New-York tribune., 1899-01-11
MUST HAVE FIRE ESCAPES.
COMMISSIONER GuILFoYLE AFTER
BUILDINGS NOT WELL SUPPLIED

APARTMENT HOUSES AND LoDcERooMs REcE1v-
ING HIS Ar1ENr1ox-coNEY ISLAND MUST
COMPLY WITH THE LAWS
John Cuilfoyle Commissioner OF Buildings, is hard
81 work on his crusade against insufficient IRE IS
capes and exits Three four inspectors are de-
voting all their time 70 the work and Assistant
Corporation Counsel Courtney IS over his head In
legal work connected with the crusade. Commits
sioner Gulfoyle thinks he ought to have another
sssis;an, corporation counsel TO help him
Mr. Gunfoyle IS not conhning himself 10 Places OF
public asscmbag~ but IS aevoting much time TO
spartment-houses He may have had his attention
called 10 the question ~ apartment houses by the
recent fatal fires in which the absence Of fire es-
capes on the front of the buildings made the VIC
tins helpless
When Tribune reporter visited Mr. Gulfoyle
yesterday he fognd him busy signing orders 10
people TO ADD fire escapes 20 buildings or put in
more doors
THE buildings In thescity where crowds congre-
gate must have places for the people to set out
quickly in case OF Sire" said the Commissioner.
Otherwise the courts must restrain me in COM
pelng the observance Of my Interpretation OF the
building laws There IS too much Of the spirit which
says: 4 want your admission fee. and don't care
how you get out 1t is my business 20 look ct
the dark side and prepare for the worst that can
happen
Il am giving ten days warning to people whose
comply I place the matter in the hands OF Mr..
Courtney. We had two dozen cases Of violation
OF the law under woy. and have served half-doze1
notices Several large apartment-houses are re-
cevins our attention Many Of the expensive
spsrtmont-h houses, with imposing architectural
fronts are little better than fire traps.
II am OF the opinion that fire escapes in the
rear are not enough in such buildings especially
where there are separate sportmsnts IN 'nf iron: s
breaks out. that the families that occupy the rear
front get 10 the rear fire escape? .
The owners OF these buildings seem TO think II
chiteciursi eff sct Of their buildings But / pro-
pose TO give man a chance for his lie. ! don
care what kind OF a fire escape is used. II i con-
forms to the regulations. They can use gold bars
a case in point is nine-story apartment build
Ing. in Montsgue-st. We have given them until
January is to put hrc escapes In front OF me QUO
bys the courts Rear stairs are not enough
Eve have devoted considerable attention 10 louee-
"a aiS Tne at OF have
PEELED 70 put up ire-escapes in front OF their % ouio &
M rs: bs heFs have af 4y for e
There are fire escapes that we DO not consaer l
fer th sSaa FST s Tafs
shall be built around the ladder at each story. so
that more than one person can crawl out FL
coney Island is in bad way as rsgsTdsd ddnr FIRE
and Il would be impossible for large crowd 10
ges out in case Of fire. 1t has been hard TO SET az
those people because soon as the season Is over
bas ssn Be IN proper CONDITION before the
opens next summer There many hotels down
there that have not so much az stairway anu
they are receiving my attention .,, -.
What is the prospect for good buiiolng year:
Asee sery no pronising tA,k taere will be marked
improvement over asi yeaE ahd ~ IN sI2 sp''s Sdines
spd UsT 'hsrs TSe as s rss Ss s Rs%
than the year before ''t'''