Evening star., 1899-03-24
Put Fire stops in the Wallis.

Public attention has been pointedly
directed since the burning of the Windsor
Hotel in New York week ago to the mat
ter of the old buildings which are still in
use for hotel purposes, and which repre-
sent d type of construction which has long
ago been condemned 1t is said in defense
vi the Windsor that 1t was in entire con-
IUrmity with the law at the time of its
erection. and that it therefore did not Ge-
serve the name Of ''fire-trap.' 1t is to be
remembered that the science of construc
ton has wonderfully advanced since the
Windsor was built. 1t does not save human
life to urge that the law was respected
thirty OF forty years ago. 1t does not pre-
vent disasters to try to stretch unsafe con-
ditions by make-shifts to cover present
regulations. Much expert attention has
been pad since this latest horror to the
causes CT the fire. The theory that it was
started by u man throwing a lighted match
out OF Il window. thus setting curtain in
u blaze. is rejected by the technical observ-
ers. who seem to agree in the main that the
fire had been smoldering for long time
in the walls and perhaps the floors. Just
how long cannot, of course. be ascertained.
1t is pretty well proved that the flames
burst from several quarters of the hotel
al about the same time showing either in
cendiarism or suppressed combustion. The
former notion has been discarded The lat
ter theory is widely accepted. The mousse
was perfectly devised for such fire. There
WAS the fTegst access for heat gas and
flame to pass from story to story in the
walls for long time before reaching The
cutter spaces. The fire may have started
from one spot, an overheated steam pipe,
something Of the kind. and virtually sat-
u"ated tIc building with flame and incan-
dcscance before making its presence known.
Unfortunately very many hotel buildings
are OF this kind. being likewise on record
as conforming strictly with the laws in
force al the time Of construction and fitted
with d Solt OF hre-cScape equipment 20
bridge over The deficiency in the light of
modern requirements. As long as the fire
cells in The wallis and partitions are permit
icd 10 remain open. In general communica-
ton with each other. or separated only by
wOoden stops. the building is death trap,
whatever may be the accumulation of fire
Lighting Or iire-escaplug devices. 1t is in
danger OF bursting suddenly into flame at
any hour with minimum of warming to
ijs occupants. The Engineering News in
discussing this matter In its latest issue
fact that this style of construction is ap-
pallingiy common, In view of the utter lack
in d great majority of such buildings of
fire stops in The walls. IT the laws be such
~ prevent the forcible prevention by
he authorities of the use of these old
buildings for public purposes or the COM
PuisOry re-equipment of them on a fire.
proof basis, there is no reason why the au-
thorities should not require the owners to
insert stops i'll The walls to prevent the un-
seen spread of the fire from floor to floor
and section to section through the partitions
and floor cells. The News says that the
Windsor could have been equipped with
these ire stops at no greater expense than
laid out on the lavish decoration of a
single room, and without putting the build
ing Out OF commission.
1t behooVes the municipal authorities
throughout the country 10 inquire into the
matter. They may find themselves prevent
e., by law public opinion from razing the
fire traps 10 The ground or requiring prac-
Teal reconstruction on modern basis But
they can at least satisfy themselves from a
rigid inspection and the enforcement of per-
emptoIy orders that all such old structures
are brought u, 10 the standard the Engineer
i'll News suggests in order that there may
be more of these awful calamities, caus-
ed apparently by the slow snoldering of
the lire in the walls.