Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-24
FOR FIRE ESCAPE LAWS
DISTRICT OFFICIALS TO ASK FOR
AN AMENDMENT.
Desire to Give Further and Better Pro.
lection to Citizens-Pressnt
Conditions.

Apparently the recent tenement-house
fire In New York, when 80 many lives were
lost because the fire escapes of the burning
building were filled with all sorts Of OBJ
structions. was not without effect on the
local authorities. Renewed efforts are to
be made at the next session Of Congress to
secure the enactment of more adequate
fire-escape law. the bill presentd last year
having failed of passage The probable
effect OF the tenement-house fire is seen
In one paragraph Of the letter transmit
ting the draft Of the proposed bill to Chair
man J. H. Gallnger of the Senate District
committee, when 1t Is stated:
THE present law does not give the in
spectors of fire escapes authority to order
the removal of Instructions from fire
escapes after the escapes are in place and
the buildings are occupied There have
been many cases where impediments, such
as ice boxes, refrigerators, garbage cans
ash boxes, ETC., have been placed on the
balconies in such manner as to entirely
block the way to the ladders"
Further than this, the need for the legis-
latfon provided in the proposed bill is
argued as earnestly as words will permit
by interested officials of the engineer de-
partment, the fire department and others
whose duties bring them to realization OF
the danger to life and limb which must
inevitably result from the non-equipment
or certain classes of buildings with no other
means OF exit than the stairways The ne
cessity for fire escapes on buildings of GER
tain heights, except private residences II
is stated. is recognised by the regulations
OF other cities. The regulations of Phila DEL
phia, st. Louis and Boston fix the minimum
height OF such buildings at three or more
stories In Chicago, New York, Buffalo and
other cities escapes are required on all such
buildings more than three stories high
The requirement for fire escapes In the
capital is now applicable only to such
building or buildings fifty feet and more
in height as may be constructed and used
or intended to be used as hotel, factory.
mandatory, theater, tenement house,
seminary college, academy, hall or place
OF amusement or other buildings where
large numbers of persons assemble
NO existing law requires that such es-
capes shall be affixed to office buildings
and department stores of any height or
system OF construction, it is stated, unless
some portion thereof be used as a factory
Fire department officials say that there
are many buildings of recent erection &C.
cupied as apartment houses and hotels
which are only few inches less than fifty
feet in height constructed of inf1amma BILE
material and with very meager means of
exit, and in several cases such buildings
have a much larger number of OCCUPANTS
than other buildings of greater height
which are equipped with fire escapes. In
some instances such buildings have but
one stairway each, constructed Of very in
f1ammable material, as a means of exit for
occupants of the upper stories in the event
of fire.
The proposed measure, besides giving
the Commissioners much broader discre-
ton in the premises. provides for the re-
qufrement Of fire escapes on most build
ings in the District other than private
residences which are three or more stories
high.