New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-10

Score Book.
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condition. and that the brick work of the
third. fourth and fifth stories was
charred and defective. and that the fooi
beams. flooring and trim were charreo
and burned all through the building
According to the records of the Bureau
~ Buildings many of the owners OF
buildings have displayed unwonted haste
and willingness TO comply with ORDERS
within the last week or ten days, or SUD
seouent To the tragedy Of Washington
Place.
In this classification falls Fire Escape
Order No. 22S-l0." in which, though the
owner has displayed what the depart
ment calls the typical attitude towarc
its orders since March II, 1910. he has
recently. or since the Asch Building hre
changed front and displayed readiness
10 obey the departments order withou'
question.
This order Was issued upon the prem
Uses No. 7s West 47th street. private
dwelling house now used for business
nurposes. of which Arthur Brisbane Is
the owner. Starting with an Inspector
on March s. 1910. the trail of delay runs
along in the following chronological or
der:
March 10. 1elo-Owner served by postinls
&,si,h order 10 nut On complete fire escapes
March 1l-Agent served. ,,,
April 12-Personal service MADE on A. .ro,
Brisbane, owner. at No Z56 Wl'lian' s Sr
brisbane calling his attention 10 oluci
served April u. for failure to comply WIN
original order ..,, Gunner 70.
ferring department to his agents and &c
lessee and stating that tenants nave az
sured him they will carry out 'he oi"e' VI
the bureau.
IF they fail to do So Mr.. Brisbane
wrote. Il assume and hope that your bu-
reau will take such steps as to compel
compliance with the law. if necessary
causing the building to be vacated
Then the record goes on:
June 3. l9lo--Ietter received from Clarence
J. Shearn as attorney for Arthur Brisbane
requesting a reorganization, with vie"
10 modifying the original order.
June g REORGANIZATION by inspector
with report that 1t is entirely feasible &c
place Are escape on the rear OF the Oullu'
ing as required by the order. which is ap-
proved by the superintendent. $3.50
Inns I'll etter received by Buildings
Department from ironworker that he mas
order to put mp fire escapes; ACCORDING I,
the order Of department; and on the same
day letter received from Clarence j. Shearn
as attorney for Mr. Brisbane. reporting
that fire escape order has been placed.
December 6-Buildings Department IN
spector reports that order has not beer
fully complied with in that scuttle Is not
by feet, and there was no stationary
January <. q and February 6. l9n-Let'
tiers sent to agents and owner. calling at
tention 10 the fact that order had not beer
March lease sent TO Corporation Coun
BEL for prosecution.
The Buildings Department. during the
course Of its work on this case. found
that the building was occupied as {
dressmaking establishment, having &
dozen women employees on the second
floor
Since the Asch Building fire. on Apri
g. Clarence j Shealn telephoned 10 thu
Bureau Of Buildings that the full term!
IF the order of March. 1910, had beer
complied with--that is. that The scuttl
with ladder was being installed--ant
asked that the bureau send a dismissa
notice on the order to him as attorne,
for the owner
From the records Of the Buildings De
partment in the case against tie Chanle
estate. in which the singer. Nine. Lin;
Cavalieri. recently became beneficiary
81 appears that the chief contention aros
over the matter of connecting ladder
between the landing platforms Of III
fire escapes on the second, third an
fourth stories Of the building al No. SO
Tenth avenue. The order Of the depart
. ,nent called for such connecting ladder:
n but the owners or their agents installe
Y instead an extension balcony whic
reached 20 the fire escapes Of the buildin
adjoining and did not install any con
Meeting ladders After series of delay
running from February :. 1908. TO No
verber g. 1910. the Bureau of Building
sent this case TO the Corporate Couns'
for prosecution on November q. 1910.
Former Fire Commissioner Refuted.
IN the case Of the building al No. 81
Fifth avenue. listed as the property {
Thomas Sturgis. former Fire Commits
sioner the first rep6rt in the Building
Department from an inspector is date
June s. 1910 In it the inspector says
Il found that the building is five storit
high ard il occupied by stores. Office
and dressmaking establishments, havir
a number ~ employees on the vario,
floors II has only one line Of stairs ar
one elevator. and no outside means
escape in case Of fire. This is nor
'reproof building and in my opinion
REQUIRES fire escape
on July 2s 1909, this case was sci
along ia the Corporation Counsel f
prosecution but on March 20, 1911. aft
the Asch Building fire. the Bureau
Buildings was informed by an iron worl
ing firm that II had received an ord
that dav 70 do the fire escape work Z
the building No. 500 Fifth avenue.
The case against the building at y
1872 East 32d street. owned by Congress
man jefferson NJ Levy, is summed up
the following extracts from the recor
Of the Buildings Department:
February p. lsiO-Owner served with :
der 10 nut FIRE escapes on second. third a
fourth stories, with connecting stairs a.
drop ladder TO ground. based on complai
received from Fire Department February
1910. ,.
June s-Inspector reports. In progress.
June 2-lnspector reports: Fire esca
en- third and fourth stories partly erected