The Washington herald., 1907-01-25
COMMISSIONERS NOTICE.

/ OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF
the District of Columbia, January =.
190I.-Ordered, That Fire Escapes 10 be in
stalled IN accordance with the act of Con
gress approved March -, 1896. entitled
An act 10 require the erection of fire es-
capes in certain buildings in the District
OF Columbia, and for other purposes.
shall be Of the type shown By drawings
on file In the Office OF the Inspector OF
Buildings. In certain cases, however
hereinafter specified. chain or endless
4 ladder types of fire escapes may be used,
y Fire escapes must be so located that
person IN any part of building can reach
one without having 20 pass a stair well
types Of IRE escapes may be used 0I
buildings or parts of buildings SO con-
SJTucted that the standard platform fire
escape cannot De applied without Oh
srUctng window or door openings. IN
such cases balconies of the standard type
must be provided and the chain or end
less ladder escape must be suspended over
the middle Of the space between tiers OF
windows. 8. The fire escape on each floor
must be 20 located as 90 be readily &C
ce. l1le and must be kept free from OBJ
ST -dons- In case access 10 an escape IS
D through a room. either the door OF
the room must be removed or an unOb-
struCted passage at least two and one
half feet wide must be provided from the
corridor or the hallway 10 the FIRE escape.
Access 10 fire escapes may be had
through windows IN case the Siils are not
more than two feet six inches above the
noor and the windows are SO constructed
as 10 provide d clear opening at least
three feet high and two and oue-haf feet
wide, l. Landing or drop ladders Of fire
escapes must be provided with 4 counter
balance weight, suspended by a bronze or
copper cable, capable OF sustaining
weight of twelve hundred pounds. In all
cases where chain or endless ladder fire
escapes are used they must be SO ar
ranged as 10 be readily prepared for Op-
Grafton by fIremeu from the ground. The
wire for operating the escapes must be
of noncOrrOsiVe metal at least one-ffth
OF an inch in diameter. Each standard
platform escape should be provided with
gOOse-neCk fremCus ladder extended
from the upper platform to "a point at
least three feet above the roof. 8 All
halls, corridors, paSsagewayS. stairs, and
exits TO IRE escapes in buildings used and
occupied at night must be lighted from
sunset 10 sunrise, as follows. White light
at head and foot Of each fight Of stairs
Same at intersection of halls, corridors.
or passaSeWays, and at least one such
HgnJ near the center or each hallway.
corridor. or passageway, and one at each
guide sign \ red light to be placed at
each approach to fire escape. 8. In al
sleeping rooms the following notice in
red letters One-Quarter of an inch high
on a white card shall be COnspicuOusly
placed. Notice. Red Lights Indicate I.o-
cation Of Fire Escapes" Z. At the inter
section of "a ball approaching a fire escape
ana the corridor on each floor a sign shall
be placed. with letters two inches high
10 be read from either side with the
words FIRE ESCAPE" IN cross halls
"a sign shall be placed, with letters two
inches high with the words TO THE
FIRE ESCAPE and a printed hand in
dicating the direction of the same. Near
the center of the main corridors and halls
St8ndpipeS at least two inches in diameter
shall be placed. with sufficient hose of the
same size 10 reach either end of the cor
rldOr or hallway and with satisfactory
connections TO the city water service
This viii not apply to halls theaters or
at least three inches in diameter shall be
installed as required at present nor will
II apply to any buildings already erected
ia which existing standpipe systems prove
satisfactory. AT each end OF the hallway
on each floor shall be placed one three
gallon IRE eXtngusher. & Elevator shafts
ana StdiTWays IN easements shall be in
closed with hre-resisting material in such
PROOF. This inclOsUre or compartment TO
nave self-closiug hreprOOf doors, which
must be Kept closed at all times when not
IN use. 8. All halls, passageways, COrri-
dots, and openings to fire escapes and
stairs must be kept free from baggage
furniture. cans, or any other Obstruction
whatsoever All openings to fire escapes
must De so arranged that they can be
operated without key or other instrument
10 Ere alarm gongs shall be installed In
an buildings coming within the purview
or the Act Of March 49, 1866. which are
used and occupied for sleeping purposes.
one elght-inch alarm gong shall be placed
near the center Of each hallway or CORR |
doi on each floor. GOngs are to be oper-
dled from automatic striking stations
placed as follows; One near the front
door, one AZ the head of the stairs on
each hooTi one in the office or janitor's /
room and one in the kitchen if there be |
sueh room. All shall be placed on one
circuit and all gOngs shall operate sim |
uitaneously from any and all stations. All /
operating switches are to be protected by /
glass cases. Telephones viii not be CON /
slqered as a substitute for alarm gongs. |
HENRY B. +. MCFARLAND, HENRY |
l.. WEST, JOHN BIDDLE, Commissions |
5Is VI the DlstrleL OF Columbia ]