Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-03
THE EVENING STAR SATURDAY. JANUARY 8, 1903.
BUILDING INSPECTION
EXAMINATION MADE By FIRE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.
Every Kind Of Structure is Now Better
Protected Than Ever
Before.


ant Chief Belt and Fire Marshal Bieber
| have completely inspected from one to
three buildings a day with the satisfactory
result that as regards general protection
against fire the city may be said to be mucn
| better safeguarded than ever before.
Chief Dutton has proceeded upon the
theory that an ounce of prevention IS PETER
than a pound of cure, and that the way to
prevent fires is to reduce to the lowest
terms the possibility of CONGREGATIONS by
keeping buildings in as up-to-date condition
as possible. TO this end rigid inspection
of all classes of structures has been kept
up, Is continuing and will not be permitted
to lag. Especial attention has been gwen
to theaters, hotels, apartment houses and
other places where persons cOngregate, ana
the improvements made and those under
way are SO many and beneficial that the
fire department Is entitled to the highest
credit for the manner in which Its officials
have performed a task found to be by no
means light.
This specific, regular and systematic in
spection has been apart from the ordinary
routine daily inspection Of buildings in re-
Spouse to complaints. suggestions, ETC., and
was designed to go through the entire city,
and give it, as it were, so far as its struc-
lures are concerned, a radical official house
cleaning. This has been about accomplish
ed, and our residents may feel easier in
the knowledge that there never was time
when the entire city was In better con-
dition as regards protection against the
possibilities Of fire than now. This IS eSpe-
cially gratifying in view Of the many and
diverse means taken to heat all kinds of
premises this winter by reason Of the short
age of coal, and the consequent increased
liability of fires.
What Has Been Accomplished.
A Star man spent this morning with Fire
Marshal Bieber in going his rounds of in
spection, and in discussing the improved
condition of the city that official said:
Il am glad to say that the fire depart
ment has found property owners responsive
to the requests we make as regards improv-
ing their premises, many of which have
been costly, so as to give their tenants,
guests and audiences all the protection that
it is possible to afford them.
1.-The managers of our theaters have been
especially willing to construct new exits,
improve old ones and to more than comply
with the ordinary regulations OF the build
ing and fire departments. We have timed
to the fraction of a minute the time 1t has
taken the audiences of the different the
aters to vacate at the close of the perform
ances, and in all weathers. An interesting
feature in the time 1t takes to Vacate
theater at the close of the performance was
shown in that where the orchestra played
a spirited closing piece the audience go out
much faster than when slow, soothing
piece was played, the people being willing
to linger to listen, while on rainy and
stormy nights the time was Increased to an
appreciate degree. By these and other eX-
periments we We're able to judge whether
the management had provided sufficient
means of egress for quick emptying of a
playhouse, and where we thought that ad-
ditional facilities were required the man
agement at once acquiesced. AS a result
we believe our playhouses to be in excellent
condition in this respect in front Of the
footlights.
ION the stage, in addition to the presence
of oil
hooks, regulation fire department axes and
other fire-fghting implements within
ready reach and kept in servceable cordi-
ton. The latter is especially true of the
icals therein must be renewed freqLt ntly
and the hose MOBILES and other parts kept
free from corroslon.
Hotels and Apartment Houses.
$50 many apartment houses have been
recently erected in Washington that we
have devoted special attention to their in
spection. The tenants of these large houses
have slight idea of conditions in the base
ment around the boilers and fire rooms,
laundry rooms, drying rooms, the bottoms
Of elevator shafts, etc. Our inspectors,
however, with these buildings have been
very rigid and we have endeavored to i'm
press upon janitors the Importance of alb
solute cleanliness. We do not let 1t go with
a mere notification. but follow up our noti-
fications to see that they have been COM
piled with By so doing careless janitors
have been given to understand that we will
not permit slovenly methods, and where
fragrant neglect is shown we will have re-
course to the law. AT all times in the base
ments Of apartment houses there is great
deal Of packing and repacking of furniture,
household goods, ETC., and more or less
quantities of excelsior, wrapping paper and
scraps, the most dangerous material to
have around, as spark from the furnace
or lighted match dropped, usually means
a fire. When 1t is remembered that there
were twenty-five fires in the District last
year from spontaneous combustion the i'm
portance of Clearly premises will be better
appreciated
Several of Washington's hotels have I'M
dergone extensive alterations and improve
ments during the past year, in one instance
a quarter of million being spent The fire
department has given these buildings close
attention, and am glad to say that its rec
concentrations have been carried out In
fact the hotel managers have met the de-
partment In most cases more than half
way, and have spent money literally in
complying with out suggestions
"Most hotel fires are apt to originate in
the basement, and in many hotels elevator
shafts have been protected, wood work COW
cred with sheet iron. and axes, hooks and
hand extinguishers freely placed not ONLY
in the Easements but throughout the halls:
several Of the hotels having enlarged the
windows leading out upon fire escapes,
added new escapes, new fire gongs in the
halls as well as automatic fire alarms, and
made many other excellent improvements,
some of a costly nature. All of the hotels
have close telephone connection with the
department. while several of the theaters
have regulation fire alarm boxes on the
stages. as well as telephone connection in
the box office.
Other Improvements Made.
"In fact the Gepartment is onlv ton Won ~,
to inspect any premises, and Till gladly
give it's advice to those who contemplate
the erection of new buildings, or the alter
alton Of old structures. Owners can save
themselves much future trouble and posi-
BILE loss by communicating with Chief Dut-
ton upon any subject upon which the ad-
vice Of the department may be required
Indeed the public has little idea how
closely the department attempts to safe
guard its interests and pron artY At all