New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-19
OLD HOTELS SAFE, THEY SAY.
MANAGERS TELL OF PRECAulloNS
AGAINST FIRE.
CONFIDENCE PLACED IN WATCHMEN AND
DISCIPLINED SERNANTS-flRE hAllN-
GUTsHERs AT HAND - SAFETY
IN TRANSVERSE WALLS.

IN TRANSVERSE WAl1LS
c. tor &c could he learned yesterday. the pro-
nr,otors Of all the hotels complying with the
regulations Of the Fire and Building depart
4 ments The Windsor fire has greatly perturped
many persons and more than one top-no"i
room was vacated yesterday by tenants WIZ
had NOT thought overmuch of danger till the dis
( aster on St Patrick's Day An order was gwen
! for RESUMPTION Of fire drills in a number Of
hotels where the practice had fallen into disuse.
and signs calling attention to fiIe-escapes ana
| exits were ordered for two hotels which have
Maid little attention to the matter heretofore
| The hotel men generally asserted that they
! cannot be assailed, as they have compiled with
the law. and many spoke defanty of Commits
sioner Thomas F. Brady Of the Department OF
| buildings who called the older hotels fire
! traps"
Manager Frost of the Broadway Central
! courts an immediate Investigation Of his prem
ises The Broadway Central was built thirty
or forty years ago. is eight stories hleh ana
| accommodates about six hundred guests
commissioner Brady should moderate his
language" said Mr.. Frost yesterday Inc
! hotel men are keeping within the law in spirit
! and in letter. sometimes at great expense. lhlS
/ hotel went to an expense Of $4,000 for renting
when lilly Haynes leased it from the higgins
| estate in 1892 We've got everything in the
way of fre-fghtng and ire-preventng appl-
ance that money can buy outside of an engine
which, by the way, is right around the corner
! Mr. HAYNES is something of a genius in pro
| vjding against possible fire. and he equipped
the hotel with q number of appliances rec'g-
n,zed as useful When the Fire Department of
fcials inspected his work they were not entirely
satisfied. and ordered something different, at
no mill #
Havnes's ideas. The latter at once compiled
with the wishes of the Department ana left MS
own appliances in. so that we have both at the
| present time Every floor in this hotel Is pro-
vided with hosepipe and hose and there are
two hundred pals OF water always ready for
an emergency The fire underwriters make
regular inspections Of the place, and are fully
satisfied Everything depends in hotel IKE
this on the general discipline and efficiency OF
the employees. Ours not allowed to smoke
in the building The natural impulse OF a man
when he a fire start near him is to get
pail Of water and drown the flames. Acting on
this assumption We have the filed pals OF
CORY hand The CITY cannot compel any
changes here. as we have done everything re-
quested of us by the Fire Department.
CARE AGAINST FIRE.
''No. this is not a freproof hotel" said w II
ellison. manager Of the St. Denis Hotel, a.
broadway and Eleventh-st. None of the Older
hotels are nreproof. and some Of the moder'
ones would burn up quickly if the fire once got
started Look at the Home Life Building. VIVA
was there to burn there? And yet II burned
This hotel is no worse than scores Of others
Watchmen patrol the corridors at short inter
walls all night long There are pals filed viii
water in the Railways. The Fire Department
people are very strict with US. and we do as they
tell us / don't see how they could he any more
strict After ALL human intelligence and care
! are the surest preventives Of fire. We Keep
strict watch on our employees. We never had
fire of any Importance in this hotel. and there j.
, little chance of having one"
: Manager ellison said his hotel accommodate
. about two hundred guests.
! H. J. Jackson manager Of the Morton House
broadway and Fourteenth-st.. says that that oil
landmark is in many respects Ike freproo
! building This house" said he, was originate
four old buildings and there are eight partition
e walls which would make ii almost impossihl
: for II to burn down quickly, as the Windsor did
! | Keith's Theatre is built right in the middle o
: the hotel as il were the hotel being E-shapeC
K The theatre burned down fifteen years ago with
e out harming this hotel materially. This theau
is now freproOf and is no longer menace.
| course q fire once we'll started. would burn u
;, | up in a hurry but d fire has a slim chance q
getting started with watchmen making frequen
rounds The battalion chief was here the othe
Q day and he said we were In as good shape a
f any Of the older hotels.
The same story Of fully complying with III
law met the reporters inquiries at the old Unto
Square Hotel Neumuller e Shafer the pre-
prietors The hotel is part of the CORTLAND
palmer estate. 1t is built OF brick and morta
= and wood
we are well equipped with hre-escapes an
> exits ropes and fire eXtnguishers. The Fire Dc
partment inspector was here week or two az
= and looked over. We take care OF about on
hundred and fifty people
PROTECTED by TRANSVERSE WALLS.
g Manager y. l.. NJ. Bates OF the Everett Hous
u has about two hundred guests.
THAT was horrible catastrophe for my oil
friend Leland" said he and am much afra
that the death list will be larger as soon as Il
ruins are cleared away. With reference TO OF
fire protection. all / can say is that we've e.
y oil that the law requires. and more too This
ono ~ the oldest hotels in the city, but II wa
y | ,rau built We spent 100000 four years ago
l. | Nttine IL ND There are nine eghteen-inch wal
g | from the ground to the roof, buit transNeisel
and fire would ordinarily be confined 10 Sc
zion Of the hotel The hotel was opened in 40
The structure IL five stories In height, ana u
upper floor has several passageways 10 the roc
From the roof there are ladders 10 the Arno
| and Bradley buildings adjoining, ana cues
would have no trouble in getting out OF DANCE
We have the customary outside fire. escapes, al
there is an engine just around the corner. II
n | hotel has a frontage OF 16S feet In Fourth av
and 100 feet In Union Square Never mind II