The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-03
CONFEDERATION
Menace HANGS
OVER THE CITY
Not an Elevator Shaft in Salt
Lake Is Properly Protected,
Says Chief GI0re.
URGES ENACTMENT OF
NEW BUILDING LAWS
DEFECTIVE WIRING is ANOTHER
CONSTANT SOURCE OF DAN
GER FROM FIRE,

salt Lakes three recent fires, thoss
at the Breeder. Office supply company.
the Walker block and the Bennett
Glass & Paint company, all occurring
within ten days. have emphasized in a
manner that has caused widespread
comment, two facts of vital Importance
to the city's business district-the first.
that the elevator shafts in the various
buildings are not properly constructed
with q view to fire protection. but are a
distinct and serious menace. and the
second, that the building ordinance is
not only ou--of-date, but wholly mad
equate for the requirements of the pres
ent-day salt Lake.
The broad statement is made that
there is not one elevator shaft In Salt
Lake City Of fireprOof construction.
The danger arising from this condition
is cited in the three recent fires. IN
each of which the spread Of the flames
was due largely, and in two cases at
least, solely to the open elevator shaft.
Chief Chores Statement.
IN this connection. ". H. Glore. chief
of the fire department, said to a Herald
reporter yesterday:
The elevator shafts in the business
blocks of Salt Lake are one of our most
serious menaces and obstacles to over
come in the event Of FIRE I don't be-
iieve there is one II the city that is
flrepFoOf. They are all Of open con-
Struction. with the result that when a
fire starts in the lower floor, the
draught not only sucks it up the shaft,
but, owing to the open construction. the
flames spread on each floor. This is IL
ID In % Ill
block The shaft there was enclosed,
but with wooden walls The fire nat
urally ate through these walls and
spread to the second and third floors
On which a number of the rooms were
destroyed. This would not have hap
peaed lad the shafts been constructed
ireproof.
"The elevator shaft should be en-
closed with metal Then it becomes
simply a. chimney. and the flames go
up through It to the roof without
spreading on the various floors.
TT might be argued that This is i'm
practicable on account Of the doors
that il the doors were constructed OF
metal it would be inconvenient aud un-
handy But solid metal doors are not
needed. The frame can be Of metal
with a window of wire glass. This
would answer every purpose Of the
open wire door. and would at the same
time BE- absolutely fireprOOf The glass
might crack in a fire, but the wire
would hold it,"
The chief need of the city today as
regards fire protection. according TO
Chief Giore. is q revised building ordi-
nance and a wiring inspector.
New Building Laws Needed.
New building laws are needed he
said. The city has outgTOWn its pres
ent ordinance. we are now a metro
politan city, and we should keep I'D
with metropolitan ways.
The present law is all right, 50 far
as it goes. but it does not go far
enough. and is far from being up-bs-
date. There are many respects in which
il should be re1nedied. and which ! will
suggest in my annual report.
Zone Of the oh eff needs is a wiring in
spector. The wiring of buildings as it
is done today is one Of our most serious
menaces. and there is constant and
continual danger Of fire from the defec-
tive wiring Of buildings. In the Bree-
den and the Walker block fires ] was
amazed to see some of the wiring IN
derneath the flooring. The trouble is
that when a FIRE arises from defective
wiring all the evidence is destroyed,
and we can only guess al it.
We should have a wiring inspector
There is more than enough work to
keep him busy. Y he was to start in
now to inspect the buildings Of the city
and oversee the changes which he
would have to order made he would
have months Of work ahead"
Chief Glore IS not alone in his views
regarding the danger arising from the
elevator shafts as they are at present
constructed. Danger has been felt By
insurance men and others for some
time past, but has not found general
expression until the recent fires in
which the shaft played such an impor-
tant part.
Continued on PAGE 2.