The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-05-07
Liable to Fires Equal to That
of Baltimore.
PROPER BUILDING CODE
Is the Only Manner Of Dis
posing of the Evil.
This Plan will not Instantly Re.
move the Danger but It will
Gradually Reduce It.

The protection of tn, wealth gath
cred in the business districts OF
our large cities is moral questions
aside, the most important respon-
sibility laid upon municipal offic-
ers. Either of four Ohio cities is
liable to conflagration equal in
loss to that of Baltimore, and two
may have such q loss as that of
Baltimore with that of San Fran
cisco added.
From such horrors there is but
one way of escape. That is through
the adoption and enforcement of
o. proper building code. This will
mot instantly remove the danger but
| it will gradually reduce 1t.
The annual fire loss per capita in
cities in America is 80, which is
six times tnat of the average DIN
European cities. Tile character of
the buildings in one European me-
tropolis is shown by the following
excerpts from a special consular re-
port on building regulations I'M
Vienna, Austria.
"There lis a case known in this
city where conflagration has ex-
tended beyond the building in which
IL originated and evan hardly any
cases are known where fire ex-
tended beyond the floor on which
it originated. This IS prevented by
the sohdity of the buildings by
strict fire regulations, and by
pretty well-traancd fire depart
| ment. y
In cities of America the fire
waste per capita for five years has
been $40. In European cities it
has been 81 cents.
The National Board Of Fire Un-
derwriteis, through its committee
on construction Of buildings, issued
in 1905 q Building Code which was
adopted by New York City and
subsequently by number of other
! large cities.
A CODE BY EXPERTS.
Two years and great expense
were given to the formulating Of
this code and it was submitted for
criticism and suggestions to emin-
ent experts in the art of building
construction everywhere. A copy
OF 1T was sent to the mayors of
the 1,OOl cities of America having
over 5000 population. This code
should be enacted as whole bv
the council of every large city and
i'll am abbreviated form by the
smaller ones. 1t would be difficult
to over.cstimate the importance OF
this duty.
But p new code can be effective
only ON new construction. What
can be done to reduce existing dan
gers?
Mr.. Charles G. Smith, who is a
member of the court before whom
Disputes between builders and city
inspectors in regard to the applica-
tion of the code in New York CITY
are heard, the decision of this court
beng final, was asked by the fire
marshal to suggest ways for the
regulation of common dangers in
business districts. The painstakine
succlnct and forcefsl recommenda-
tions of this high authority on this
Important matter follow:
First. All Internal openings in
brick dividing walls between build.
ings, including those in brick par
titlon walls, shall be bricked ,p
making walls solid; or, in eases
where that is not practicable, in
troduce approved fire doors. Such
openings, when unprotected, permit
small fires to spread often resulting
IN disastrous conflagrations.
| Second. Protect all BUILDINGS
from outside exposure fires by par
apeting all brick interior and divid-
ing walls at least three feet above
tue roof for the warehouse class
and not less than two feet for ali
other buildings. Protect all exterior
openings with approved fire shut
fers, and where 1suIch shutters % ma
not practicable, then approved wirc
glass with metal window frame ana
sash can he used N
Third, Enclose stairways, eleya.
tor wells, hatchways and all similar
vertical openings through floors
WIN brick or other fireproof ma.
teral, having approved fire doors
al all apertures.
Fourth. Prohibit the use Of
shingles on other combust;ble ma
tei1al for roof covering to build
ines. This, however, shall not
prevent the repairing of any COM
onsubie roof but the renewal of
mitted. AZ -
Six additional n,a,,aou...,bs !.