greedy to coin money ont Of the life
blood and the souls Of their fellow men. That
such a measure should even be proposed Is Il
disgrace 10 the humanity Of the State That it
can bc enacted In this or any civilized com
muniiy IL not for n moment 10 hc believed. But
II should be beaten 50 promptly and cmphat-
lrally as 10 serve as IN everlasting warning
against any further such attempts 10 sacrifice
the health and lives Of the people.