The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-05
BANK MAY APPEAL
|. ON BECk'S RULING
Protected Staircase Held to Be
Ample Exit in Case
of Fire.
CLUB MAY MOVE ON FRIDAY
Temporary Adjustment Of Elec-
! tric and Other Diff
fieulties.

ina Differcnces between the holding conf
oanv which has erected the new Amer
Acan National Bank Building and the
8,,.v ;,snectors have been SO far adj
ustcd that temporary PERMISSION mas
s,een given for the use OF the new par'
IL the structure, and the Business Mems
club will move into its new quarters
within the next few days Architect
7harles X. BRYANT. who has SUPERVISED
The erection of the annex and new up
/ Der stories, which include the manu-
tonie new quarters of the clup' saiu
yesterday that he had personally as
sured. Building Inspector Beck that
every requirement would be met. He
added that President Oliver ]. Sands,
&bf the bank, was out of the city, ana
bthat therefore no order had been given
for the erection of the outside fire
escape demanded by the Building IN
spector, but that he was securing the
necessary estimates and that the in
spector had given provisional consent
for the use of the new part of the
building.
Hns No Discretionary Powers.
Inspector Beck takes the ground that
he has no discretion in the matter; that
GInS abUllUluS Soue IequllSS ia SSSoPs''
Y on certain buildings, and that until
that law is complied with he cannot
sign permit for the use of the build
ling, and in this position the Chief OF
1.-the Fire Department concurs 1t was
sNreported yesterday that the bank OIL
Gals would appeal from the decision
of the inspector to the Board of Public
Safety, on the ground that the rear
staircase in the bank building is in
closed in tiled walls, separated from
Il the elevator shaft, the steps being OF
slate and metal, without combustible
4 material and that such stair case
was in itself fire escape within the
,9,meaning of the code.
They point to the Virginia Building
at Fifth and Main Streets, which ha!
a staircase inclosed in brick walls II
I lieu of the ordinary outside metal lad
'ders. which are always risky and which
In time of panic would prove of doubt
.ful value. But the Building Inspector
answer TO this argument is that TIN
permit issued before the work bega1
(, called for an outside fire escape and t.
that extent the building has not beer
completed in accordance with the per
NIT, making the owners liable to sum
mons to the Police Court. Contracto
+ a. NJ Walkup seems to take no part Il
call for fire escape, and he didn'
HI deliver one.
ttsg Electric Fixtures.
fi The differences over the electri
y equipment are also in process of ad
justment, according to Architect Bry
ant, and temporary provision has bee
made for lighting. When the frs
tests were made of the current tn
building was found to be grounde
Il about lao vo1ts-that is, there was
X leak of about that amount of current
4 but that difficulty has been corrected
Later. Inspector Speights complaine
I. that fixtures We're being installed whic
II were not in accordance with the elet
trical code. Mr.. Bryant says that tn
4 MIXTURES are all right. but of max
q that has not been listed here, and
rs now believed that the matter ca
II he adjusted without difficulty or q,
81 pense. Already an arrangement ha
been made to permit the turning on {
current In offices in the annex whic
y nave been rented for immediate occ,
pancy, and provision will be made fe
lighting the club.
4 The executive committee of the clu
will meet to-day. to decide on a mo,
4 ing day, and II all goes well the pre-!
: snt plan is to close in the present qua,
ters. over the Bank of Richmond. q
friday. after lunch. and open In til
new club rooms the following Monda
4 morning. The club had expected ,
move last Friday, but was DELAYED /
4 theNdlilerences as to the fire escane