The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-10
WORK BEING RUSHED
ON BALL PARK EXITS
Exposureof Grand Stands Dam
gerous Condition. Forces
Management to Act.

The dangerous conditions that have ex-
listed at the downtown ball park are to
be remedied, additional exits having been
ordered by the management Of the St
Paul baseball club, and TO add to the GER
tainty that something will be done City
Engineer Rundlett, as city building in
spector, yesterday ordered Assistant In
spector Ellerbe to make an investigation
of the grand stand and report his find
ings today.
This means that no matter what atti-
tude Is taken by the management of the
ball club, it is certain that needed pro
lection against fire and stampede will be
secured, and that the management of the
club can take unto itself none Of the cred
1t for having Safeguarded the lives of that
portion of the public that wishes to wit
ness the ball games
Urged to action by the publication of
the facts in I h e G o b e Yesterday and
realizing that delay might make still more
public conditions that it was DESTROYS
should be carefully hidden the club man
agement yesterday engaged worknen and
Degan plans to at once put the grand stand
IN condition that will be reasonably safe.
The plan, as announced, is that four large
exits are to be cut through the wooden
front Of the grand stand these being in
the form Of dropping doors. frt
New Exits Ordered.
When the real conditions were made
pupllc ana the patrons were aware that it
would be easily possible to have a hola-
caust IN the grand stand the management
sought cover in such haste that it was
more or less justified in the assertion that
the exits had really been cut last spring
al which time it is just possible that the
plans were drawn.
These new exits. or gates it is said
VIII De locked on the outside and the
local players instructed to unlock them il
q fre or a stampede occurs. Today the
pail players will be given their first lesson
IN a ire drill, which will include the I'M
locking of the new exits. This arrange
ment may be subject to. criticism as the
local players may at times be in the field
and some distance from the locked exits.
The out town players could hardly be
expected to be familiar with the scheme
yesterday for the first time during the
season there We're stationed at each one
OF the small exists at the end of the
grand stand attendants instructed to
open theSe exists at the first sign Of
peen locked during the games.
City Engineer Acts.
Aroused to the necessity Of acting in a
matter OF such great Importance CITY
engineer RundIett took the bit in his
teeth yesterday and after looking over
the new building code that is ready for
the signature of the mayor decided that
the law gives him control Of all places
OF public amusement and holds that a
place.
Entering the Office Of his assistant. who
acts as building inspector, Mr. Rundlett
peremptorily ordered that an Immediate
inspection be made of the grand stand,
and that complete and accurate state
ment OF the conditions as thew are follnd
be Med with him today. There was nc
q g OF his attitude, ne assuming that
II there is danger to the people it is the
duty to extend all the protection that the
law gives him the right to demand.
The engineer found that no permit had
been issued for the use Of the grand
stand, but said that this was not abso-
lutely necessary until the new building
code is in force, this requiring that ID
must receive the approval of the mayor
But as soon as the measure becomes a
law" he said, there is no question but
that the owners of the park viii be com
PEELED to make ample provision for the
safety of the people. At present it is
impossible for me to say that the struc-
ture fails to comply with the provisions
OF the code, but if it does not it will not
be used as place of public assemblage
again until the repairs are made
There is no question but that grand
stand must conform with the code which
provides that such places shall have stair
ways eighteen inches wide for each 100
people accommodated.