New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-12
TO GUARD AGAINST FIRES.

Annual reports at Albany show that the fire
insurance companies have suffered severely of
late. In number, in amount of losses and in
sacrifice of lives the fires in this State and in
other States have made an appalling record.
During this winter the demands upon tn fire.
men have been more frequent and more exact
ing than for many a year. Every sort Of build
ing has been burned manufactures ware
houses, shops, mansions and the homes of the
poor. All previous experience of fires in tene-
ment houses has been surpassed. Courageous as
firemen have been at other times they have
risked their lives this winter so often and so
boldly that the community is glad to give them
unstinted tributes of praise. Never was there
more reason for enthusiasm over the gallantry
of the men who are always ready to fight the
f1ercest of battles against smoke and fame in
the most trying weather which New York can
confront. No extremity Of cold, no violence of
tempest no sufferings from exposure and ex-
haustion can daunt the brave fellows who do so
much for humanity.
No one will dispute the evident fact that the
great number of fires is chiefly due 10 lack of
care on the part both of landlords and of fen
ants, the owners of property and the Occupants
alike. Many insurance experts say that an ex.
tremely large percentage of fires is caused nv
defective insulation of the electric wires which
form wonderful network not only in orr
cities. but even in villages and hamiets. No
doubt electricity IS IN fault in a host of in
stances, and it ought to be possible TO compel
the electric companies, the contractors and their
agents and employees to take more pains in set
ting up electric wires and arranging conner-
lions. 1t should be borne in mind, however. that
most of the fires in tenements are not brought
about by electricity. Lamps candles and
matches nd oil
looked after closely, or the lives Of scores and
even hundreds OF men, women and children are
put in hazard. Most Of our tenements. even in
these days Of enlightenment, are so constructed
that fire. once started, rushes with frightful
speed from cellar TO roof. In the course of time
no tenements will be constructed without
thoughtful regard for the safety of the occu-
pants, but New-York has had reason recently to
lament that evil influences have prevented the
enactment and enforcement OF such regulations
concerning tenements as ought to prevail in
crowded cities
1t Is not only In the tenement districts that
the danger from fires is menacing The lesson
of the Windsor Hotel disaster last year has not
been taken TO heart as it should have been
Death trap hotels may be found in Broadway
to-day, and owners and managers Of such hotels
seem 10 take little thought In broad daylight
the WINDSOR Hotel, with its spacious halls and
wide entrances and exits was burned so
swiftly that the loss Of life was pitifully large
Consider how many hotels there are in New
York now in which the breaking out of a fire
In the hours before sunrise would be followed
by dreadful tragedies! Some of our theatres
are unsafe, and should be rebuilt or closed No
place of amusement which may be packed with
hundreds Of people should be tolerated in such
a ne This If ha OH Of
is far above the street If It were not for tbe
vigilance of the firemen who are stationed mt
the theatres, 1t Is almost certain that a shock
ing calamity would have occurred ere this in
one or more OF the theatres on Manhattan
Island
word TO the insurance companies. Are they
not In some measure in fault themselves? They
have been forced to pay out great sums for fire
losses, as the official reports prove. Is it not
practicable for them to reach some understand
ing by which these losses Will be diminished In