Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-28
FIRE WARDENS GETTING BUSY
Making an Inspection Trip Through
the Entire City.
STATE FIRE INSPECTOR HELPS
Trouton says if the City OrdiRancet
Cannot Control the Situation
the state Laws VIII
he Used.


Though the state statutes specifically
provides that all buildings three stories
or more in height must be equipped with
fire escapes there are many owners and
tenants in Omaha who totally disregard
the law. This declaration was made Mon
day morning BY Ed Morris, city fire
warden.
To prevent catastrophe such as oc-
CURED In New York City Saturday night,
the fire warden in company with John c,
Trouton, assistant state fire inspector will
make a tour OF inspection throughout the
city. All owners and tenants Of buildings
will be forced to comply with the state
statutes
Morris and Trouton held a long confer
ence Monday morning in the warden's Of
flee, considering ways and means to force
the owners to comply. They finally de-
cided to tour the city and file complaints
against any who refuse to comply.
Tenement buildings and moving pictures
shows will occupy the attention OF the
wardens first. They contend that these
buildings are the more liable to fire and
that practically no provisions have been
made to safeguard life in them. These and
tenants OF buildings who persist In piling
up boxes IN front of the windows and fire
escapes will feel the effects Of the visits
most keenly
In the main the larger office buildings
and wholesale houses are equipped with
fire escapes" said the fire warden. But
even the conditions here can be bettsred
with a judiclous expenditure Of little
money.
Tenements and Picture shows.
But the tenement houses and moving
picture shows must be better equipped
with exits and fire escapes However, 1
do not consider these violations nearly as
fragrant as that OF owners. who persist in
blocking the windows and fire escapes by
plling boxes IN front Of them which rem
ders the exits practically useless. 1t has
become a common practice for wholesalers
TO pile boxes IN front OF the exits, the
idea of course being to save space. But
they will have to quit It.
THE moving picture shows need atten-
tion and they are going to get #. At
present, most Of them are equipped with
but one or two exits at the most. Should
fire ever break out in one Of them. the
loss Of life resulting from the scramble
might be appalling. To obviate such a pos
sibilty, we are going to force tenants to
provide side exits as well as back and
front exits. II possible"
The wardens anticipate little difficulty
in getting owners Of buildings to comply
with the requirements.
THE law Is specific on the point" said
Mr.. Trouton. And II the city ordinances
DO not cover the question the state statutes
do. I will file complaints against every
one we find violating the law. II the city
cannot handle them, the state can"
Fire chief Salter says the larger build
ings in the city are fairly well provided
with fire escapes, In the majority Of
cases he says his department can handle
the situation, as there are few buildings
in the city the top floor Of which is not
accessible by ladders
Ike Fire Warden Morris. Chief Salter
declares that all buildings in the city can
be made much safer by an expenditure
which is trite in comparison with the
benefits that might result
But II the tenants Will keep their fire
escapes cleared and the exits open, Omaha
has not much to fear in the way that New
York and Newark. N. j., have suffered re-
Gently"