Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-25
ORDINANCE TO Be ENFORCED
Owners Of Big Buildings Will aave to Erect
Fire Escapes
LAW IS NOT TO BECOME A DEAD LETTER
city ORciaIs Determined that Pro-
visions of Measure Shall he Conn
pIicd with, but Parties Affected
Will lie Given Ample Time.
v IS NOT TO BECOME A DEAD LETTER

Although no steps have been taken as
yet by the municipal authorities to enforce
the fire escape ordinance, passed by the city
council May 49, there is no intention to let
the measure go by default, and property
owners whose buildings come within the
scope OF the law will have to comply WIN
its provisions Chairman Atkins OF the com
mittee on fire and light, who Will nave most
to do with seeing that the ordinance is en-
forced and its provisions properly compiled
with, is daily receiving numerous inquiries
from owners of buildings throughout the
citv as to what the city requires them to
do in the premises.
Alderman Atkins stated yesterday that the
city intended to have the ordinance obeyed,
and that it would not be permitted to be-
come a dead letter like so many of the
measures passed by the council. There Is
no intention, however, he said, to work any
hardship on the owners of buildings affected
by tie measure and they would be given all
the time needed to comply with the ordl-
nance. So far Mr.. Atkins has heard but
little or no complaint, and owners OF large
buildings as a rule have signified their IN
tention of providing their buildings with
the necessary fire escapes as required. The
class of fire escapes to be erected will de-
pend on circumstances, the character OF the
building and the number of persons occu-
pying the same.
The ordinance provides that the owner Of
, a building where fire escape Is to be
erected stall be notified by the chief of the
fire department and that after such notifi-
cation the property owner shall have sixty
days in which to comply with the order. So
far no steps have been taken to notify any
of the owners. Chairman Atkins in regard
to this says that during the summer months
there is no particular need Of fire escapes in
the majority of the buildings, and that
! owners will be given until winter to erect
them.
In the case Of the Woman's Christian
Association hospital and St. Bernard's hos
pital, the committee of which Alderman
Atkins is chairman will recommend that
instead of the ordinary fire escape these in
stitutions be required to erect roomy out
side iron stairways with adequate landing
places at each story. This recommendation
will be made the grounds that in case
Of fire extreme difficulty would be had in
carrying bed ridden patients from an upper
story down an ordinary fire escape such as
the ordinance requires shall be built. A
stairway would in the opinion of the COM
mittee make the work Of rescue in case of
fire in either institution a much easier
matter than If a narrow iron ladder, such
as the ordinary fire escape, were the only
avenue Of escape.
Alderman Atkins has been advised by the
Odd Fellows Temple association that it
has already secured plans for erecting fire
| escapes on it's building on Broadway. The
| plans will be submitted to the committee on
| fire and light of the city council and the
chief of the fire department for approval.
The Masons have also notified the commit
| tee that they are ready to provide their
building at Fourth street with fire escapes
when notified by the fire chief The owners
of the Shugart Beno block and other large
| buildings have notified the committee to the
same effect, and the city authorities do not
contemplate any opposition to the enforce
ment of the ordinance.