New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-12
FIRE DANGER IN PARIS.
MUNICIPAL PRECAUTIONS TAKEN IN
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS.

The detailed accounts Of the Windsor Hotel
IRE which are beginning TO arrive by post, keep
inn the interest excited by the cabled reports.
This has been increased by the news OF the com
'plete destruction by fire on Wednesday morning
last of the whole upper part of one Of the most
tpopular tourist hotels in Switzerland-the Hotel
Beau Rivage. at Interlaken. Even half-com-
.ical incident. which might, however nave peen
efollowed by a panic. at the Theatre Francois mas
set the authorities thinking. Smoke was seen
issuing on the stage. and but for the presence OF
mind OF one OF the actors. who addressed the
audience, there would have been hasty exit
with perhaps a scramble and fatal consequences
In reality there was nothing but a smudge Gre
ated by a lighted cigarette stump. which had
rolled through a street grating into basement
room Of the theatre. where some OF the attend
ants had swept together a heap of the paper
confetti thrown at the mid-Lent carnival. Yet
all theatres are supposed 10 be under the strict-
est inspection in all that concerns hre.
In fact. every one is more and more convinced
that after the complete regulations have been
made only incessant vigilance on the part or IN
epectors can secure real precautions against IRE
in public buildings The late Puvis de Chavahhes
went so far after the loss OF his FRIENDS at Tue
- Charity Bazaar fire. as TO refuse 10 go 10 any
public gathering within doors, ana ne kept u
this resolution until his death the cigare''e
habit with its constant automatic use OF
matches and its equally automatic tossing ASIDE
of matches and stumps still lighted. is din
Guilty the authorities have never attempted 10
: Erapple with directly. In the Paris theatres
where all but the electric light is forbidden
smoking ia also prohibited except In the proper
4 smoking ROOM but here was the principal state
theatre so badly guarded that a match coulo roii
from the street into the basement. ana WIN 'he
domestic service so little supervised tha' d heap
of paper refuse could remain unnoticed within
reach.
On the whole IL must be said that the COM
parative infrequency Of fires in Paris Is cheny
10 be credited 10 the careful habits OF the popu-
Jlation In the immense majority OF housenolos
occupying single flats, petroleum lights are
chiefly used and where there is gas the installa-
zion is often defective. Unfortunately personal
habits Of carefulness are not sufficient against
the danger always existing in public buildings
For hotels in particular. absolutely no special
measures have been taken in Paris until the
present time. 1t is true that every plan Tor
new building has TO be submitted in all us oe-
tails 10 the permanent Committee of Architects
of the city of Paris. and the committee wouid
certainly pay unusual attention TO every Danger
point in a building destined for the travelling
public But the only letter of the law-that 49,
the police ordinance concerning preventive
measures against fire in the city of Paris-makes
no special mention of hotels. These measures
are reasonably complete. provided only they are
carried out in practice 1t is oouotfui IT, even
in Paris the city of police mnuteness. this can
be done in all cases.
PARIS FIRE REGULATIONS.
Ordinary heating apparatus must be kept at
"a distance OF six and a half inches from any
woodwork IL they are double-cased (metal or
Yottery) but otherwise at distance OF twenty
inches There should be a separate chimney pipe
for each fireplace. never changing more than
80 degrees from a straight line as II mounts
inward The diameter material and height
above the roofs Of the chimney pots. and their
due cleaning. are all provided for. A special in
struction is given to warn people against the use
of movable heating apparatus. communicating
with no chimney like the charcoal braisers sui
popuar In Italy and Spain. and like certain
French inventions using coke. Rnt these are dis-
couraged, not so much on account OF the danger
Of fire as of asphyxiation;- Baking ovens.
ranges and the like are subject to inspection as
well as all chimney communications.
The efficacy of regulations of this KIND VIII
evidently depend the frequency and THOR
oughness of inspection after the house is built'
In regard to lighting the only regulations made
case of electric lighting. which is now alone
recognized by the authorities. an attempt has
been made to guard against accidents like that
at the Grand Opera where the wires were re-
sponsible for weakening the support of the
great weight balancing the immense central
chandelier, with the result that 1T fell and
. crushed a spectator in the highest gallery
When conducting wires have 10 pass through
boards landings. walls or partitions or any
kind they are TO be sheathed in an extra rubber
case and protected also by a wrapper OF some
hard and incombustble material. This insulat-
lAng sheath is also TO be used every crossing or
| wires and wherever the wires come in contact
with the metallic parts Of an electric lighting
apparatus. The chief utility Of such regula-
tions for public buildings like hotels lies in the
fact that they are taken standards by the in
lsurance companies for their own demands.
BUILDING REGULATIONS.
All this means that in Paris. at least. the
Fundamental precautions against fire are taken
by the City Committee Of Architects when they
first allow a building 10 be constructed or after
ward approve notifications which may be made.
81 In general. the laying of floors is done care
fully. as much for the comfort OF families in
habiting apartments in layers so TO speak. as
because fire is apprehended. This is why floors
are invariably laid on Drlcks or tlles, nut the
covering OF all iron framework by cement or
clay. the similar plastering UP of all cellar posts
the plugging" filing in. with brick and
plaster OF all stalrways. so that. at most the
bteps may be left in wood. all refer to the danger
of Are. Another advantage in the regular Paris
mode Of building which applies equally TO
hotels with private houses. is the existence Of
servants staircases removed TO some distance
from the main stairway. Also. the usual man
OF building ranges apartments with all
their windows and balconies the same level
with the apartments OF the houses on each side,
80 that escape 10 them Is comparatively easy.