The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-18
CITY HALL NEWS.
Hotels Refuse to Obey Orders OF
Fire Marshal.
Matter Has Been Turned Over
to County Attorney.
is WAITING.
Thinks Legislature VIII Pass
New Fire Escape Law.
Other Items of Interest From
City Building.
SCHENCK is WAITING.

Fire Marshal George o. Wilmarth.
last evening. sent to County Attorney
Schenck a communication regarding
the manner in which the hotels of this
city have not ebeyed the rope fire es-
cape Iaw-and this communication re-
veaIs sensational piece of negligence
on the part OF the hotel owners and
managers of Topeka.
On the 23d of January Chief Will
marth sent out a circular letter to ev-
cry hotel and tenement house owner
in this city telling them of the fire es-
cape law providing for a rope in each
room attached to the window and in
stalled in such manner that the rope
could be thrown to the ground and
used as means of escape by the oc-
cupants of the room This law has
been in effect for a number Of years
but believing that It was full of flaws
and practically worthless the fire mar
shall did not try to enforce it. As a
result the Copeland fire caused an
avalanche of criticism to fall down
upon the head the ecicient fire mar
shaI and he circulated a communica-
ton 10 the hotel owners at once.
On the Sth day OF this month, the
fire marshal investigated the ma liter
and found that not one of the TWEEN
ty-One big hotels in the CITY had COM
piled with the law. He informed the
county attorney of the matter and was
advised to wait for a short time and
see Just what were the intentions OF
the owners Of the buildings in dues-
ton The fire marshal has been wait
ing ever since and this week he made
another investigation OF the hostel
rfeS over the city and again he found
the same conditions exiStin ng-nOthing
doing As final measure and limit
OF his duty Chief Wilmarth sent the
result to the county attorney this
morning and also gave the names Of
the hotels and their managers stating
the time Of notification and the final
resources By doing this Chief Will
marth has cleaned his hands of the de-
partment which constituted his duty
and il IS now up to the law to take
further action In speaking of the
matter this morning Fire Marshal
Notifies the Hotels.
IT have notified every hotel in the
city and I have followed up the no
tices to watch the result but I have
found that not one rope has been in
stalled and not one step has been tax
may have some reason for not obey
ing this law and I have no doubt but
what they have as they have been very
courteous TO me in the matter They
rope fire escape is a rather risky at
fair at its best and they may have
some different ideas in connection with
their actions. I am not censuring the
hOteImen especially. Dur L nave done
all that IS in my power to comply with
the orders OF the law Ny jurisdiction
is ended as far as carrying out any
further orders is concerned and II Mr..
Schenck, the county attorney wishes
TO take any action against the hotels
it is his duty and not mine
The hotel men over the city said
this afternoon that they intend to obey
the law in every particular but they
have been advised by both city and
-er=- s& -
cape laws in the legislature are passed
or killed and then take action They
claim that II would be foolish to fol-
low out the present law when a new
law is liable to come into effect at any
time. One of the owners said this
morning TO a State Journal reporter:
eve are as anxious to make our
buildings safe as the fire marshal is
to make Us No one feels more Eriev-
ed over a death or an injury than the
hotel men themselves and think that