The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-10
SCHOOL INSPECTION
Austin and Maloney Have
Started on a Tour of
the City.
FIND FAIR CONDITIONS
Newer Buildings Slow Burning-Good
Exits Are Maintained at the
Schools Visited.

City Building Inspector Austin, to-
gether with School Building Inspector
Maloney, started out on a tour of in
spection of the city school buildings
yesterday morning. Especial attention
VIII be given to the question of proper
fre protection, exits, fire escapes, etc.
The Orchard street school was the
first one inspected. The inspectors
found that the building complied with
the law. The doors opened out, and
there were two exits, one each side of
fthe building. The building is two
stories heigh and is as fireproof as
any school built at the time that build
ing was
Dwight school. another two-story
structure, was the next building visit
ed. Here about the same conditions
We're found to prevail-two exits, a
front and rear, and the doors opening
outward All the doors are kept I'M
locked during the school sessions.
Mr.. Austin then went to West street
and commenced the inspection of the
building there, but was unable to COM
pete II, He will finish the inspection
there to-day and continue the inves-
tigation of the schools In the western
part of the city.
The word 'fireproof," in its ordi-
nary acceptation. does not apply ia
any New Haven school building. The
older buildings-those that were built
in the sixties and seventies, are not
/ fireproof in any way. shape or man
ner. The condition of buildings like
Wooster school, which is nearly, II
not, a half century old, Is such that
the possibility of making them ma
terially less dangerous tiretraps is pre-
Guided An expert in building con-
struction told a Courier representa-
tive yesterday that the older schools
in the city were veritabe fretraps
and the buildings were so old that il
would be almost an impossbiity tc
| do much in the way of fireproofng
The newer school buildings while MOI
fireproof in any sense of the word
cannot be called firetraps.
The same expert said that the New
Haven high school Is what is known
as sow-burning building. The
floors are laid on concrete, and i
would be almost an impossibility fol
a fire to make much Roadway in burn
ing up the flooring This does no
apply to the Boardman school, how
ever The consensus of opinion o
those interviewed was that those OF
the third floor might be caught in
trap in case of n fire in that building
1t is said there are no fire escapes OF
either the Boardman or Hillhous,
building.
The new Wooster Square school OF
Greene street will, while not fire proof
be q very slow burning one. The floor
4 will all be laid in bed of concrete
such as those IN the IIillhouse Ifigl
school, In speaking of that school
and Of the school building the cit,
will put up in the future this exper
above referred to, said, What seem
to me a good plan to put into execu
ton In the building of the new Woos
ter Square school Is to build a balloon,
on the roof. and have this balcony con
nected with the ground by an iro
stairway, which should be built so tina
1t will pass no window in its cours
, to the ground. In the Collingwoo,
tragedy 1t was smoke that was tn
cause of most Of the fatalities. Bir
itself burned but few TO death. An
this is generally the case In most fire.
The unfortunates Go not burn to dea u
they suffocate. Now instead of rush
ing all the children down stairs int
the face of the smoke for these sloN
burning buildings when they bur
create 4 vast amount of smoke. the
should be marched up stairs on to tn
roof into the fresh air. andthence dow
the iron stairway TO the ground. Blu
should any of the older school building
in the city catch fire. there would b
little smoke. They are finder boxei