New-York tribune., 1899-11-11
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
AS TO FIRE ESCAPES.
fHEy ARE TO BE USED FOR ESCAPE FROM
FIRES. NOT AS ARBORS AND

DOLLS HOUSES.
DO the Editor of The Tribune
1 Sir. An article in your paper this morning
headed Uses Of Fire Escapes interested me
much as showing the uses TO which these un-
slightly affairs can be put But was astonished
to find that the person quoted In the article
seemed to think IL pleasant ana beautifui
thing that ignorant people should be so expert
in undoing all the good OF laws which were maze
for their help and safety. was glad to see that
the article consisted entirely OF the remarks or
q person designated as "a business woman and
was not supposed 10 represent the views or the
Tribune. for i have long been reader OF your
paper and almost always find myself agreeing
with its sentiments.
| take the word Of your paper that "a busi-
ness woman" said what is quoted. but IT SOUNDS
more like the utterance OF a poetic schoolgirl
fresh from the country Would "a business
woman" be startled too much II she were told
that fire escapes were intended for buslness-the
serious business Of saving human beings from
horrible deaths?
In the course OF her article she says Espe-
cially in summer time these hideous iron frame
works are made artistic with flower boxes. guam
titles OF growing plants in pots. or climbing
vines" And again she says: "A comforter Is
fastened over the top for a shelter and the
babies play serene and contented.' Ana yet
again: Another fire escape Is evidently useu
constantly throughout the winter and summer
for regular awning cover has been htted 10
H."
Hanging gardens and tents and dolls houses
ARE all very fine in their place. but what ABOUT
fire escapes? Suppose for instance, that hre
occurs in one Of these houses, and that woman
with her baby in her arms ca business woman
would probably not care what happeheu u
man, starts to reach the ground from the top
story by the fire escape. Remember that she Is
not doing it calmly with plenty Of time, like
an acrobatic feat. but that fiery death Is be-
hind her and her baby and that she Is fleeing
and has lost her head much as a business
woman" does in her calmest moments.
The first thing that she does is to get entan-
rled In her own garden and to knock flower
not down the ladder from il. The flower pot
hits and ascending fireman on the head, Draihs
him and sends his body down 10 the ground
The woman tries to go down the hrst iaooer
but the climbing vines on it make the steps
slippery and the rungs which she ought 10 clihs
TO for support hard TO find. she ana the nauy
therefore fan to the next landing. only little
way but they drop on baby or two VINO are
playing there and crush one or botn OF tneil
Now thoroughly terrified. the woman clulcheS
her own baby and tries the next ladder but she
simply lands on an awning or a quht Wmch
has been used as a roof for IT, and she and the
baby slide off it down three stories TO the
ground and what Is left of them is not worth
nifking up till the excitement and the real work
OF the fire are over. ,
Seriously, does not "a business woman Know
that the outrages which please her SO much are
unlawful and that the Fire Commissioners
have been fighting them for years! Hunoreos
OF wears ago men and women used TO allow
themselves to be roasted alive for principles
religious, political or SCIENTIFIC but II is 700
much to ask that they should be roasted alive
,to-day for an aesthetic principle. II "a business
woman" had been capable of thinking twice
Cor even once with grain Of sense), she would
not have been so enthusiastic over this Ignorant
and disgraceful destruction Of means of safe,
ty provided by wise law for the safety or all
the city.
, am glad that you published the article for
trust that 1t will bring again to the attention OF
: the Fire Commissioners this wicked disregard or
the law and will cause them TO make thorough
examination Of the city and to compel the re-
moval of every such menace to the lives OF the
people. NAN OF BUolNESS'
New-York Nov. 8. 1899.