New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08
FIRE SAFEGUARDS.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.
Lessons Taught by the Disastrous
Erperiences of the Past Year.

been so strfkingly illustrated in & quarter Of q
century as during the last few months. One phase
Df the existing perl-that 10 which human NE Is
exposed-was exemplihed 10y the destruction OF
the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago just BEFORE the
close OF 1903 on which occasion close 10 six nun
dred persons burned or crushed 10 oeath
Early ia February Baltimore furnished an I'M
pressive reminder OF another side Of the same
appalling danger when a ccnhagration that
started IN a department store was stayed only
when property owners had suffered TO the extent
OF nearly So0.000oo.
Advances havs unquest,onabIy been made in
safeguards against occurrences OF such expert
.nces. But the lessons Of experience have been
practically applied in only small number Of cases
relatively, and the safest buildings in existence
are surrounded by soores-even hundreds-ot
others which are = constant menace to their neigh
bors. Even in communities where municipal regu-
lations ana the ysersuasions OF the underwriters
have begun tske effect the work or regenera-
ton goes slowly. Ordinarily, those provisions
OF a building code that relate 10 IRE risks affect
only new construction. Regulations OF that KIND
cannot be made retroactive without seeming or
real Injustice The only thing 10 do under the
circumstances IS 10 educate the public TO he pos
Eibalites OF Improvement and 10 urge upon al
architects builders The necessity TOT utlIlzns
the opportunities which modern science has put
within their grasp. II at the same Time the spur
OF official regulation be used with Tisor where
defiant or reckless spirit is manifested, the gooo
work will go on stiu moro bravely.
f. NJ. Gr9swold. general inspector for the Home
Insurance Company OF this city, said a number OF
things after a visit 10 Baltimore. which are
equally true OF many other places. These are
some OF his remarks:
grafton hazard which is sun existent in this city
compels me 10 urge that Whatever precalro o
burned district should also be enforced IN those
districts not yet burned over e1 Sar5eS s soro
NATION Of the condition Of unfortutous circuTn-
eipency Of the late confagraton. and while in the
application Of stringent regulations as 10 PIoPSeS
erected in the burned district both the pGoic
sed IN demanGng the best that can be secured It
should not be lost sight OF that e9Ga1Ly ,I5
be enforced IN the unbuTned district IN at least
str1ctnres and Changes or improvements in those
already In place. and also as to pTotectl99n;
uncontrOllable fury OF the confagrt tion IN THIS
this city alone but is such as we ind existent N
s Ia1e o. neht and readily iniammabe structures
hned with more readily eoIn6usu,bie n1 s
protection against mutually exposing wall ana
pgeseny at single risk open burning not only
city block. but equally Groups OF sUon s M0
OF the elements and the usual denoralizaton con-
seouent upon such events as have accumulated me
Sltt'e'>'
Mr. Griswod notes that never before has IRE
occurred IN which the intermixture or IRE retaro-
20 burn readily existed on so broad scale. While
building of the latter class occasionally escaped IN
q mysterious fashion, il does not seem safe 10 take
any encouragement from the fact Mr.. Griswold
further says;
1t is markedly evident that practically. the only
any evidence Of reliable stability Tor future use are
ton be q the modern skeleton steel Eft frame; me
walls. or the sun more modern cement and steel
In NV Opinion. there could hardly be devised
more crucial test for demonstrating the RELIABILITY
Sn has Tesb eeh gpF Saaf IN this @ where SUR
rounded on every side by roaring furnace OF blast
being amply defended by application Of water, they
have been fred at one moment Of tine a s neoTs
Interior combustion being augmented BY an almost
but Few exceptions the structural features Of each
class remain practically intact while all contents
ssm eN have been Gissipated by the drafts set UP
through the force Of the confagration.
II is truly remarkable exhibit OF this heretofore
an exposure FIRE has caused such damage as is
shown simply eTnphasizes the run OF me con-
within restricted any internal fire IN fire
posure fires affecting the structure unless We make
al Of its exposed openings, and trim equally hre
Judgment, this protection for all exterior openings
s9 court tsc, 99d t e sSHng m ge5 on S
essential in al so-called hreproof structures.
BY tar the greatest number Of fires on record are
checked before they get outside the building IN
which they originate. This is the consequence OF
two influences The hFemen generally arrive in
time 10 suppress the flames, though they often
work at tremendous disadvantages. Again. var1-
ETY. OF precautions may be taken which assist in
cheelxing the rapid spread OF the FIRE. Some OF
these result from the type OF construction adopted
and some from the equipment furnished by the
occupant whether be be the owner or merely
tenant
One OF the most important structural provisions
is the introduction Of material that viii yield
slowly not at all TO heat for floors. partitions
and ceilings, for stairways and the Enclosure OF
the latter. and for the walls o: elevator shafts.
Where metal lie thus srapsoyed Il is highly de-
srable % use IT. Substitutes FOR wood found
IN various compounds which hight, more or less
flexible easily penetrated by nails. bUt which re-
sist IRE as well uletai asbestos. For the
arches between steel roor beams both hollow tile
and cement have been used with satisfactory
suits. IN order 70 prevent the spread OF a fire
from one story % that above it. these arches
be properly designed. There is such a thing as
poor construction due 10 false economy But II
ths quantity and quality OF the material be what
rhey should be- door arches will only perform
This service. but they viii also protect the steel
beams against which they abut- The security Of
steel frame depends largely upon the efficiency OF
the latter provision. ana also upon the caro- taken
guard the upright members OF the skeleton from
injury by heat Though experts sen differ in their
preferences between terra Gotta and cement, the
superiority OF is not yet manifest 90 dis
courage the OF the other.
Standpipe. which will enable the 1remen TO
work with facility any hoor are another ex-
ceedngly valuable resource. Among the sugges-
tons which the National Board OF Underwriters
has Ina6s 10 municipal authorities all the
country one 20 the effect that they incorporate
amoEg their ordinances something ike the follow
ing:
in every building now erected unless already pro-