The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-23
DETROIT At MERCY.
OF FLAMES, SAYS
DALTON WELLS
Building Inspector Declares Heart OF
City Full of Fire Traps, and Charg-
ing Aldermen With Criminal
Negligence, Resigns.
Asserts Council Holds Up Building
Code and Cripples Commission by
Refusing Needed Money.

Dalton r. Wells. chief inspector in
charge of the department of build
ings. has resigned his position after
one years incumbency lie Is going
into business as an architect with
Marcus r. Burrowes
But the real reason Of Wells resig-
nation Is that he does not feel that
he is longer willing TO be responsible
for conditions in a building way as
they are in this city. He believes
that Detroit is In such shape that IA
fire as disastrous as that which
destroyed the best portion OF Bati-
more is AT any time possible here:
and he believes. further that the al
dermen are willfully holding back
Legislation and appropriations which
would remedy conditions.
Wells is an enthusiast He has had
numerous differences OF opinion with
other city officials I'm his efforts TO en-
force better building conditions. The
department OF building, of which he
is the executive head under a board
OF four commissioners. was created
in anticipation of the enactment OF a
new building code This code was
completed last winter and has been
before the council since. with no ac-
tion taken upon 1t except 10 have IL
printed The commission asked for
appropriations for a force of inspec-
tors To enforce the new code. and was
allowed BIZ the council only four in
spectors, an inadequate number.
Seeing no prospect OF better
ordinances observing dangerous con
dltions all around which he could not
remedy, and given only small force
To aid IN enforcing such laws as are
ON the books, Wells got tired OF try
ing and resigned The building com
mission has found no one to take his
$1,000 position as yet.
Conditions are ripe for fire like
that in Baltimore" says Wells. De
troit would burn faster than Baltimore
lid, though. The situation is rotten;
that is the only way can express ii.
The present ordinances are ridiculous
and as full Of holes as sieve. We
ought TO have better laws right now.
without waiting for a disastrous fire.
or for some building 70 collapse and
Kill lot of people. That is too ex-
pensiye a lesson. know how things
are and am not going TO stand the
responsibility any longer.
What would have happened II the
Hunter AZ Hunter fire had occurred a
few hours earlier? There would have
been great loss of life What would
happen If fire We're 10 break out in
some OF the other department stores?
departmeut store Il worse than
theater as far as danger from fire is
concerned. yet we have laws govern
Ing the building of theaters and We
nave hardly any control over stores.
was i'm one store few days ago,
ahd il Is a building that is not 1re-
proof. and the aisles were so crowded
that the people could hardly have got
ont in panic The doors OF that
store were partly bolted shut, and the
others opened inward. Ihat Is just
sample of the danger.
II could name any number OF fire
traps. but | do not think ii would be
fair TO name only a few and let the
others 90 unmentioned. There must
ba 200 or more of them. Some dan
eerous buildings are factories In which
Girls are employed in upper floors.
The new building code Is being
sldetracked for definite reasons There
Is an election coming, and the alder
mon are afraid that the passage OF Il
strict building code would offend a
great many people now constructing
unsafe buildings, and owners or bulld'
ings in bad condition. They would De
blamed. they think.
THAT is the reason why the force
Of the department was cut down with
hi