New-York tribune., 1900-12-14
OFFICIAL LAWBREAKEPS.

The pretence of Tammany that it is giving an
efficient administration Of city affairs receives
another rude puncture from the investigation or
fire escapes made by the Tenement House Com
mission. the results Of which are detailed in our
news columns this morning. Tammany has
never made serious claims to Puritanism in
government. In times Of emergency il has pro-
fessed TO be shocked by open vice and grieved
by charges Of being in partnership with crime.
Ordinarily, however. it sneers at public senti-
ment in favor Of morality as the mere fad OF
impracticable clergymen and sentimental fools
For three years out of the four of the Mayors
term il parades its championship of the wide
open town and its political doctrine. ITO the
vctors belong the spoils." But Tammany never
fails vigorously 10 assert its efficiency in ordi-
nary matters of administration. II may not
establish Utopian standard Of morals or meet
the idea Of municipal non-partisanship, but it
does claim that in the practical business of
managing a fire or building or health depart
ment it accomplishes desirable and businesslike
results.
How does this claim meet the test Of exami-
nation? A few days ago Mayor Van Wyck's
Buildings Commissioners were dsgraced by evi-
denee of the falsity Of their own brazen claims
of faithfulness in enforcing the building laws
and were driven by the facts laid before them TO
modify their statements and excuse their mani
fold violations Of law with the impudent asser-
ton that they did not feel bound by the require
ments Of the law, but followed their own views
concerning buildings. Similarly damaging ex-
posures are made concerning the enforcement of
the fire escape law. on which the lives of thou
sands are dependent A few days ago Buildings
Commissioner Guilfoyle of Brooklyn told the
Tenement House Commission that he knew of
no tenement houses in that borough where the
FIRE escape law was being evaded Then the
Commission showed him that out of 66l tene-
ments in the Seventeenth Ward of BROOKLYN 2S3
were entirely without fire escapes II was his
business 10 know this, but what he was ignorant
of or blind 10 the Commission had learned from
the outside without difficulty
The conditions here are almost as bad In the
/ Seventeenth Ward of Manhattan-bounded by
/ hiVington-st, Third-ave., Fourteenth-st and
Avenue B-the Commission found altogether
| 2,ST7 buildings classed as tenement houses
under the law. Six hundred and ffty-three Of
these. or % per cent, had no fire escapes on the
! front. Ninety-eight or 15 per cent had no fire
/ escapes whatever. They housed 356 families
or 1,1SO persons. who, through the negligence or
corruption OF the officials. were exposed 10 the
risk Of roasting in case a fire broke out in their
homes. The 55S houses without front escanes
but with rear balconies, sheltered 2. .525 ner.
sons who would have practically no escana
from fire, particularly as SO per cent of tbe
escapes had wooden floors, which in case of fire
IN the rear Of the building would have been
utterly useless.
The examiners for the Tenement House Com
mission report; From a study Of these facts
SHOWN by this inspection. we cannot escape the
conclusion that the enforcement of the fire
escape law IN this city is Of the most law ana
lnelieieht KIND. Neither can anybody else
ssoape IRON that conclusion. and IL is time for
the Mayor TO pay some attention 70 The ~a,.o,o
uon OF inefficiency and actual violation ~ L.,
on the part OF his subOrdinates Is he abso
iuteiy heipiessF Can he not even call for ev.
planauons without getting orders from Mr.
croker In Englandl Were the directions ~ the
OOsS on sailing that an era Of reform should he