The Washington times., 1907-04-08
STRONG PROTEST
AT FIRE ESCAPE
ERECTION PLANS
Thirty Hotel Men Cali
for Hearing Before
Board.

Thirty proprietOTs of Washington no.
tells assembled in the board room Of the
District building this morning TO par
ticipate IN a hearing before the BOARD
of Commissioners to protest against the
enforcement of certain Of the regula-
lions OF the new FIRE escape law. which
they aliege would conhscate valuable
space now used for entertainment OF
guests that would amount TO from 10
to &c per cent OF the net earnings Of
their property.
The Hotel Mems Association. of which
the members OF the delegation present
are members. two weeks ago held
meeting and discussed the enforcement
of the new fire escape law and unanim-
ously decided that the rigid enforcement
OF certain OF the regulations would
make the law Onerous. A resolution
passed at that meeting appealed TO the
Commissioners for a hearing in protest
against the rulings OF Capt. William
Kelly, assistant engineer commissioner,
in direct charge of that department Of
the District government. through En-
gineer Commissioner Biddle's Office,
Chief william T. Belt, OF the Fire De-
partments Phillip ". Nicholson. IRE
marshal, and Snowden Ashford, building
{ Inspector. whose official duties require
Them toe see the law enforced.
Fifty Hotels Affected.
CoiSraA H. Syme. attorney for the
..4otel HENS Association. opened the
.ring. lsetting forth the complaint Of
-. hoteE men. He said that there We're
&c. or more hotels in the city that
s-o.,,s bea directly affected by the law;
49, ~. clients desired to cooperate
-. 49, District officials in the carry
- &c =. the law. securing the max
sass..s - ss4. ETY. at the minimum OF cost
:. ~ bo,et wners, and to give to the
- - "a fire protection possible
hV'StS ~ I've On ests. without taking 10
~, - o cenf or moreS from the~earning power
of the houses ~, -, ~. .7~.,-gs..,4
-, - - 1C1eeooT,,nfssfoneS s whereby this end
could be at1Idned, Su6Be suns afnons
49, fbtngs chat an SeNtel sslon or time
fer the instE Notion OF n" rllS $500 -,
.5e1eeS - m. rCle so as to permit the
work 10 he dOT. during the foIII season
after June, whe.7 many o. t.iS llo'e ~
viii be practically, V|1C,,,,+sI1 s5d .,,,,-
the guests scing -
mer -rssor.s.
Many Rooms Mao valueless.
Discussing the connsca> ion OF rooms
that viii have TO be used a i'g 'i'e
exits II the law is enforced h ClSeu III
case Of The Buckingham, 9lS IN,
street northwest, where room. &C.
used by guests viii have 10 be 80
doned on each floor above the nrst "a
turned into exit passages TO Ire eSelIN
making ValueleSs those rooms as rev
nue. producers, which would take from
the net earnings of the house over 10
per cent. 3 Colonel Bliss. proprietor OF
rhis hosiery appeared and stated that
If the commissioners would permit a
fire escape to be erected at the end or
the halls on each floor such an arrange
ment would be a compliance with the
Law. giving maximum of safety 10 the
guests at a minimum Of cost TO the IN
tel, avoiding the abandonment OF a
number of rooms. one on each floor
now proposed TO be used as exits to fire
escapes.
To File Written Complaints
This suggestion met with the instant
approval OF the Commissioners, and II
was suggested at this point that instead
Of a prolonged hearing that II the pro
prietcrs OF hotels who have complaints
10 make against the enforcement Of the
law. and who have such suggestions 10
make to file them in writing. with dia-
grams of their hotels. and the matter
would be promptly considered, and in
this wav the law could be enforced
without hardship to the large hotel in
terests. Attorney Syme, after consul
tatior with e number of his clients, ac
cepted the suggestion. and the meeting
adjourned with everyone satisfied with
the proposition of the Commissioners
Chief Belt, Fire Marshal Nicholson,
Building Inspector Ashford, and Cap
tain Kelly were present.