Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-21
GRAND JURY
REPORTS ON
FIRE PROBE
,cO-tinusd from E'irst Psse.)


fire in any OF the lower floors. scomes
useless for the purpose of permitting
the escap of persons on the upper
floors. Provisions should DO enacted
to avoid this as much az possible. All
exits to fre-escapes to have stills not
higher than the floor level.
Provisions should be enacted TO COM
pei the fre-proonng of the we'll holes
Of stair-cases with brick or other fire.
proof materials, and attSopenings there
in should be provided with suitable fire.
doors. State laws should provide for
fre-drills at stated times, to be held
not less than twice a month. and
should require the installation Of a fire.
alarm system, so that the operatives IN
each floor or department my be stimuli
~taneously notified In the event OF q fire.
and so installed as to permit OF the
giving of an alarm from any floor.
From the testimony before this jury
and az tho result of personal investl-
cation 1t appears most essential that q
much closer supervision of the on
struction and conditions of moving pic
ture show-places be had. No place
should be licensed ae a moving pic
ture show without first obtaining a cer-
tihcate as to safety from the building
department and also a certificate show
ing sanitary conditions to be satisfac-
tory to the Board of Health. No NOV
ing picture show should be conducted in
any room where the only light is that
reflected from the curtain. In the opin-
ion OF the jury there should be not less
than six oil lanterns of standard size
kept lighted at all times as a means
OF safety and prevention Of immoral
actions.
THE jury visited the Overlook
asylum and in a body went through
the pipe tunnel. Only the main tunnel
was inspected and thirteen leaks in the
piping were counted. A stream OF
water runs down the centre Of the tun-
mel floor from the leaks. We find that
the piping is badly designed and badly
installed, and recommend that no
further payments be made on this work
until the work is properly done. as in
its present condition It will be a per
manent tax on the county for repairs.
THE City Home, at Verona, was
to be in excellent condition, as
was also the ~penitentiary. The jury
recommends that at each institution
some suitable place be provided ex-
clusively for devotional exercises.
IAN investigation OF the almshouse
shows it's location to be utterly insult
ed for the to which 1t is put.
because of Its proximity to railroad ana
trolley tracks. This entails a breaking
OF the rest of the inmates during the
night time and O location outside OF
the city, with SUFFICIENT land surround
II. would, In the opinion OF the jury,
ba very much more suitable. The con-
eitions OF the ~almshouse in so far as
the management is concerned are good,
but the conditions az relate to FIRE risk
are absolutely. bad, and h Common
Council in continuing the use OF the
present building are assuming fearful
risk, as In the opinion OF the jury q
fire in this building would entail the
loss of the lives Of most Of he inmates
Immediate action on the part of the
Common Council is necessary II they
would relieve themselves Of RESPONSE
bility in case Of fire in the building.
The management Of the jail was
found to be good and conditions salts
factory In every way
THE installation of modern fire.
escapes on the City Hospital is inlpera-
tive. as IL the necessity Of providing
q suitable morgue, The present morgue
is a disgrace and the finance committee
should make suficient appropriation
during the current year to permit OF
these improvements being made at
once"