New-York tribune., 1911-04-16
BOROUGH GOSSIP
DANCER of Fire in the Old Hall
Risked to Save a PaItry Sum.

UdIlgcI VI rue w t''o O'u Van
Risked to Save a PaItry Sum.
The Borough Hall is not to he altered
Z, make II easier TO escape from in case OF
fire II was proposed 20 increase the size
OF the elevator shaft and the stairway after
the fire in Washington Pace. Manhattan.
but upon investigation Borough President
Steers learned that the changes would cost
Hoo He determined To save the expense
and devote the money toward the erection
of the new municipal building. While there
are comparatively few persons regularly
engaged in the Borough Hall. the building
xould be had place In q fire There Is
only one elevator and the stairs are not
only narrow but winding. The trouble viii
probahlv come-if 81 ever comes at all
through the necessity OF rapidly removing
200 or 30 persons from the room OF the
Annellate Division Of the Supreme Court,
which occupies large part of the third
floor
The danger is thought to be iessened oy
the character OF the persons who use ne
building. Few women are employed in the
Borough Hall. and even fewer attend the
sessions Of the Appellate Division. The
lawyers and men in public life. and the sup
position is that they would not be SIAM
peded readily II is not pleasant to think.
though. what stampede from the court
room would result in at that narrow. wind
Ing preCipitous stairway. especially with
the employees of the Buildings Department
hghting their way down he stairs from
the fourth floor y back stairway. known
9Th r.
hans relieve the condition somewhat if the
fire permitted IL to he used, but loss OF He
surely would occur Under the legal the
ory that a mans life is worth at least
$4,000. the borough would save money by
making the proposed alterations II only
the life of one man was saved. Mayoe
some of the justices OF the Appellate Divi-
sion think that their lives are worth more
than MODO each. and n justice is Just as
likely TO be killed in a fipe panic as any
other person.
The cost of the proposed repairs would
not pay the salary Of justice OF the APP
RELATE Division for six months Argu-
ments before the Appellate Division are
made usually by the best lawyers of the
city and state Few Of them value their
lives at only $1,000
ANY one who is inclined TO smile and look
wise when the proposed new municipal
building is mentioned can have another
think" The building is going to be erect
cd OF course. no one knows just exactly
when. bu, there is no use giving up hope
simply because the plan has been hanging
fire for generation. All good things come
slowly. and the delay has not resulted so
badly. after all. When the scheme was
first conceived the borough was in its in
fancy II the structure had been put up
II would have been almost outgrown by
now.
Since those early days the borough has
developed some enlarged ideas about Its
future importance. The Jamaica Bay i'm
rrovemenr has been started and the rail-
roads have begun TO take an active interest
in what vas once known as the CITY OF
Homes ard Churches Every borough
rresiden, mas felt called upon to hire an
architect and get up plans for the proposed
building So far the architects have cost
$50 600 hut the end is not yet. Each plan
has been a little more ambitious and ex-
pensive that the preceding one. and each
has been Observation-Disclosures of course
the final plan.
Last week President Steers authorized
Public Works Commissioner Pounds Build
ings Superintendent Thatcher and Superin-
tendent sVoody Of the Bureau of Public
Buildings ana Offices to find an architect
end get him 20 work on the plans for the
actual building operations There IS n
sound that is almost soblke in those words.
The oldtlmer catches glimpse Of the dis
1 II. ,llvDr -
the tender green Of the grass and trees OF
liurphy Park but what is the use of sigh
ing? There will he a new borough presi-
dent by the time the plans are ready-or
rerhaps the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tionmcnt will refuse 10 allow the city's
money 10 he used to erect q municipal
building in view of the neei of subway
70 connect Barren Island with Canarsie-
and then there will be another delay.
Hstory's habit Of repeating itself has be-
come proverbial. Provided the old Munic-
ipal Building does not burn down through
defective electric wiring and destroy rec
ords worth some millions of dollars. the
delay will be Just as well. Even yet. the
plans for the structure have not attained
the ideals of the most farslghted citizens.
The Borough is TO be satisfied too easily.
Better wait another decade and put up a
building that viii really answer the de-
mands OF p couple of million persons. The
needs are only vaguely appreciated as yet.
Some say that when the Jamaica Bay i'm
provement is completed the centre of popu-
lation will he the Prospect Park Plaza or
thereabouts. Perhaps 2 future admnistra-
ton will find II wise TO erect municipal
building there. instead of on Murphy
Park Brooklyn has found DELAYS eXpen-
sivc. but not dangerous. in this case at
lcast
The police force Of the city from Com
missioner down TO the last recruit, has
been invited 10 attend Easter service in
St Michaers Roman Catholic Church.
Fourth avenue and 42d street. The rector
Of the church. the Rev. William r. Nc
CURL. is one of the two police chaplains
assigned to BROOKLYN. The chaplain ha.
hcen accustomed to hold services each
Easter for the policemen end the police
men have always turned ont in large num-
hers Irrespective OF creed. to attend They
60 in their uniforms and listen to sermons
especially prepared for them and to special
musical programmes The service on sun
6av will bo AT o'clock and the hfth pla-
tocu viii he relieved from duty so that as
many men a. possible may attend.
Another church incident Of Easter VIII
be the unveiing OF what is said to be
tho largest window OF American glass mo-
sac work The window has been Installed
IN the Washington Avenue Baptist Church.