The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-07

= ordinances ana Is not pIoFiQlIS y
> the required fire escapes and tax =
= ing the. prescribed precautions to =
= protect the lives of the children. ,
&$%&% =
TO THE strains Of "Hiawatha"
nearly $50 children marched
through smoke out of the Union
school at First North and Third West
streets, after a fire had started there
about 10 O'Clock yesterday morning.
They emerged in one and One-fourth
minutes from the time they started
The fire was quickly extinguished with
Slight damage. Nobody was hurt.
The fact that there was no panic,
with possible consequences similar TO
that in the IToquois theatre fire in Chi
cago. was due to the discipline main
taiDed among the pupils and their prac-
lice in marching out to music on an
= emergency call. And yet Superinten-
dent of Schools D. II. Christensen ad-
nitted yesterday that no fire drills had
been kept up by his orders since he
assumed his present office, and that
Where-there were any it was solely on
the responsibility of the principals.
Fire drills were eliminated for vari-
Gus reasons he said.
What are the reasons - was asked.
Panic at Ogden.
We'll, because it is likely to make
some OF the pupils nervous, and any
how they are trained TO move out
quickly in response to signals. In Og-
zen not long ago during a fire drill
there was CONSERVATION and a panic,
and people came runring over in alarm
and the FIRE department turned out, and
several pupils tainted
Isn't il better to have a pupil faint
when there is no danger and become
accustomed to marching out suddenly
than TO faint when there is a fire and
possibly bring about some such result
as there was in Chicago
We'll we try to train our pupils in
Marching"
'But do you have any fire drill-any
marching to emergency calls?'
"Orly on the responsibility Of the
principals Some Of them may do this,
but It is not on general orders
In what schools do they have fire
drills2f
II don't know"
Fire Chief James Devine declared that
fire drills in schools are of the utmost
importance to prevent serious disaster
in case of fire.
DevineE Favors Fire Drills.
Most peopIeedo not realize the dan
gers of panic" said the chief and
il is hard 10 get them to take precaU-
tons to prevent il. The recent lrO-
quois theatre horror is an object lesson
as TO the disastrous results which may
follow panic, and vet many people
seem to regard us as arrogant and in.
terfering when we seek to have steps
taken TO prevent such things.
1t IS of great importance TO have the
school children well drilled TO be pre-
pared for ire This is especially true
in buildings where the board Of educa-
Z1On has not complied with the build
Nng ordinances. The one I have most
in saind is the FTemOnt school. on Sec
ond West street. between First and
Second south streets. This is d three
story building, with the exits not the
best and no fire escapes. The attention
o. the board of education has been
called TO this, but it has not yet com
piled with the ordinances. The board
went so far. after q great deal of delay.
as 10 have plans for fire escapes made.
but the matter neverswent further.
schools without Fire Escapes.
Most of the other schools having
no FIRE escapes are less dangerous be-
cause they are built with wide halls,
stairways and doors. But you must
consider that nearly all the buildings
are three stories, or practically three
nsents and high ceilings. Some Of these
schools have 500 to 500 or even almost
ss high as 1000 pupils. To get them
promptly out of a building, some Of
them down two flights of stairs. espe-
Clally when there is smoke coming
Though the corridors. requires perfect
discipline and training in marching
Should there he a panic, the children
are likely 10 become 5ammed in the
CIrsr-e he ST al e
each other ard being Killed in the
crush
some time ago j rendered the serv-
ices of the department 10 assist in fire
drills al the schools. but did rot meet
with any encOurag cement. I do not
think it essential to have the children
form and march out in response to a
FIRE alarm, but I do think it of the ut
most Importance that they be made
accustomed 10 forming in line and
marching out in an orderly and prompt
manner on sudden notice at any hour
OF the day"
Pupils Drilled in Marching
In the Union school Principal ". 5. /
Wallace has had the children drilled
ia marching out to the music of piano /
whichever called 10 do so at any hour {
o. the DAY.
The fire yesterday originated from +
SNiiit UbhAioN IL cause IN q closed and &
locked basement room used TO store
janitor's supplies Shortly after 10 4
o'clock in the forenoon Miss Maude
Potter. who has room across the {
hall noticed smoke coming out
through the hole made for the bic
steam pipe which traverses the room i
ssear The ceiling Almost Immediately
afterWard Miss Florence Groesbeek. j
another teacher. who had gone over. to i
the High school TO telephone about the
illness OF a pupil, returned and saw
the smoke.
Principal Wallace had taken charge
OF her room during her absence. She
told him there was sonnet hing wrong
ii the basement and suggested that ne
90 down. AS soon as be got into the
nall. smelling the smoke. he snatchetI /
q FIRE extinguisher from shelf on one
side Of the corridor and started hur-
riedly fer the basement
By this time the halls were filed with