The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-13


the hotels Of Minneapolis was started
by the city council last evening, fol
lowing the, report Of Building 1nspec-
tor James G. Houghton. The motion
was made by Alderman Wilhelm Pet
tersen Immediately after the reading
of the report. It calls for thoro in
vestigation Of all hotels in the city, as
well as other buildings which may be
in dangerous condition, and empowers
the purpose of@safeguarding life and
property to greater extent than is
possible under existing laws. The COM
mittee consists Of Aldermen Perry
Starkweather, w. E. Satterlee, W. w.
Ehle, Michael A.. Gerber, Lars M.
Rand, Wendell Hertig, Harry G. Nc
Laskey, Platt B. Walker and Wilhelm
Petersen. The communication from
Building Inspector Houghton is as fol-
lows:
II wish to make you acquainted
with the conditions existing in various
buildings in this city SO that you may
be able to judge as to whether our
laws and ordinances are sufficiently
stringent to afford all just and necess
sary requirements for the public safety.
[ also wish to make you acquainted
| with the manner in which have here
tofore exercised the authority given
listing regulations where such matters
are left to my Judgment.
"The recent disaster at the West
hotel emphasizes the Importance Of
| the questions / am about to PROFOUND
to you. o. - 81. - r. =
"There are number of hotels in
this city, both large and small, in the
construction of which no attempt was
made at ireproofng. The interior fin
ish,, columns, girders, joists, floors and
partitions are Of wood, and the fittings
| and furnishings are Of infammable
materials. The elevators in these build
ings are in many cases constructed in
| wooden shafts and no provision is
made against the spread Of fire.
"It is true that fire escapes are pro-
vided on these buildings, but, owing
to the nature Of the construction Of
the buildings and the manner in which
they are laid out, / fear that such fire
escapes would be Of insufficient service
in case Of fire, and under no circum-
stances could these buildings be put in
such condition as even to approximate
in safety such building as the West
hotel, without entirely reconstructing
their interiors. 1922
The Question. -
"Question: To what extent does the
w-making body Of this city wish to
go in condemning such buildings as are
now in use for the purposes above
named and requiring them to be re-
freproofng methodist Also, to what
extent shall they be provided with fire
fighting equipment and safety devicesq
1--WE ALSO have in this city num-
Der Of so-called freproof office build
ings, some of which I consider worthy
of the name. In requiring fire escapes
on such buildings, I have followed The
example Of all of my predecessors in
this office, as we'll as the custom in
| other large cities, and have only exer-
cised my authority to compel the cree
ton of fire escapes on those buildings
whose structural character, surround
ings and interior arrangement seemed
to justify such q requirement.. 7 have
taken this position, as our ordinances
plainly permit me to do, for the rea-
son that considered that the owners
of such buildings had some rights in
this matter, and that it was not just
and right for me to exercise my author
ity and force the erection of fire escapes
on buildings where the existing condi.
tions presented nothing Of hazard
GUS nature. -. ~, Ia. q
~"Question: Does the honorable city
| COuuC1A gucS1IS 11o W SAcIC1S0 lily ctu
thority in all cases and compel the
owners of office buildings to erect fire
escapes thereon, regardless Of the man
ner in which they are constructed, anC
my judgments as. to the necessity o.
use Of such equipment?'
cit should be remembered, in an
swering this, question, that many sucl
office buildings are so arranged that il
J. one fire escape is furnished, then Their,
should be several, in order to give al
-, tenants like projections. I consider thi!
a question very important one, and Of
y vital interest to the tenants and pat
! rons Of such buildings. = :.
CIT is also matter Of great: i'm
portance to those public-spirited bust
n ness men who have shown such faitl
y in the future growth of our city asett
a warrant their. erecting ireproof build
v ings, for if they be required to expent
e large sums of money to equip sucl
r buildings with fire escapes, then wha
a shall we require on buildings Of al
inferior class and construction, in orde1
q to deal fairly with all? -.. ..@ .
Il GAS showing that the matter of fir,
n escapes has received the attention O.
: this department which it's importanc,
e demands, I will only state that Their,
9 have been erected on various building
in this city nearly three hundred sucl
fire escapes since I have been at TIL
head Of this department.
,