Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-26
DISCUSS FIRE ESCAPES
CITIZENS BEFORE COMMISSION
Frs ON PROPOSED LAW.
Its Provisions Condemned by Those
Heard Today-Commission Sug-
gested by Attorney.

More than a hundred representative bust
ness men, property owners and hotelkeepers
appeared before the board of Commission
ers at the District building this morning to
discuss the proposed regulations governing
the fire escapes upon buildings in the Dis
trict in connection with the new ire-escape
law which was passed at the last session
of Congress. This flre-escape law has called
for much protest from property owners and
business men because of its so-called dras-
tic provisions, and before promulgating the
regulations which were approved by the
Commissioners last week the latter deemed
1t advisable to have public hearing in
order that practical suggestions could be
offered by those interested in the question,
to make minor changes in the requirements.
The provisions of this law require fire es-
capes on any building three or more stories
In height, or over thirty feet In height, I'M
less the building be used for strictly resi-
Dental purposes By the terms of the law
the lessee, occupant or person having con-
ments of the law. are held responsible for
the erection of the escapes in case the
owner fails to do so.
Oppose the Law.
Aside from discussing these regulations,
which were printed in full and exclusively
in The Star of last Thursday. many of those
at the hearing scored the fire-escape law in
general, declaring that it is too drastic and
will inf1ict hardships upon the business men
of the District.
The first speaker was Mr.. c. c. Lam
caster. He stated that he represented a
patented chain fire escape as attorney and
-stockhOlder. His address was devoted
chiefly to the merits of his machine.
Conrad Syme, attorney for the Hotel
Mems Association, made an address IN
which he stated that 1t was not the in
tention Of Congress in passing this law
governing fire escapes to place a burden
upon those who will be affected by the
law, but simply intended to enact some
thing which would insure better fire pro-
should happen to be visited by fire. He
suggested that the Commissioners make
the regulations fit each hotel instead Of
each hotel fitting the regulations.
THE architecture of a hotel said Mr..
Syme. lis one of its chief attractions. and
this feature should not be married, there
fore the Commissioners should refrain from
promulgating any order which would have
tendency to disfigure handsome hotels"
Would Mean Financial Loss.
Mr.. Syme also suggested that the Com
missioners adopt regulations governing ho-
tells particularly where the regulations
refer to passages and to fire escapes ex-
tending through private sleeping rooms.
He stated that to require the hotel keep
ers to turn these rooms into passageways
and use them for no other purpose would
mean financial loss to every hotel keeper
in the city. He concluded his address by
asking the Commissioners to appoint a
committee composed of the fire chief, the
superintendent of the building Office and
another official to investigate the existing
conditions at every hotel in the city for
the purpose of reporting upon some method
by which plans could be made to make
the fire escape regulations fit the condi-
tions of each hotel. and by doing so still
retain the safety and additional fire pro-
lection sought by Congress in enacting this
law.
John T. Devine, manager of the Shoreham
motel, the next speaker, stated that to make
passageways out of the rooms which lead
to fire escapes in his hosiery would mean
the loss of ten rooms to him and would
entail financial loss. He said these rooms
at present have large doors with thin plate
glass windows, which could be broken
easily in case access to the fire escapes was
wanted.
E. o. johnson of Johnsons hotel said he
would also suffer financially If he is COM
PEELED by the regulations to do away with
his sleeping rooms which have fire escape
exits in them. This would take away one
tenth of my sleeping rooms" Mr.. Johnson
stated.
Regarded as Outrage.
The fact that lis fire escape law does
not exempt freproof buildings is an out
rage" declared T. Frank Schneider who is
interested in several apartment houses.
Mr.. Schneider stated that there is no neces-
sity to have fire escapes upon fireproof
buildings, and that the owners Of such
buildings should not be made to suffer
by the hardships which would be entailed
by the provisions Of these proposed reg
ulations He stated that the tenants Of
freproof buildings, especially apartment
houses, should be educated to remain
quiet, when the alarm of fire is sounded.
and If this is done there would be alb
solutely no need for such thing as a
fire escape. The latter according to him,
will only act as an additional expense,
and Disagreement to the building.
B. H. Warner said If the regulations go
into effect as they now stand they will
cause much dissatisfaction among the
property owners in the District, and will
work hardships upon many. He, like Mr..
Syme, said there should be some fieXibility
attached to the law which would refer to
every building affected.
P. G. Burton, as attorney for the Chesa-
peake and Potomac Telephone Company,
said the provisions of this law will unneces-
sarily affect all of the buildings of this
company in the city, most of which are
new and modern, and he asked that the
Commissioners In promulgating the regu-
lations, make provisions for some f1eXibility
in applying the law.
Other speakers were w. F. Guide, Charles
Linlxins, Arthur Cowsill w. c. Dodge and
Fire Chief Belt. The latter informed the
Commissioners that the proposed regula-
lions provide for five gallons of fire ex-
tinguisher always being kept on hand in
buildings affected by this law, and he sug-
gested that this amount be reduced to three
gallons. claiming that the latter quantity
would be sufficient.
HUMAN HAND FOR GIFT.