New-York tribune., 1911-04-03
SETH Low ON FIRE PERIL
Former Mayors Suggestions
Opposed by Insurance Men.
M'ANENY ALSO C0NCURS
Remarks That Better Enforce
ment of Laws Is Needed Rather
than More Legislation.

While advocating a legislative investiga
ton OF fire dangers in the city. forfne
Mayor Seth Low IN letter Yesterday q
Borough President McAneny added the sus
eestion that moro efficient fire protection
might be obtained II laws were passed pre-
cluding the FIRE insurance companies IRON
,nsuring any building where the legal re
ouirements for the safety of its occupant:
were not complied with.
And again. why is it not possible Mr
Low added. "to make It unlawful to
tenants 20 ir.ure their merchandise shc
other property unless they also comply VIII
the legal requirements as TO fire drill ano
the ike
lIr. McAneny. in answering Mr. Low
letter, concurred heartily with his slgges
tons but emphasized more the necessity o'
new Building laws and the proper leg'sla
tior 10 insure their enforcement than the
need Of placing new responsibility on IN
surance companies.
/ Mr. Lows suggestions in regard TO IN
surance companies did not meet with APP
proval among insurance men seen yester'
4
code and legislative, Investigation. but
inclined 10 think that statute making "
unlawful for insurance companies TO tsKe
certain risks would mean form OF I'M
practca ole and impossible class legislation.
! Laws which provided for the proper con-
struction OF buildings end centralized the
power In one Of the city departments to
enforce strict fire prevention would he
much more effective. the insurance men be-
! lieved. A prominent official OF the National
Board Of Tire Underwriters said:
fectively discriminate in their risks in
such a manner as 0fr. Low suggests. YOU
| would never know where 10 draw the line
Il would not work as preventive meas
adaEs aSas rs II s d'aS.s "
the violations. they would say: "All right;
we don't want any insurance. We vii
build as re choose" Why. not make u
strictly complying with the safety require.
ments and laws? That would really be
effective toward fire protection. Essen.
tally every building is constructed as
chandise from fire ard other elements. The
letter OF the Law should carry out thae
idea
Our present building laws are very in:
we need is new and much more com.
prehensve building code. That could oe
drawn by competent commission. anc
the power IS vested in the Board of Al.
the Aldermen could probably be obtained
under the pressure Of present public cpin-
ion. without regard 70 party or politics
Nr. Lows latter read az follows
Dear Mr.. McAneny: The recent terrible
", yte Aech Rrti'1frc ie 0etifrai'V n i1riD 2.
ins 10 the front many suggestions 70 pre-
vent such a horrible occurrence in the
future Those Of US who have had ex-
perience in public administration appreci-
cation table makes the problem Of inspec-
tion difficult. which. on small scale, Is
perfectly easy. think, Of course, that
that's That responsbiIity m SH 50 @ far M as practicable. rae
should be concentrated and that the in
spection should be made as adequate as
possible. u has occurred TO me, however.
would add TO the eff1ciency Of more ade-
quate and more careful public regulation.
First-Why is il net possible 70 make y
insure any building that does not meet the
legal requirements for the safety q It's
occupants. from the point Of view OF the
actual use. at the time, 10 which the build
ing is put?
Second-why is it not possible TO make II
unlawful for tenants to insure their n,er-
chandise and other property unless they
also comply with the legal requirements
as 10 fire drill and the like?
Such legislation would place the insur-
ance companies, as we'll as the public Off
cias. on guard over the safety OF the occu-
pants of buildings. and would greatly tend
10 reduce the likelihood OF any such catas
trcphe as that which shocked our com
muni'v few DAYS ago.
II legislation in this form is practicable.
think II might well be made 20 apply to
st.
pants Of building as we'll as 10 the
means OF protection against fire In other
words would IL not be in the interest ~
the public IL no building could be insured
IN which the sanitary arrangements We're
rot up to the legal standard. from the
point OF view OF the use actually to be
made 81 the building?
Please give these suggestions your care
I favor. also. q legislative investigation
Of conditions in ell cities Of the first and
" WV SETH LOW.
President McAneny replied
Dear M Low: have your letter and
concur heartily in your suggestion. While
the Importance Of securing better build
Ing code. and. perhaps other measures OF
general legislation. Is clear enough. IL seems
10 me equally clear that unless more ef-
fectve methods Of enforcement are pro
vidcd. mere provisions OF law, whatever
they may be. viii not go far.
This is certainly the lesson OF present ex-
perence. The law now places upon the
Superintendent Of Buildings the duty Of
requiring good and efficient fire escapes.
stairways and other meaas OF eCress' in
certain classes Of buildings, the plans for
which are submitted for his approval. As
an owner cannot proceed with construction
until mis- plans have been approved. and as
he cannot get approval until the bureau has
been satisfied that they are right. this re-
lt,s.
get them right at the beginning: but a
building once passed-as the Asch Building
was in lgOl-stands az approved unless sub
sequent complaint is made against II. either
through the Fire Department or the state
factory inspectors-or. as sometimes occurs.
through private channels.
Where complaint Is made and found to
be well grounded-where. for instance,
changes IN the character OF its use or oc-
cupancy may Increase fire risks-the super
intendent may direct the nstalia ton OF
more adequate fire escapes or other exits:
but once having directed" he finds him
anything like prompt compliance with his
orders. II an owner receiving such al or
der-or violation as IL Is called-does not
respond within reasonable length OF time
"a second notice is given: and. II that he
dsrcgarded. the only remedy is 10 ask the
Corporation Counsel to begin legal pro-
ceedings. and these are pretty apt to be
long drawn out
No complaint had ever been fled against
the Asch Building. either by the Fire De-
partment or by the factory inspectors and
there were therefore no orders outstand-
ing against H. Oh the other cases arising
during the last yelr. some have been cor
rected and others are still pending. The
Superintendent Of Buildings informs me
that including arrears of old cases there
are at present three hundred aud fifty that
are in the hands of the Corporation Counsel
awaiting consideration by the courts The
action usually taken is a suit to recover a
mopcy uanalty Where Judgment ~ givap