The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-05
USE FIRE ESCAPES
Marshal Wilmarth Urges School
Board to Act.
Wants Them Put on Manual
Training Building.
BOTH ARE DANGEROUS
Old One Will Probably Be
Equipped Soon.
Time to Guard Against Disaster
Is Before 1t Comes.
BOTH ARE DANGEROUS

To guard against any possible dis
aster occurring at the manual train
ing high school through the lack of
proper fire escapes, such as took place
in the suburbs of Cleveland yesterday,
Chief G. o. Wilmarth will again renew
his recommendation to the board of
education for the installation of sys-
tenn of fire escapes. The board Of
education is preparing to put fire es-
capes on the high school building
right across the street upon the rec
ommendation of Chief Wilmarth, but
thus far no provision has been made
with reference to the manual training
high school which has been consider
ed f1reproof. Shortly after the struc-
ture was erected the board considered
the stability of constructing fire
escapes but the cost frightened them
out.
81 will again call their attention to
1t, said Chief Wilmarth today. at
was said that the building was fire.
proof but we all know how those
things are. Experience demonstrates
that the time to guard against a loss
To use every precaution and provide
every safeguard that can be provided
and then if something disastrous takes
place you at least have had the salts
your part.
81 have been going over the prin-
cipal buildings in the city for some
time past and as result will order
in fire escapes on number of them.
This afternoon 1 will inspect the Ma
sonic building on Jackson street with
a committee and recommend where
the fire balconies and stairways shall
be placed. They will be put on both
the front and rear Of the building. The
a 1lx nr- hyIil 9
be equipped shortly with the proper
balconies and stairways. There are
number of other buildings which will
be called on to be similarly equipped.
''I again called the attention of the
school teachers today to the need OF
systematic fire drill in the school
buildings of the city This has been
kept up; two drills being given each
able to call their attention to it in a
number of particulars. I emphasized
to them the need of using the various
exits provided in the buildings so that
more tina none way of gaining access
to the outside
IN all school buildings in the city
the exit doors from all rooms and
stairways must be kept at all times un-
locked while schools are in session, or
while any pupils are within the build
ing: and even the slide bolts to any
mart of the outside double doors should
be kept unfastened at such tlmeS
Pupils should be instructed by their
teachers and whenever the fire drill
is called, all pupils should keep their
ewes upon their teacher and listen and
obey strictly every order and instruc-
tion given Children also should have
implicit faith and confidence In their
teachers If they are made to feel ana
to depend implicitly upon their teachers
the panic that takes place often at fires
will he avoided That is one thing
which came out clearly at the fire yes
terday: the children got beyond control
of their teachers and as result many
lost their lives who would ordinarily
have reached a place of safety. The
school house must have been a ver1ta-
BILE fire trap for it states that before
the children from the second floor could
reach the first floor that the first floor
fell in and crashed down into the flames.
That speaks for itself. Such cond1-
ton could not obtain in any OF the
schools in Topeka nor could 1t nave nap
pened in Cleveland or wherever proper
INSPECTION is made of buildings. This
school house was located out in the
suburbs about ten miles from Cleveland.
Another fruitful source of danger IS the
inswinging doors on public structures
lust recently had to call for change
in one of the largest churches In the
CITY where the doors swung inward
Architects are not planning any puohc
buildings however nowadays with in
swinging doors but you will ind them
occa siona1Iy on some of the older pubic
buildings. Cost should not enter into the
calculations for affording protection
from loss of life by fire. What is money
as compared to the value of a human