New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-09
THE FIRE APPLIANCE Monopoly.
REAL ESTATE OWNERS AND BROKERS
OBJECT TO PRESSURE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT

The article IN Yesterdays Tribune telling Of the
practical monopoly held by two companies In this
city for furnishing fire appliances in buildings, and
the favor with which these concerns are regarded
by the officials in the Fire Department aroused
much interest among real estate owners and
brokers'. 1t learned yesterday that within the
last month nearly every real estate office Of prom
inenCe in this city having the management Of estate
properties, including office buildings and apart
ment houses, had received from the Fire Depart
ment the very general and indefinite orders to
equip certain buildings with such appliances "as
may be directed ny the officer serving this notice..
in several instances these notices sent to the
owners or agents for recently constructed fire
proof buildings. already equipped with fire hose
ard stand pipes.
Several real estate agents who by
Tribune reporter said that they had written to the
Fire Department for explicit instructions request
ing information to just what the Department
required, but in of these Offices, although
several days had elapsed since these letters were
written replies at all had been received while
in others it said that evasive and indefinite
answers had been returned The law requires
provide such means of preventing and
tingufsEng fires said Fire Commissioner may
direct" and the principal apparatus which the De-
partment is directing" among other appliances is
a special fire alarm box. The connections from
these boxes made directly with the Fire De-
partment wires and it is necessary, of course, for
any electrical contractor who is employed by
to make these connections first to secure from
the officials permission do the work. Just here is
where the bone Of contention exists between the
Department and the real estate owners and agents.
The large majority of the owners of the class
of buildings which these orders refer
anxious and eager to protect themselves against
the possibility of fire the Fire Department is to
have them do so, but they strenuously object to
being compelled to rent these fire boxes from any
two companies in this city at fixed year
ly rental
real estate broker yesterday who had
consulted with the Fire Department to where
he could get fire boxes which would satisfy the
Department. He referred Frederick Pearce
ing offices at Nos. IS and 20 Rose-st., or to the
Manhattan Fire Company. The official with whom
this broker talked said that. while he wished 1t
understood that he was not recommending these
concerns, yet If any other contractor employed
to do the work he would have to satisfy the De-
partment that his work would be all right
How little chance any other contractor than
those in favor with the Commissioner has to get
his appliances in any buildings may be judged
when il is said that well known electrical
tect recently with the Fire Departments order,
absolutely refused to figure the work. When
asked their for declining to estimate they
both gave the architect to understand that the
told the architect that he would have to see
Pearce"
In view of these facts, it learned yesterday
that least two we'll known real estate firms
had advised their clients to pay attention TO the
Departments orders, and to let the matter. If nee
essary, go TO the Corporation Counsels office and
stand suit for the failure comply with the order
of the Department The penalty for this offence is
$50 1t said that if owners and real estate
agents stood together in opposing the apparent at
the Tammany officials would have an interesting
fight on their hands