The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-16
PRECAUTIONS IN
The Big STORES
FIRE-FIGHTING PLANS OF DIE.
FERENT ESTABLISHMENTS.
Altho Precautions Have Always Been
Taken, the Recent Fire Has Added
to the Care Exercised for the Safety
Of the Public and Property
Drills Common,

Attic precautions have always been
taken, the recent disastrous fire has
caused Minneapolis merchants to adopt
more strenuous methods of prevention
than ever. The holiday season, Incl
dent: to which are more lights, larger
crowds and more inhammable mate
rial, is fraught with danger, and this
fact has also caused merchants to be
more alert.
Queries directed to the proprietors
and managers Of many Of the leading
stores this morning, developed the ex-
tent Of the different fire systems used.
The ban is placed on rubbish and in
fammable material Of all sorts. One
store absolutely forbids the use of par
stores have organized and drilled their
employees, so that each knows just ex-
actly what to do and when and how
to do it. The big stores have devoted
much time to perfecting the best meth
DDS Of preventing loss of life in case
Of fire, and probably every store could
be emptled in a few minutes in case
OF an alarm. .:.'.
In the fire at the Powers Mercantile
much to prevent the spread Of the fire.
and these are commonly used.
| At the Dayton Dry Goods company.
a complete fire brigade is organized
There are six companies, each having a
marshal and captain, and from ten to
eighteen men. Each floor is desig.
mated, and the location Of the fire is
made clear by the ringing Of the bell
There are hose reels at all vantage
points, axes and saws are always at
hand, while water buckets and fire ex
The fire drills are frequent and unex
nf ho 1ri1 ic 70
the revolving doors upon the first alarm
so that the exits shall be unobstructed
Another system is in vogue at Don
aldson s Glass Block. The great store
is carefully guarded, day and night
Thirty-two men are in the store during
the night, and they search every nool
and Granny, so that it would be diff
cult for fire to get even half start
Great care is exercised in extinguish
ing lights when the store is closed
"No smoking is a rigidly emf cee
rule. Tools and apparatus are kept con
stantly in place, while the carpenters
close to them all the time to throw then
open in case of alarm. In addition
other doors can be thrown open. Ever.
employee knows where the exits are.
"We could empty this store in tw'
minutes said L. S.. Donaldson Thu
morning. The male employees Of tn
store are organized into fire brigade
which is drilled every two weeks afte
business hours. No rubbish is per
mitted.
"A corps Of. trained employees is 9 O.
schild Of the Palace: ''They are IL
store s trained fire fighters" speeias
care is taken in cleaning up rubbish
and the employees have instruction
what to do in time Of danger. The firs
thing is to get all women and childre
out. No gasolene is kept in the stor
except in metal tanks. me head Pc.
there is no waste anywhere, "a and :. tn u.
night porter does the same. The stor
has an auxiliary alarm system.
In the Minneapolis Dry Goods Con
: pany's store no infammable ,materls
; is allowed anywhere. Employees cal
not smoke, in the building and Mh ;el
eyersa customer enters who is smoklnif
the employees have instructions,
watch him closely. An auxiliary alar1
system is used. On every floor are hos
, reels and buckets, ard men are care
. fully instructed how to use them.
At the New Store. the system -
have men on the lookout all the TIM
Special effort is made to remove rut
| bish, and fire buckets and apparatus ar
everywhere. Watchmen are movln
!, about the building thruout the night.
} The New England has a compllet
! sprinkler system, tested every day
7 with automatic connections with the fir
: department. The building. is divide
, into four distinct parts by brick wall
r Chemical pals and tanks are generous
" distributed. All rubbish is carte
; away twice daily. Watchmen guar
the building day and night:
At the Powers Mercantile compan,
, fire brigade has been organized an
will be perfected as soon as the storI
opens again. The store is generousl
supplied with automatic and other fir
, fighting devices, and is CAREFUL
> watched.
, The Plymouth, two days before tn
Boutell fire, issued an order that a
heads of departments should acquain
their employees with the location Of a
= fre-fghting apparatus; they are not
: attach material of any kind to electrj
r wires; and are to enforce the rul
/ against smoking. Great care is to
3 taken in the disposition Of rubbish, an
$ each employee is to hold himself
2 readiness to make time test in carr,
t ing bucket from any given point.
t BILL FOR GOOD ROADS