New-York tribune., 1911-04-04
LEGISLATURE WILL
HEAR Of FIRE PERIL
Wainwright Committee Will
Make Many Suggestions for
Safety of ToiIerS.
PHILBIN NAMES WORKERS
Five Men Will Combine with
Other Commissions to Mini
mize Danger in Fac
tories of City.

gard TO the protection OF industrial
workers from fire will be made in the
report of the Wainwright committee of
the Legislature when that body recon
venes at Albany after the two weeks
recess Senator j. Mayhew Wainwright.
chairman OF committee. said yester-
recommendation for better legislation for
fire protection in factories and other
places where a large number of en-
ployes gather. was now being formulated
and would be presented to the Legisat-
ure in the week IL reconvened. The
committee is the same one which made
a report on employers liability, since
which time il has had under considera-
ton the subject of the prevention of in
dustrial accidents
Senator Wainwright heartily approved
Of the suggestion in The Tribune for the
appointment of special legislative COM
mission 10 investigate fire conditions in
this city. With the assistance of the
proper local authorities. who might more
expeditiously get at all the facts as they
existed. a special legislative commission
could soon formulate better and more ef-
fective laws for fire prevention. he said.
Eugene a. Philbin, chairman of the big
mass meeting at the Metropolitan Opera
House on Sunday. at which ways and
means were discussed to prevent such
loss Of life in factories as occurred at the
Washington Place fire. named a commit
tee of five Yesterday To cooperate with
other civic committees for the formation
of a permanent association for the bet
terment Of fire conditions in this city.
Mr. Philbin is chairman of the commit
tee. and the other members are Edward
T Devine. general secretary of the Char
ity organization Society; Miss Mary r.
Dreier president of the Women's Trade
Union League William Jay Scheffelin,
Lillian y. Wald. head Of the Nurses Set
Element. and Peter Brady, secretary Of
the Allied Printing Trades Council, rep
resentative of the unions.
Plans for Permanent Campaign.
a Joint meeting OF this committee and
q similar committee appointed through
the Association for Improving the Condi
ticn Of the Poor will be held this after
noon in the Office Of Dr. Devine. when a
permanent organization will be accom-
plished. That organization, when
formed. will pursue a thorough investi-
cation with it's own inspectors TO ascer-
tain actual conditions in the factories
and adopt definite plans for an incessant
campaign against unsafe fire conditions.
II will insist on the rigid enforcement
Of the building laws and consider the ad-
visibility of new legislation to make a
violation of the law on the part of prop
erty owners a misdemeanor.
John A Kingsbury. general agent for
the Association for Improving the Condi-
tion Of the Poor. who has drawn up a
plan Of campaign TO be presented at the
meeting this afternoon, said yesterday
that he had received a letter from K.
Fulton Cutting. who is in the South.
guaranteeing $1,000 for the work Of
the association to be perfected to-day.
4 subcommittee will be appointed 10
raise the necessary funds to carry on
the work permanently. Mr.. Kingsbury
said. and a crusade Instituted as lasting
and thorough as that conducted against
tuberculosis
Mr. Philbin said yesterday that the
new association would employ counsel
and institute actions against the owners
Of buildings where conditions should
warrant It, II it should appear that GER
tain city officials had been negligent in
their duty Of enforcing the laws legal
proceedings would be brought against
such officials. he said
The law should make it a misde.
rneanor 70 violate the fire regulations"
said Mr. Philbin. Then we could pro-
ceed criminal!y against the owners of
buildings The power should be cen
t.alizcd and vested in the Fire Depart
ment or the Health Department to en-
force the laws. Some one city depart
ment should be able 70 close a building
where violation existed or shut down
tenants business until he complied
with the regulations"
Sir Phillin was inclined to think that
thc local authorities ana civic commit
tees could handle the situation and ac-
ccmrlish the desired results without a
special investigating commission from
the Legislature The first essential step
would be 70 find out whore dangerous
conditions existed and then insist on
summary action 10 remedy them. he
said
Many Civic Bodies 10 Act
William II. Gibson. chairman of the
committee on ciIy affairs Of the New
York Board o. Trade and Transporta-
ton. and Albert Blaut. chairman Of the
committee on insurance and fire regula-
uons sent out call Yesterday for a
JOINT meeting Of their committees at the
board Of Trade rooms at No 2'3 Broad
way on Thursday afternoon. The com
mittets will discuss the matter Of fire
prevention and formulate practical sug-
gestlons for more adequate building laws
ana hre regulations. At the same time
the New York State Welfare Section of
the National Civic Federation will hold
meeting AT the Beard of Trade rooms
TO take practical steus toward the pre-
vention Of injury and loss OF life through
factory fires and other Industrial acct
dents
An official Of the National Board Of
Fire Underwriters said Yesterday that
several Of the local theatres which were
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