The Morris County chronicle., 1904-03-11
FIRE LIMITS
DISCUSSED
Proposed Arrangement Sub
rritted to Council Not
Satisfactory.
REPORT OF SAFETY COMMITTEE.

REPORT OF SAFETY COMMITTEE.
At the monthly meeting of the
Board of Aldermen Friday night, the
question of fire limits received at
tention. A map showing the dis
tances and boundary lines of the
proposed limits was submitted by the
ordinance committee with an amend
ment to the fire ordinance introduced
at the last meeting. The amend
ment makes the boundaries as follows ;
Startling at the corner of Spring
and Morris streets down Spring to
Water, then up Spring to Speedwell
avenue, thence to Early, and down
EARLY $50 feet running parallel with
Speedwella avenue to~High street to
within l50 feet of Washington street,
thence to Atno avenue parallel with
Washington street, from there to
Phoenix afen1e, 150.feet from Wash
ington street thence to Court street,
from Court to Annslstreet down Ann
street to Bank Street, thence to Mac
cullock avenue $50 feet along that
avenue to Maple and then up to De-
Hart within $50 feet of South street
thence down to Madison street in a
straight line and crossing into Elm
street and from there to- Pine and
thence down Pine to the place OF
beginning.
There was objection to the pro
posed boundaries on the ground that
they were too extensive; that people
could not be expected to- erect brick
buildings so far away from the center
of the city. Aldermen Burke of the
street committee was first to pro-
test. He called attention to the
distances and said the value of the
land would not warrant building
brick structures at the extremes OF
the boundaries. He could not vote
for that portion of the ordinance.
In way of defense, Alderman
Rutan, chairman of the ordinance
committee said when the committee
prepared the lines they were not
thinking only of present, but of flu
ture needs. They took it for granted
that Morristown would grow and
were trying to safeguard coming
generations. There is "Saying
clause" in the ordinance, Mr.. Rutan
said, which provides that by three
fourths vote of the board man may
be permitted to build frame build
ing within the limits.
Alderman Arrowsmith, a member
of the ordinance committee, said he
did not insist that the boundaries be
accepted but was willing they should
be rearranged if it was thought best.
A motion to accept the amendment
was lost and the ordinance was re.
committed. Entirely new boundaries
in all probability will be established.
A report from the committee ap-
pointed to examine buildings and
their exits with regard to salty from
fire was made to the board. 1t was
read by Clerk Stilwell. A synopsis
follows: The committee were given
every opportunity to examine the
public buildings. They visited the
South Street Church, st. Peters
Church, Church of the Assumption
Bayley Grammar School, Maple Ave-
nue. Public School, Washington Hall
and Lyceum. At the Maple Avenue
School they found hose and fire
extinguishers on all floors, three sets
of stairways, two double and single
extending from top floor to yard, al
doors swing outward. The same was
true Of Bayley Grammar School.
For Washington Hall the committee
would suggest that an additional
exit be provided from the main hal
in the rear. At the Lyceum the com.
mittee found the building we'll pro
tected against fire by two lines of hose
in the basement, one line of hose 5(
feet on the library floor, two lines in
the passageway and a line on the
stage. They were informed that at a
play or other entertainment from
four to seven experienced tiremer
were employed to look after the
building. Gas had been dispensed
with on the stage and electric lights
installed. The committee had met